Why Leap?

HISTORY OF ENDURANCE SPORTS
Sports and endurance have had a hand in glove relationship over the years. Whether it’s the five-setters in conventional games such as tennis, or non-Olympic events such as ultra marathons and long-distance cycling, the common link to each of them is the physical and mental strain exerted on the human body.

Long before penalty shootouts were the norm, the longest football game stretched to three hours 23 minutes in 1946 until it finally had a winner. Then, the longest recorded cricket Test match was played out between South Africa and England over 12 days in 1939. These are some the first instances where play extended beyond normal hours, making it evident that success had as much to do with skills, as the ability to persevere until the end.

Outside of these well-recognised sports, there were others that gained in popularity through the dedicated efforts of a few aficionados. Stage races in cycling and ultra running presented the perfect test in preservation and endurance, as did climbers who slowly inched their way up to the  summit of big mountains.

While India was quick to join the bandwagon when it came to conventional games, the rise of endurance sports has been a recent phenomenon in the country. For instance, when the Mumbai Marathon was started in 2004, it triggered a running revolution of sorts in India. A few realised their ability to go beyond the 42.195km mark, which led to one of the first ultra marathons being run in India in 2007.

However, around the world, ultra races such as the Spartathlon have a history that dates back to around two and a half thousand years, while the first official ultra marathon, the Comrades Marathon, was started way back in 1921. It’s no different when it comes to long-distance cycling or triathlons, which have blossomed in India only over the last few years.

In India, the world of endurance sports is still a work in progress. That said, the community continues to grow each day despite all the challenges. For, the longer distances, higher altitudes and gruelling terrains are enough motivation to raise the bar for the indefatigable human spirit.

An in-house scientist in co-founder, Vikas Malik, was the key when it came down to developing the many products that we have to offer. A passionate ultra runner and a physicist by qualification, he soon realised that his interest lay in the core sciences. After pursuing a post doctoral research in the field of food science, he found employment as an analytical scientist with an Irish manufacturer in the United States of America. Over all those years, Malik developed an understanding of the constituents of various food products and how it was responsible for everything from flavour to nutrition.

NEED FOR LEAP
By 2014, Malik had taken on his first 50km race. As the distances increased, he saw most around him consume gels to replenish the body. But when he experimented with it over the next few races, he realised that the excess sugar in gels didn’t sit very well in his system; nor did he feel any noticeable change in energy levels. Natural foods didn’t suit him either, leading to excessive bloating on the run. With time, he realised that the fuelling habits were counterintuitive to the time invested in training and he soon decided to use his technical knowledge to develop a product of his own.

It took a year of trial and error to arrive at a formula that he was satisfied with. Besides using it himself, Malik handed it out to mates from his running group, who extended their approval after using it during timed runs. He even shipped it over to India where the other co-founders did their own experimentation with it during races and found it effective.

After exchanging notes, it was evident that this was a unique product for endurance athletes and enough reason to make it accessible for others like them.

SCIENCE BEHIND LEAP
After gaining an understanding of all that the body goes through during endurance sport, Malik arrived at a unique combination of carbohydrates, proteins and oils that could fuel the effort towards an improved performance.

Malik’s research focusses on essential amino acids such as leucine, iso-leucine and valine, which tend to deplete rapidly, but are key to proper body functions and reducing fatigue during efforts of endurance. Another amino acid, taurine, maintains contraction of the cardiac muscles and is the key for optimum performance of skeletal muscles. The body takes a long time to produce these amino acids on its own, which makes it imperative to replenish them through an external source.

It is also necessary to maintain optimal blood-glucose levels, for which Malik worked with maltodextrin that can be broken down and rapidly absorbed by the bloodstream. A combination of dextrose and high dextrose equivalent maltodextrin provides for instant energy, while the medium chain triglycerides oil not only makes the product smooth for consumption, but also provides energy due to its quick metabolism property. In addition, the right proportion of caffeine was added to boost energy levels, as has been realised over the years.

And finally, Malik added a secret ingredient to this formula that worked like magic when it came to addressing the upset stomach, irregular bowel movements and nausea that most endurance athletes suffer while at play.

IS LEAP FOR YOU?
Fatigue is a given in any endurance sport, but gastro-intestinal issues are the most common complaints that most athletes face during competition. From abdominal cramping to diarrhoea, the suffering comes in many forms outside of physical injuries. While Leap has been developed keeping in mind most nutritional needs of the body, its tummy-friendly nature is what can be considered to be its USP.

NUTRITION

1) Benefits of Essential Amino Acids
 - Leucine
 - ISO - Leucine
 - Valine
 - Taurine
Leucine, isoleucine and valine are branched-chain amino acids that are responsible for providing instant energy by oxidative metabolism. They are essential for reducing fatigue and help in recovery by increasing protein synthesis after exercise. Taurine on the other hand helps maintain cardiac muscle activity and is also important for the optimal performance of skeletal muscles.

 2) Benefits of Maltodextrin
Maltodextrin is a glucose polymer that has a rapidly oxidising property. The high glycemic index in maltodextrin provides instant energy and is the primary source of carbohydrates over extended periods of time. However, its most essential property that is a major blessing for athletes is that it ensures a healthy stomach during prolonged efforts of endurance