Top 7 Best Supplements For MMA Training
The Best Supplements For MMA Fighters
If you are serious about your MMA training and want to be the best fighter that you can be then you need to find out what the best supplements for MMA fighters are. In this article we will be covering all of the essential supplements needed to reach peak performance during training and for recovery after a hard training session.
Why do i need supplements ?
If you are wondering why, do you need to take supplements ? Well been an MMA fighter requires consistent high intensity workouts day after day all year round. After a heavy training/sparring session with your trainer/coach your body will be depleted of energy, strength and amino acids and therefore will take time to recuperate. Taking supplements can drastically help the body to recover a lot quicker than not taking them and they play a critical role in post training recovery.
So What Are The Best Supplements For MMA ?
Protein
As mentioned earlier MMA training is high intensity training, due to this fact it is more than likely that your body will eat up those pre-workout carbs before your session is over. When this happens your body will begin to breakdown your muscle tissue as a source of energy and obviously this isn’t a good thing.
The last thing a fighter or anyone training for fitness wants is for their hard work to be reversed and once your body starts the process of breaking lean muscle down you will begin to feel weaker than normal. The best way to stop this from happening is to give your body the protein it needs as soon as possible to stop the muscle breakdown process.
There are two types of protein ideal for MMA fighters these are whey protein and casein protein.
Which is best….?
The answer to this question depends on personal preference and what it is you are looking for from a protein.
The main difference between the two is that casein protein takes longer for the body to digest and therefore releases a steady supply of essential amino acids into the bloodstream over a longer period of time. This leads to the body having the supplies it needs to recuperate and recover on a longer basis.
When deciding upon a protein one thing to check is the ”PER” or protein efficiency ratio. This is an indicator of how much protein your body can absorb and finding a protein with a PER that matches the bodies PER as close as possible will help the body to absorb and process the protein to optimal effect.
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Creatine
Creatine is a natural compound that is made in your liver and is made up of three amino acids which are Arginine, Glycine and Methionine.
This supplement has proven to aid in recovery from weight training and high intensity exercise such as MMA training.
The human body contains a compound known as Adenosine Triphosphate or ATP. The ATP is a readily available source of energy for the body to use when it needs a sudden burst of energy. A prime example is when doing deadlifts, this requires an awful lot of energy in a small space of time. The energy needed to perform deadlifts is gained from the bodies natural ATP.
When performing an exercise or training the bodies natural ATP levels are decreased as your muscles only have enough ATP to last for roughly 10 to 15 seconds at peak performance. The benefit of creatine is that it helps the body to create more ATP which leads to you been able to train harder and longer an important factor for MMA training.
Glutamine
Although a non-essential acid glutamine is one of the most abundant amino acids and accounts for 50% of the amino acids in your muscle tissue.
When training your glutamine levels are drastically reduced and without replenishing them you will begin to feel a lot weaker. If you are continuously training as MMA fighters are, then the constant depletion of glutamine can affect your recuperation time and strength levels.
In addition to aiding with recuperation times glutamine also helps to minimize the breakdown of muscle tissue. The reason for this is that it is the main transporter of nitrogen to the muscle cell. This is also very important if you are training every day.
Just so you know glutamine is ideally used post-workout to replenish your depleted levels. However many people choose to take it before bed as well to reap the maximum benefits.
BCAA’s
Branched Chain Amino Acids or BCAAs for muscle heads are three very essential amino acids, Isoleucine, leucine and Valine, that the body can’t produce on its own. Due to this fact the body has to receive these BCAAs through either food intake or supplements.
Similar to protein if you are running low on BCAAs you will begin to break down your muscle tissue to get the required amount. there are a few ways that your BCAAs levels can be depleted these are through high intensity workouts, cardio exercise and when you aren’t taking in enough calories.
Another big benefit of BCAAs are that they also help the body to create glutamine.
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Arginine
Arginine is a powerful amino acid with a few unique abilities that can aid in your performance when training. First of all it is known to act as a vasodilator which basically means it helps to increase blood flow to the muscles. In addition it also helps to carry vital nutrients to where needed.
For those of you that are familiar with (NO) or nitric oxide supplements arginine is the main ingredient. If you are familiar you will know about the effect these supplements can have when training.
The best time to take this supplement is roughly half an hour before your workout. By the time you get to your gym you will be ready to tear the roof off.
Fish Oil
Fish oil comes from the tissue of oily fish and is high in essential Omega 3 fatty acids. The benefits of these fatty acids or EPA’s as they are known i too long to list so i will just mention a few relevant ones.
First of all these oils are known to reduce inflammation and promote healthy joints which is very beneficial to someone taking part in MMA. Another important benefit is the increased energy production that is gained through taking these capsules. Then there is improved circulation, increased brain function, promotes a healthy nervous system etc…..you get the idea.
There is no doubting the benefits of these little capsules and their fatty acids. These fatty acids are shown to help promote a healthy body in many areas and are essential to anyone undergoing rigorous training day after day and night after night non stop.
Vitamin B Complex
There are times when it is necessary to reduce carbohydrates from an MMA fighters diet. The main one been when a fighter needs to reach weight before a fight. The negative impact of doing this is that it also reduces the amount of B vitamins that your body receives. The effects of not gaining the benefits of these all important nutrients are that energy levels are reduced and metabolism is also affected.
When taking these supplements the best time to use them is in the morning with your breakfast. By the time you do your training later in the day the benefits should start to take effect.
Below is a list of the most common B vitamins found in supplements.
B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), B7 (biotin), B9 (folic acid) and B12 (cyanocobalamin).
Final Round
It doesn’t matter whether you are training for a title shot or taking your first step into an MMA gym, supplements are a necessity for any MMA fighter. The main benefit of the best supplements for MMA is that they aid in recuperation and get you back to fighting fitness after a heavy workout.
References and further readings:
- Aristotle University of Thessaloniki – Dietary Supplements and Nutritional Ergogenic Aids Use in Judo Athletes
- ScienceDirect – Nutritional supplements in combat sports
- ResearchGate – Creatine Supplementation: Practical Strategies and Considerations for MMA
- Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition volume 9, Article number: P18 (2012) – Self-reported nutritional supplement usage among professional MMA
