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1.Eat every 2-4 hours - Frequent eating of well-chosen meals stimulate the metabolism, regulates blood sugar and maintains your lean mass.
2.Eat a complete protein with every meal - Consuming adequate amounts of lean protein is necessary to maintain lean mass, aid in muscle recovery and reduce body fat.
3. Eat a fruit or vegetable with every meal - Fruits and vegetables contain large quantities of vitamins, minerals and phyto-chemicals that help to regulate blood alkalinity andoptimal function.
4. Eat starches only after exercise - Timing your nutrients allows your body to get the nutrition it needs, when it needs it most.
5.Eat healthy fats daily - Omega-three fatty acids have been shown to increase metabolism, decrease joint stiffness, and protect against heart disease.
6. Don’t drink beverages that have more than 0 calories - Sodas, juices and other sugary beverages contain high amounts of calories with little nutritional value.
7. Eat whole, unprocessed foods whenever possible -Highly processed foods contain additives, chemicals, fillers and stabilizers that are foreign to our bodies and often devoidof nutrition.
8. Address deficiencies in your eating with a high quality supplement - Supplementing with fish oil, protein powders, or Greens powders can be an alternative when time is an issue.
For more information or for an individual nutrition assessment please call 781-263-9993.
STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING FOR THE MMA ATHLETE Written by: Mike Campanella
PART I - Mastering the Body
Ask any successful Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter how they achieved their level of success and more often than not they will mention their strength and conditioning program as being an integral part of their preparation. Simply realizing this fact, however, may do more to hurt an aspiring fighter than help him/her in preparing for a future in the sport. With all of the training information that exists on the internet today, many amateur athletes find it difficult to sift through all the different theories, exercises, techniques, etc., and eventually give up, succumbing to the perils of procrastination or “paralysis by analysis.” Aside from these individuals, there exists another group of athletes who remain stuck in the mire of “old-school” training methods where roadwork, thousands of push-ups and sit-ups, and/or bodybuilding dominates their training schedules, directly leading to decreased performance and unfulfilled potential. In light of all this, it is my aim to point all of these aforementioned athletes in the right direction when it comes to strength and conditioning for improving performance in MMA.
The main goal of any legitimate strength and conditioning program for the combat athlete is sport specificity. In other words, all workouts and exercises done in the weight room or training facility should mimic the skills and movements that are needed to be successful on the mats or in the ring. As a result, every MMA athlete should focus on the following parameters when developing a practical strength and conditioning program: strength, explosiveness, muscular endurance, anaerobic conditioning, and aerobic conditioning. Furthermore, these five facets of strength and conditioning should be trained by using and moving the body. To accomplish this, the majority of workouts should be total body in nature, the majority of exercises should be total body compound movements, and all movements should involve moving the body. In terms of which equipment should be used, every combat athlete should first be able to master and control their own body through bodyweight exercises before any external apparatus is used. Once proficiency in moving the body has been established, equipment such as kettlebells, dumbbells, barbells, medicine balls, bands, weighted vests, etc., can be used for more effective training and greater improvement in the combat arena.
To train strength, the athlete should choose bodyweight exercises that limit the individual to doing 3-6 reps per exercise. Anything above 6 repetitions and maximal strength work is not being performed. For explosiveness, the athlete should choose an exercise that can be done at maximum speed without much strain. Termination of such an exercise should come when speed and form diminish. In terms of muscular endurance, the athlete can train utilizing several different methods, the most effective being high repetitions (15-25 reps) or static holds (15-60″ holds).
As far as conditioning goes, the combat athlete’s main focus should be anaerobic conditioning. Any exercise that allows that athlete to exert a maximum effort at top speed (a sprint, for instance) for 10-15″ will suffice. Allow recovery in a 1:2 work to rest ratio. Finally, aerobic conditioning should not be neglected. A powerful car with a lot of horsepower is great, but the same car with a bigger gas tank is even better. Aerobic conditioning, done 1-2 times a week at most, should focus on sport specific movements and last anywhere from 10-30 minutes. Examples of exercises demonstrating the five facets of combat training are shown below.
Muscle Endurance Negative chin-ups, chin up holds, front tuck lever, front lever
Strength Exercises Lunges, split squat, pistol off a bench, weighted pistol
Power Exercises Plyo push-up, clap push up, double clap push up, triple clap push up
Anaerobic Exercise Burpees
Aerobic Exercise Jump rope
For more information regarding program set-up, design, training, or any other such inquiry, please visit the Train Boston website at www.trainboston.com or contact Mike Campanella via email: mcampanella@trainboston.com. For more information regarding MMA technique training (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai kickboxing), please visit the Connors MMA Academy website: www.dedhamjj.com, or contact him via email: info@dedhamjj.com.
Core Exercises
All movement begins at the core and emanates outward. People often think that the extremities perform most tasks and the core is simply along for the ride. In truth, the extremities rely on the core for stabilization and force production. You can think of your core as the necessary platform from which all other movements rely upon.
The exercises below are fundamental in building a strong, stable mid-section.
Prayer to Horse Saddle
a. This exercises is designed to help coordinate the movement of the hips with the lower back. It also helps to decrease viscosity in the spine and prepare the body for weight bearing motion.
b. From an “all fours” position sit your butt back onto your heels while reaching your hands forward and pressing your chest to the floor
c. Begin to rock forward, shifting your weight from the lower body to the arms
d. Let your spine extend toward the ground while you push your tailbone and chest up towards the ceiling.
Bird Dog
a. In almost no other exercises is more ground covered than this one. We this not only to challenge the spinal erectors and abdominals, but also to teach neutral spinal alignment and disassociation between the limbs and the spine.
b. Assume and “all fours” position with your hands under your shoulders and knees under hips.
c. Extend one arm forward and the opposite leg back without letting your spine change position or shape.
Front Plank
a. Great isometric exercise to begin linking the upper and lower body together through the abdominals and back.
b. Assume a push-up position on the floor, but use your forearms for support instead of your hands
c. Create tension in your body by contracting your abdominals, quadriceps and glutes while holding neutral spinal alignment Side Plank
a. Another important isometric exercise that challenges the obliques, external hip and lower back muscles to link and support the upper and lower body
b. Start laying on your side with your weight on one forearm
c. Raise your body off the ground with your top foot position slightly forward and your bottom foot positioned slightly back
d. Hold your body in a neutrally aligned position
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When it comes to moving our bodies, the hips are at the center of our universe. Their function affects the performance of both the upper and the lower body. Strong, stable, and well-functioning hips are key in preventing lower back pain, knee injuries, ankle sprains, and even shoulder problems.
The exercises below are designed to increase range of motion around the hip joint and activate stabilizing muscles.
Clam
a. Probably the easiest and effective exercises that can be performed to isolate and activate the posterior hip
b. Start laying on your side with your top leg bent and foot resting on the inside of the bottom leg’s knee
c. Squeeze your top glute and rotate your knee as far back as possible, while keeping your hips stacked one on top of the other
