3 MMA Training Myths Exposed
A great deal of lore goes around about MMA training, and in large part the accepted beliefs are misleading. A craze gets started and everyone wants to jump on the bandwagon. On the other end of the spectrum, some training theories are so ingrained that everyone takes them for granted without assessing their effectiveness. Three of the biggest Mixed Martial Arts training myths can be debunked with a little closer examination.
Myth #1
A great MMA training session ends with a fighter who is fatigued, aching and battle-worn.
Many fighters do not feel like they have made any progress unless they are sore, tired, and possibly even injured at the end of their workouts. They take pleasure in enduring the pain and some think it’s an honor to puke after a session. To them, it is a sign of strength of mind and body to work to the limits of physical ability and endurance every single day. In a crazy way, it almost makes sense.
Myth #1 Exposed
Over training does not build strength – it destroys it. It weakens the muscles, subtracts muscle mass, decreases testosterone levels and lowers the immune system. What is more, many aches and pains are not the result of a good workout, but rather are an indication of poor form and uncontrolled lifts. Finally, injuries never improved training for anyone. The idea is to train your body so well that you avoid injury altogether. Injury is not a sign of success; it is a precursor to difficulties in competition.
Myth #2
Mixed Martial Arts workouts should be built to duplicate as nearly as possible what happens in the ring.
This does not sound like a myth, but it is. It sounds so reasonable because any MMA fighter wants to be prepared for the punishment he will take when he walks into the match. It sounds perfectly logical to prepare for those exact conditions by duplicating those exact conditions.
Myth #2 Exposed
The truth is that the best way to train for MMA fighting is to build strength, power, speed, agility and endurance. You do this by working out in the gym with weights, a hammer, a speed ladder, a sandbag, plyobox, medicine balls and body weight exercises.
Sparring practice is also helpful, but it is not necessary to train to the level of ferocity that you would experience in the competition. Sparring should be aimed at building technique, speed and agility rather than duplicating an actual match. These kinds of physical training will prepare your body so that you will be ready for the heart-pounding, no-holds-barred nature of the real fight. In the meantime, you will want to stay away from activities that could cause you injury.
Myth #3
A fighter on a heavy schedule of workouts can eat anything he wants (Big Country).
The rationale for this myth is easy to see. Training fighters feel that they are working so hard that they will use up any calories they take in, so food does not matter.
Myth #3 Exposed
The very fact that you are training hard is an even stronger reason than usual for eating superior foods. Everything you take in will be converted for your body’s use. Choosing the best foods will give you the type and duration of energy you need. Getting the best proteins and amino acids will build your lean muscle mass better than junk food ever could. Taking in only healthy fats will keep your heart strong for competition. If you are working to be the total warrior inside the ring, make good nutrition a part of your training.
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