Today's world of training and sports nutrition can be very intimidating to beginning and experienced athletes alike. Trying to make heads or tails of the endless shelves of performance-enhancing products at your local supplement store can be a daunting task.
Less is usually more, especially when you can stack the right supplements in conjunction with your specific training regimen.
What has always been (and will probably always be) a constant is locking in the right amount of protein to help maximize the benefits of your training.
It was hard knowing how much protein to take and when to take it, but fortunately the science of sports nutrition is making it easier by the day.
Protein (in the form of amino acids) is the basic component of all living cells and provides your body with the materials it needs for muscle growth, repair, and maintenance.
Protein helps you build lean muscle by preventing muscle protein catabolism and stimulating muscle protein synthesis, the means by which resistance training makes muscles grow (Barr and Esser, 1999).
Yet knowing how much protein to consume on a daily basis is not as simple as it sounds.
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for sedentary adults is 0.8 grams per kilogram of lean bodyweight (U.S. Food and Nutrition Board, 1980), but that does not take into consideration the intense training of a weightlifter or mixed martial artist.
Just as the required caloric intake for advanced athletes increases, so must the protein intake.
Researcher Dr. Peter Lemon has raised the RDA for males engaged in strength training to about 1.7 - 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body mass per day (Fern, 1991, Tarnopolsky et al., 1992).
The range for female athletes is slightly lower, around 1.2 - 1.4 grams.
Other factors to consider are how often you exercise and how vigorously. But just as important, if not more so, is the quality of the protein.
For example, egg protein may have a higher chemical rating than any other protein source based on its complete level of amino acids, but whey protein has a higher biological value.
It would be a lot simpler if there were no restrictions on eating for high level athletes (like mixed martial artists), however one of the biggest challenges they face is trying to balance a diet with quality protein while trying to eliminate protein rich foods from their daily intake in an effort to cut weight.
Not only is it impractical, it can be damaging to the bodies nitrogen and energy balance.
Fortunately, this can easily be solved with a myriad of available protein supplements like BSN’s delicious Chocolate-Coconut Candy Bar protein powder and Twin Labs massive Whey Protein Fuel.
Protein supplements are best utilized following a workout or intense training when muscle breakdown has occurred. Just as you’re thirsty for water after a running on a hot day, your muscles are thirsty for protein after a hard workout.
After training, the muscles experience a breakdown in protein known as proteolysis. How fast you recover and how much reward you reap from that hard work depends on how much quality protein you ingest to replenish what’s been lost, therefore maximizing muscle growth and endurance.
And there’s nothing like an ice cold protein shake immediately following your workout to get the job done.
It’s important to note that supplements are just that, supplemental to your diet. Maximum muscle recovery is not achievable without a balanced diet that includes adequate fats and carbohydrates. (Don’t let the fad diets tell you otherwise!)
Advanced athletes will also tell you that combining protein sources in your diet will actually improve your results. No one is going to sit around eating eggs all day, so the chances are your main source of protein has a strong side to its amino acid chain and a weak side.
By not relying on one source of protein, we keep the amino acid chain in balance and prevent ourselves of having too much of one amino and not enough of the other.
Once balance is achieved, be prepared to watch the pounds melt away. Protein itself won’t reduce your waistline, but the proper intake will help repair your muscles which will in turn increase your metabolism and help you burn calories - even when sedentary!
Besides stretching your muscles, most of the supplement companies out there will also be stretching your wallet. Fortunately for the readers of MMAmania, the good folks over at Feel it! Nutrition are offering $20 off their already low priced MMA Stack.
Mixed martial arts competitors have different nutritional needs. Just as one method of training won’t cut it inside the Octagon, one nutritional blueprint won’t suffice for high level athletes.
Don’t worry about trying to figure out what nutritional supplements are going to help you prepare for caged combat. Once again the Feel it! Nutrition experts have already done the research for you and assembled the most comprehensive stack available to help you achieve your goals.
MMA Stack consists of the following cutting-edge supplements:
Protein Powder: Pro Lab Pure Whey Chocolate (5 lb.)
Creatine: Axis Labs Creatine Ethyl Ester (240 Capsules)
L-Glutamine: ISS Complete L-Glutamine Power (14.1 oz.)
Amino Acids: Universal Amino 1000 (500 Capsules)
The key to using MMA Stack is incorporating it into your fight preparation. With the addition of MMA Stack you can take yourself to the next level.
If you’re stepping into the cage with an opponent who matches up evenly with you, the difference in the fight could come down to which fighter has the higher anaerobic threshold.
Get to the head of the pack. Get MMA Stack