As a competitor, rather it is professional/Amateur Boxer,Wrestler, or MMA Fighter it is important to understand that training is only one part of what it takes to be a champion: understanding contracts, public image, weight maintained, public speaking and nutrition are components of professional/Amateur competitor. Academy of Striking & Grappling located Anthe Inland Empire, Moreno Valley, Southern California trains their Boxer’s,Wrestlers, and MMA Fighters all components needed to be a successful competitor. When a competitor trains they understand why they workout for 5 to 6 hours a day, why they run 10 miles a week, why they lift weights,why they exercise; they work this hard to prepare their body for the fight,rather it is boxing, wrestling, Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai or MMA. A competitor will spends hours a day learning and perfecting skills required in their arts, but then they will go and eat and drink food that contains very little nutrients. By eating foods that lack in nutritional value it defeats the purpose of the hours they spent training. Proper nutrition is a skill that all competitors must learn and live by. Training breaks down your muscles, proper nutrition helps you to build those muscles back. Protein is important because it helps for the growth, repair and maintenance of all cells in their body. Protein is a major component of all muscles,tissues and organs and is vital for practically every process that occurs within the body. (Davita, Inc. 2012) Competitors know that carbohydrates provide energy, but do they know what else carbohydrates do and what foods carbohydrates can be found. Carbohydrates lower the risk of heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers; they also help with weight management. As competitors it is important to know that weight management is important due to the fact that every competition is based on the weight of the competitor. Complex carbohydrates are found in wholegrain products. Karl Glover, owner of ASG was a World Class Wrestler, an All-American and an alternate on the USA Olympic Wrestling Team and because of this he understand and teaches proper weight management and how to safely drop weight for competition. You will often see an athlete enter in the gym drinking an energy drink or a drink such as Gatorade, thinking that this will help them during or after their training. The ingredients in energy drinks are caffeine, sugar, phosphoric acid, polyphosphates, sodium hex phosphate, calcium phosphate, mono potassium phosphate, sodium and polyphosphates. Examples of drinks that contain the above: Amp Energy, Muscle Milk, G-2 Gatorade, Gatorade, Powerade,Monster, Vitamin Water, Propel Zero, and several soda drinks. Did you realize that these additives are used for fertilizers, soap and to make fine china.There is very little nutritional value in these drinks. Competitors need to learn how to read the labels on the food they eat and the drinks they drink in order to keep their body in the best physical shape possible. A competitors diet will change when he is competing or just training, but Karl Glover, ASG always recommends taking a daily multivitamin. It is important to understand what you put into your body and how that affects your outcome when you compete. |