{"id":9090,"date":"2018-06-16T19:45:07","date_gmt":"2018-06-16T19:45:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blackbeltwhitehat.com\/?p=9090"},"modified":"2018-10-08T16:43:07","modified_gmt":"2018-10-08T16:43:07","slug":"cardio-hacks-for-mma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blackbeltwhitehat.com\/en\/2018\/06\/16\/cardio-hacks-for-mma\/","title":{"rendered":"Cardio Hacks for MMA"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Wim Hof<\/h2>\n
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Check out the Wim Hof Breathing Technique, this will increase the strength and power of your lungs, providing a better ‘base’ for your MMA specific cardio.<\/p>\n

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Baking Soda<\/h2>\n
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Baking soda buffers lactic acid, allowing you to grapple and fight at a higher intensity before getting a burning sensation in your muscles.<\/p>\n

Start off with 5g in a large glass of water, and sip it slowly. If you go over the top and have too much you can get diarrhoea.<\/p>\n

\"baking<\/p>\n

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Control Your Emotions & Adrenaline<\/h2>\n
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If you are too tense before a fight, you are likely to have an adrenaline rush in the first round.<\/p>\n

This will give you super-human strength for around 30 seconds to a minute, but after that you will be completely bollocksed.<\/p>\n

Control your heart rate with breathing techniques and positive visualisation.<\/p>\n

See my articles here<\/a> and here<\/a> about staying calm in your first fight.<\/p>\n

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Cut Out Dairy<\/h2>\n
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If you have any problems with your breathing, with your sinuses or even with your skin, you should experiment with cutting out dairy. For me, cutting out dairy was life-changing, and I went from using 2 steroid inhalers and a ‘reliever’ inhaler everyday, to using none.<\/p>\n

Incidentally, if you have asthma, try quercetin and\/or nettle as a natural anti-histamine. Chances are that you are allergic to dust or pollen and that triggers your asthma, so try a natural anti-histamine before bed or before going outside.<\/p>\n

Quercetin also protects your brain, which is a bonus for combat athletes (ref<\/a>).<\/p>\n

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Tabata Intervals Replicating MMA<\/h2>\n
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There is no true hack (sorry) – you still have to put in the hard work. Circuit training & tabata intervals that replicates MMA techniques and fundamental ‘compound’ movements is the best way to build MMA-specific cardio.<\/p>\n

Tabata intervals involve working at 100% intensity for 20 seconds, followed by a 10 second break, then another 20 seconds of 100% intensity….until you complete 4 minutes of exercises, including the 10 seconds rest.<\/p>\n

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Supplements for Cardio<\/h2>\n
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I prefer to stick to whole-foods and holistic nutrition where possible but I still think some supplements have their place.<\/p>\n

Beta-Alanine<\/strong> has a similar, acid-buffering affect on the muscles and can be used instead of baking soda or even as well as.<\/p>\n

As an ex-meathead, muscle-pumps, especially in my forearms were always an issue when grappling – I would lose my grip completely.<\/p>\n

Taurine<\/strong> is very good for preventing muscle-pumps, I recommended it to my friend who does enduro-motor-cross and he said the difference was amazing.<\/p>\n

Take taurine and beta alanine at separate times of the day though, as they ‘compete’ for absorption.<\/p>\n

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