MMA Training Benefits the Body and Mind
MMA, also known as mixed martial arts, is one of the fastest growing sports in the world. As the name implies, MMA fighters utilize the disciplines of several different martial arts and fighting styles including boxing, amateur wrestling, Muay Thai, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, into a cohesive fighting art. Matches, usually consisting of three five-minute rounds, can go quickly from a boxing-style stand-up fight to a wrestling match on the mat. That variability requires these athletes to be in incredible physical condition.
Although the vast majority of us won't ever find ourselves fighting in a match, the same type of training that professional fighters use to get ready for a fight can offer tremendous benefits for everyday fitness and well-being. In fact, more and more techniques first pioneered by the sport are finding their way into other kinds of fitness workouts.
Physical Conditioning
A five-minute round doesn't sound like much, but going toe-to-toe with someone else who is also trying to hit you requires a high level of cardiovascular conditioning. Some of the common endurance exercises fighters use include jogging, stationary bicycles, and stair/ladder machines which contribute to endurance.
At the core of almost every mixed martial arts training regimen is the classic heavy punching bag. Workouts with the bag, usually round-based to simulate real fight conditions, increase cardiovascular capacity while also building muscle and toning the abdominal area. The act of throwing a punch or kick involves not only the arms and legs but also requires the torso to turn and the entire body to be engaged in making contact with the bag. There are many gyms and fitness facilities offering bag-based workouts and the only equipment usually required is just a set of handwraps and gloves.
The other major form of mixed martial arts training involves "floor work", typically grappling with others using techniques from Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and amateur wrestling. Floor work is an intense workout using muscles throughout the body and is the ultimate form of body resistance training as you are not only using your own body to gain strength but trying to control and take down another person. While it is possible to do heavy bag workouts at home, it is highly recommended to seek out a mixed martial arts gym for floor work as you'll receive the proper training and have plenty of workout partners to grapple with.
Other Benefits of Mixed Martial Arts Training
While the physical benefits of MMA training are obvious, there are other aspects just as beneficial.
There is perhaps no greater stress reliever than a quality mixed martial arts workout. All the pent-up stress from a day of work gets released and leaves you exhilarated at the end. In addition to the stress relief, these workouts improve confidence as you learn to use your body and strengthen it in new ways. The muscles used when punching and kicking also improve posture making you more attractive while the full-body nature of the workouts improve movement and ability in everything from outdoor tasks to lovemaking.
How to Get Started
The great thing about mixed martial arts training is that you don't need a lot of equipment or a gym membership to start. A basic set of boxing gloves and wraps are very affordable and heavy bags can be frequently obtained from the classified ads. If you decide to look into gyms, mixed martial arts facilities offer first classes for free so you can get a feel for the type of workouts and the instructors. While it may be intimidating at first, these gyms are generally very welcoming newcomers and in no time at all you'll be up to speed.
Although the vast majority of us won't ever find ourselves fighting in a match, the same type of training that professional fighters use to get ready for a fight can offer tremendous benefits for everyday fitness and well-being. In fact, more and more techniques first pioneered by the sport are finding their way into other kinds of fitness workouts.
Physical Conditioning
A five-minute round doesn't sound like much, but going toe-to-toe with someone else who is also trying to hit you requires a high level of cardiovascular conditioning. Some of the common endurance exercises fighters use include jogging, stationary bicycles, and stair/ladder machines which contribute to endurance.
At the core of almost every mixed martial arts training regimen is the classic heavy punching bag. Workouts with the bag, usually round-based to simulate real fight conditions, increase cardiovascular capacity while also building muscle and toning the abdominal area. The act of throwing a punch or kick involves not only the arms and legs but also requires the torso to turn and the entire body to be engaged in making contact with the bag. There are many gyms and fitness facilities offering bag-based workouts and the only equipment usually required is just a set of handwraps and gloves.
The other major form of mixed martial arts training involves "floor work", typically grappling with others using techniques from Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and amateur wrestling. Floor work is an intense workout using muscles throughout the body and is the ultimate form of body resistance training as you are not only using your own body to gain strength but trying to control and take down another person. While it is possible to do heavy bag workouts at home, it is highly recommended to seek out a mixed martial arts gym for floor work as you'll receive the proper training and have plenty of workout partners to grapple with.
Other Benefits of Mixed Martial Arts Training
While the physical benefits of MMA training are obvious, there are other aspects just as beneficial.
There is perhaps no greater stress reliever than a quality mixed martial arts workout. All the pent-up stress from a day of work gets released and leaves you exhilarated at the end. In addition to the stress relief, these workouts improve confidence as you learn to use your body and strengthen it in new ways. The muscles used when punching and kicking also improve posture making you more attractive while the full-body nature of the workouts improve movement and ability in everything from outdoor tasks to lovemaking.
How to Get Started
The great thing about mixed martial arts training is that you don't need a lot of equipment or a gym membership to start. A basic set of boxing gloves and wraps are very affordable and heavy bags can be frequently obtained from the classified ads. If you decide to look into gyms, mixed martial arts facilities offer first classes for free so you can get a feel for the type of workouts and the instructors. While it may be intimidating at first, these gyms are generally very welcoming newcomers and in no time at all you'll be up to speed.
Different Types Of Running Styles
Pronation refers to the natural movement of your feet as a person runs, jogs, or walks. When you run, the way your foot touches the ground can have a considerable impact on foot injuries and pain as well as the pain that travels up to the legs and the back. Different types of pronation can have various effects on your joints and muscles and can affect your running style.
Running Styles
The Forefoot Style: This style is mostly used by used by medium-distance runners, sprinters, and top athletes. It is viewed as the natural way humans run. The foot hits the ground on the ball of the foot and pushes off again after a small amount of scrolling, or no scrolling at all. This running style has a high physical loading that can lead to problems with the Achilles tendon or calves.
Heel Running Style: This is the most popular running style. The foot hits the ground with the heel, turns slightly inwards and scrolls over the complete foot. This style protects the Achilles tendon but places a lot of stress on the bones and drains a runner’s strength.
The Mid-Foot Style: This style of running is a mix of the Forefoot Style and Heel Running and is viewed as the correct style for long distance running.
Pronation
Also called a neutral foot-strike, normal pronation means your foot hits the ground on the outside of the heel, followed by your foot turning inwards 5 degrees. The foot rolls inward as it comes down to the ground and then outward as your foot lifts from the ground. A proper foot roll helps to uniformly spread the shock of hitting the ground over the entire foot. By doing so, the distribution of weight absorbs much of the shock and this lessens the impact on your joints all the way up through your legs and to your back. Pronation during running is normal. However, too much pronation can be troublesome for a runner. Many runners find that they do not pronate correctly and develop different running styles.
Causes of Pronation: Most pronation abnormalities are due to heredity and one's position in the womb. Weak and loose soft tissue complexes can permit the development of pronation problems. From time to time, pronation develops from abnormalities higher in the body such as weak hips.
Over-Pronation
Over-pronation, or supination, involves the inward rolling of your foot as your foot makes contact with the ground. Your heel hits the ground on the outside first and then your foot rolls too far inward past a neutral position which flattens out the arch in your foot. If your foot rotates inward greater than 5 degrees, you are deemed to have over-pronation. Running for a prolonged period of time when you have excessive over-pronation can result in such problems as plantar fasciitis, shin splints, and Achilles tendonitis. As well, your running style can change resulting in your hips and knees collapsing inwards.
For runners who have feet that have low arches, over-pronation is more common. Effects can feel tired, particularly in the lower legs and feet. As a way to compensate, the body may attempt to point toes a bit upward or to the side which can cause abnormal stress in other ways. Eventually, pain can develop in the foot, lower legs, knees, hips or lower back. There can also be the development of ankle sprains, corns, bunions, heel spurs, plantar fasciitis, shin splints, or hamstring problems.
Under-Pronation
Under-pronation is the opposite of over-pronation. When you have under-pronation, you land on the outside of your foot when you touch the ground, but your foot does not turn enough. This means that more of your weight goes through the outside of your foot. Under-pronation can happen if your arches are high. An inward roll of less than four percent is normally an indication of under-pronation. This can cause more stress on your smaller toes because as you lift your foot from the ground, the smaller toes do most of the pushing off. The result can be hip, knee, and ankle injuries.
Treatment
If you are afflicted from pronation problems, you should evaluate your biomechanics, running style, and running choice selection. You can strengthen your muscles by adding one or two strength-training sessions each week Pain while running and right after you finish, but then fades in a couple of hours, could be the result of the way your feet and legs rotate and twist when you run. You can acquire arch supports and other orthotic shoes to stop your foot from rolling too far inward. People with under-pronation frequently require running shoes with more shock absorption to curtail the effects on the foot.
If easy fixes do not resolve the problem such as buying stability or motion-control running shoes, you should see an orthopedic physician or a podiatrist who can isolate your specific problem.
Running Styles
The Forefoot Style: This style is mostly used by used by medium-distance runners, sprinters, and top athletes. It is viewed as the natural way humans run. The foot hits the ground on the ball of the foot and pushes off again after a small amount of scrolling, or no scrolling at all. This running style has a high physical loading that can lead to problems with the Achilles tendon or calves.
Heel Running Style: This is the most popular running style. The foot hits the ground with the heel, turns slightly inwards and scrolls over the complete foot. This style protects the Achilles tendon but places a lot of stress on the bones and drains a runner’s strength.
The Mid-Foot Style: This style of running is a mix of the Forefoot Style and Heel Running and is viewed as the correct style for long distance running.
Pronation
Also called a neutral foot-strike, normal pronation means your foot hits the ground on the outside of the heel, followed by your foot turning inwards 5 degrees. The foot rolls inward as it comes down to the ground and then outward as your foot lifts from the ground. A proper foot roll helps to uniformly spread the shock of hitting the ground over the entire foot. By doing so, the distribution of weight absorbs much of the shock and this lessens the impact on your joints all the way up through your legs and to your back. Pronation during running is normal. However, too much pronation can be troublesome for a runner. Many runners find that they do not pronate correctly and develop different running styles.
Causes of Pronation: Most pronation abnormalities are due to heredity and one's position in the womb. Weak and loose soft tissue complexes can permit the development of pronation problems. From time to time, pronation develops from abnormalities higher in the body such as weak hips.
Over-Pronation
Over-pronation, or supination, involves the inward rolling of your foot as your foot makes contact with the ground. Your heel hits the ground on the outside first and then your foot rolls too far inward past a neutral position which flattens out the arch in your foot. If your foot rotates inward greater than 5 degrees, you are deemed to have over-pronation. Running for a prolonged period of time when you have excessive over-pronation can result in such problems as plantar fasciitis, shin splints, and Achilles tendonitis. As well, your running style can change resulting in your hips and knees collapsing inwards.
For runners who have feet that have low arches, over-pronation is more common. Effects can feel tired, particularly in the lower legs and feet. As a way to compensate, the body may attempt to point toes a bit upward or to the side which can cause abnormal stress in other ways. Eventually, pain can develop in the foot, lower legs, knees, hips or lower back. There can also be the development of ankle sprains, corns, bunions, heel spurs, plantar fasciitis, shin splints, or hamstring problems.
Under-Pronation
Under-pronation is the opposite of over-pronation. When you have under-pronation, you land on the outside of your foot when you touch the ground, but your foot does not turn enough. This means that more of your weight goes through the outside of your foot. Under-pronation can happen if your arches are high. An inward roll of less than four percent is normally an indication of under-pronation. This can cause more stress on your smaller toes because as you lift your foot from the ground, the smaller toes do most of the pushing off. The result can be hip, knee, and ankle injuries.
Treatment
If you are afflicted from pronation problems, you should evaluate your biomechanics, running style, and running choice selection. You can strengthen your muscles by adding one or two strength-training sessions each week Pain while running and right after you finish, but then fades in a couple of hours, could be the result of the way your feet and legs rotate and twist when you run. You can acquire arch supports and other orthotic shoes to stop your foot from rolling too far inward. People with under-pronation frequently require running shoes with more shock absorption to curtail the effects on the foot.
If easy fixes do not resolve the problem such as buying stability or motion-control running shoes, you should see an orthopedic physician or a podiatrist who can isolate your specific problem.
Sprinting vs. Distance Running: Which is Best for You?
The evidence is overwhelming that leading an active lifestyle is good for you. One of the best ways to achieve fitness goals like burning calories or increasing your metabolism is by running. What style of running is for you?
Before you lace up your running shoes and head out on your fitness adventure, think about whether you want to try sprinting or distance running. There are positives for each style, and downsides.
Burning calories
If you can maintain a sprint for any length of time, you will burn more calories than distance running. That's the obvious part, but there's more to it. Sprinting energizes the metabolism and actually forces your body to burn more calories not just during your run, but for hours after.
The effective period of your workout is extended substantially. Your body continues burning fat and calories even if you are not exerting yourself heavily after a strong sprint session.
That said, distance running often burns more fat. The trick is to do it long enough. You will hear 20 minutes on the low end, but it's best to go at least 40 minutes when jogging. The biggest reason to go longer is that after about 40 minutes your body starts burning a higher percentage of fat.
Muscle mass
Sprinting is better if you are trying to increase your muscle mass. The quick pace puts your body in a muscle building state. It happens because of the rapid way different muscles are forced to react. Look at elite distance runners and sprinters. The distance athletes are lean, almost skinny sometimes. The sprinters are much more muscular.
Aerobic conditioning
To increase your heart health and overall aerobic conditioning, distance running will prove more effective. The longer you can maintain a decent pace in a distance running environment, the greater the benefits. Don't think a slow jog for just a few minutes is enough to matter much.
Interval workout can be the best of both worlds
Combining sprint training with distance workouts can be the best option. Establish a routine incorporating both styles lends variety to your training and breaks things up to lessen monotony. A good way to incorporate both styles into your fitness routine is to put sprints together with strength training using weights on one day, with distance running the next.
Putting strength training on the same day with sprint running will maximize the benefits of both. Lifting weights and following that up with a slow-paced distance workout can actually negate some of the positive effects. Looking at achieving different goals on different days works best.
Personal taste
How much you enjoy your workout is important as well. If you are dreading your workout, chances are you won't keep it up. On the other hand, if you feel refreshed and energized, that's something you want to do again. Weigh the benefits of sprinting, distance running, or interval workouts and then take into account what you feel better doing. Slip on those running shoes and get going!
Before you lace up your running shoes and head out on your fitness adventure, think about whether you want to try sprinting or distance running. There are positives for each style, and downsides.
Burning calories
If you can maintain a sprint for any length of time, you will burn more calories than distance running. That's the obvious part, but there's more to it. Sprinting energizes the metabolism and actually forces your body to burn more calories not just during your run, but for hours after.
The effective period of your workout is extended substantially. Your body continues burning fat and calories even if you are not exerting yourself heavily after a strong sprint session.
That said, distance running often burns more fat. The trick is to do it long enough. You will hear 20 minutes on the low end, but it's best to go at least 40 minutes when jogging. The biggest reason to go longer is that after about 40 minutes your body starts burning a higher percentage of fat.
Muscle mass
Sprinting is better if you are trying to increase your muscle mass. The quick pace puts your body in a muscle building state. It happens because of the rapid way different muscles are forced to react. Look at elite distance runners and sprinters. The distance athletes are lean, almost skinny sometimes. The sprinters are much more muscular.
Aerobic conditioning
To increase your heart health and overall aerobic conditioning, distance running will prove more effective. The longer you can maintain a decent pace in a distance running environment, the greater the benefits. Don't think a slow jog for just a few minutes is enough to matter much.
Interval workout can be the best of both worlds
Combining sprint training with distance workouts can be the best option. Establish a routine incorporating both styles lends variety to your training and breaks things up to lessen monotony. A good way to incorporate both styles into your fitness routine is to put sprints together with strength training using weights on one day, with distance running the next.
Putting strength training on the same day with sprint running will maximize the benefits of both. Lifting weights and following that up with a slow-paced distance workout can actually negate some of the positive effects. Looking at achieving different goals on different days works best.
Personal taste
How much you enjoy your workout is important as well. If you are dreading your workout, chances are you won't keep it up. On the other hand, if you feel refreshed and energized, that's something you want to do again. Weigh the benefits of sprinting, distance running, or interval workouts and then take into account what you feel better doing. Slip on those running shoes and get going!