How To Get More Out Of Your Workout – Advice From An MMA Fighter
Updated: Jul. 16, 2019
To keep yourself on track, healthy and committed to learning mixed martial arts, pro fighter Elias Theodorou offers his bests MMA gym tips. Get ready to get into beastmode.
MMA gym tips: Have a better workout
You put a lot of work into your workouts – even with those classes when you don’t give it your all. You show up, you make sure your workout buddy goes too, and you exercise to make sure your body is healthy and strong.
But is there any more that you can do?
Elias Theodorou, mixed martial arts pro athlete, has come to help with MMA gym tips. Check to see his tips on making your workout work harder for you.
Bring a half to a litre of water to the gym
Drink water is the first of Theodorou’s MMA gym tips. And sure, you can sip from the water fountain, but how will you know if you’re drinking enough. But if you bring a water bottle, you can make it your goal to sip about one litre during your workout. And it will help you avoid dehydration and muscle cramping. “I drink four to five litres of water a day,” says Theodorou. “Keep in mind I am 215 pounds and train twice a day. Everyone is different, so setting your own schedule and routine will help you keep up with your thirst.”
Don’t like water? Here are four hydrating workout drinks that are not water.
Eat after your workout
“If you burn it, you earn it,” jokes Theodorou. While a weight loss strategy wouldn’t encourage replacing the calories, you should still feed your body after strenuous exercise to help it recover. “I tend to intermittent fast until my first work out,” says Theodorou, who works out in the morning. “Water is still definitely needed before, during and after. Once finished training, I eat [a source of] protein and carbs as a big portion of veggies. I’m also a big believer in avocado and rely on it as primary fuel source during fight camps. Healthy fats for the win.”
If thinking about eating food after your working makes you nauseous, try this high-protein smoothie.
Make sure you get your heart rate up
You will want to get your heart going during your workout, and before you start exercising too. “It is always a great idea to have a good warm up before a full workout,” says Theodorou, adding cardio to his list of MMA gym tips. As for a real and true cardio sesh, he says to make sure you have three to four cardiovascular workouts a week.
If you haven’t yet invested in a heart-rate monitor, you should. It’s a great way to gauge how hard your heart is working.
Keep your gym bag stocked
You don’t want to cancel your gym plans if you forgot to pack deodorant, shower gel, your cosmetics, shampoo, conditioner and hair products, as well as your cosmetics bag, et al, in your gym bag. So, make sure you check your bag to see you have what you need. Go through your post-workout routine in your mind, checking off everything. Theodorou, because he has 11 workouts scheduled each week, likes to keep it simple with just clothes, any fitness equipment he’ll use and a two-in-one shampoo and conditioner. Theodorou is also a spokesperson for Pert.
Newsletter Unit
