All about boxing. Sports nutrition for boxers - proper nutrition for a boxer for every day Boxer nutrition menu

Many people are accustomed to considering sports nutrition only in the context of bodybuilding and regular strength training, but this is far from the case. For example, boxers and mixed martial arts fighters can use sports nutrition and increase their endurance, mental focus and punching speed. And that is not all.

Sports nutrition is necessary in the following cases:

• helps to quickly and efficiently recover after training;
• indispensable when gaining weight, when, for example, there is not enough weight to perform in the desired category;
• if necessary, “dry out” and reduce the fat layer to a minimum.

What can be useful for fighters?

• Protein. Let's start our review of sports supplements for wrestlers with the most popular sports nutrition product - protein. You will need it regardless of your goals, it is a universal product that is vital for nourishing, building and restoring muscles. Taking protein protects your muscles if you need to lose weight, will help you gain muscle mass, and taking it after training and fights will help you recover faster. Of the variety of proteins presented, whey and multi-component proteins, in which several types of protein are well balanced, are suitable for fighters. Whey protein is ideal for post-workout recovery, multi-component - as a source of protein throughout the day. It can also be taken at night if your goal is to gain weight.
• Protein and energy bars. Indispensable when there is a long break between meals and there is no opportunity for a full meal. And such a situation is harmful both for those who need to gain weight and for those who want to reduce it. An energy bar will be useful before a workout or fight, when you need energy, lightness and no digestive problems. If you can't drink protein after your workout, you can eat a protein bar, which contains the same amount of protein as a protein shake. Of course, you shouldn't get carried away with protein and energy bars if your goal is cutting. Despite its beneficial properties, it is a rather high-calorie product.

• Amino acids. Complex amino acids and BCAA - muscle restorers, perfect for all fighters. Take them after training, with food and in the morning. Depending on your goals, different types and amounts of amino acids are required. But the general advice is this: take BCAA after training along with whey protein. If you need to reduce body weight, BCAA will help you do this at the expense of fat tissue, while maintaining muscle tissue. Do you need to take amino acids if you take protein? It is necessary because amino acids are absorbed in a matter of minutes, and thanks to the various compositions, you can choose a complex that will contain the most valuable amino acids for boxers and fighters.

First of all, you should pay attention to the following amino acids:

• BCAA are the main amino acids that make up muscle tissue;
• Glutamine – charges muscles with additional energy and helps maintain and improve immunity;
• Taurine – gently and safely stimulates the central nervous system;
• Citrulline - along with BCAA, perfectly restores muscles.

• Stimulants, adaptogens, fat burners If you need to push yourself hard in a workout or lose weight, CNS stimulants can help. Today in the sports nutrition market you can find many options based on the strength of the effect. Adaptogens (for example, eleutherococcus or ginseng) are all-natural, mild remedies. We also advise you to pay attention to complex stimulants that combine several active components and fat burners. They increase attention, concentration, and speed of impact, while simultaneously increasing the tone and endurance of the body. If you need to reduce body weight, use both fat burners-stimulants and safe, but no less effective L-carnitine.
• Isotonics. By including regular consumption of isotonic drinks in your nutrition program, you will provide yourself with the necessary salts and microelements, which will increase endurance and recovery speed. Drink isotonic drinks before, during and after training, and your body will always have the correct water-salt balance.
• Vitamins, minerals, antioxidants. This is the only supplement that all modern people need, regardless of their sports hobbies. But pharmaceutical complexes are not always suitable for athletes. Due to increased physical activity and fast metabolism, fighters and boxers require higher dosages, especially of antioxidants. Daily training triggers oxidative processes in the body, while antioxidants fight the resulting free radicals. Antioxidant vitamins include: C, A, E. Take complex vitamins for athletes and periodically take courses of antioxidants.

Types of sports nutrition that boxers and other fighters should be careful about:

• Creatine. Creatine itself is useful for bulking and heavy training. Its use is contraindicated only before competitions, since creatine retains water and can negatively affect the speed of the blow. But if you need to gain muscle mass in the off-season, creatine will be useful for you.
• Gainers. Since most fighters strictly control their body weight, taking gainers is not advisable due to their high calorie content. As a rule, a fighter’s diet already includes a sufficient amount of carbohydrates.

From this article you will learn how much energy a fighter spends in training and during a fight, what a fighter’s diet should be, what a boxer’s proper nutrition should be, how a striking athlete should gain and lose weight correctly, what nutrition should be before and during competitions, what sports nutrition a striker can and should consume, can a striker be a vegetarian and still be in good shape. All these questions are very important for an athlete-fighter in order to maintain health and maintain the body in good working condition.

• Boxer's energy expenditure during training
• Boxer diet
• Food in the box
• Diet requirements
• Proper nutrition for a boxer
• Nutrition at competitions
• Application of dietary supplements to food
• Sports nutrition for boxing

The training of an athlete-boxer is associated with the constant and rapid restructuring of motor actions in accordance with the changing situation. Which places high demands on the cardiovascular, respiratory and muscular systems of the body. During boxing training, an athlete can lose more than 2 kg of body weight - fat, protein, carbohydrates and amino acids - in one workout. Regular boxing classes with high loads greatly exploit the body's resources and can undermine the boxer's health if the athlete does not follow the necessary diet with sufficient quantities to restore all the necessary elements. Therefore, for an athlete seriously involved in boxing, it is extremely important to monitor diet, body weight, and the physical and mental state of the body.

When practicing boxing, an athlete needs to develop strength and speed in specific conditions and manifestations. Also, the physical activity of a boxer is combined with increased stress conditions. For example, stress before a fight in a competition or sparring - a training fight.

During training and pre-competition loads (occurring against a heightened neuro-emotional background), the athlete’s body loses especially a lot: water, proteins, minerals and vitamins. Boxers' energy expenditure is very high. Especially in light weight categories.

Boxer's energy expenditure during training

According to research, the energy consumption of boxers in the middle weight categories (from 60 to 80 kg) reaches 4500 – 5500 Kcal per day. In 1 hour of a training fight, a boxer can expend more than 1000 kcal of energy. All this in a certain way influences the need to organize the boxer’s proper diet and recovery. At the same time, strict control of body weight is (usually) important in boxing practice.

Boxer diet

A boxer's daily diet should be rich in proteins. The amount of protein should be from 2 grams per 1 kilogram of the athlete’s weight. It is also necessary to receive a sufficient amount of carbohydrates (about 10 grams per 1 kg of athlete’s weight). This helps to increase the body's endurance and performance.

A boxer’s diet is formed under the influence of the fact that an athlete needs to take care of his health and constantly maintain good athletic shape. A boxer also needs to maintain a certain body weight with which he feels as comfortable as possible and boxes without experiencing any difficulties associated with being underweight or overweight.

Food in the box

The physiological mechanisms of movements in boxing and martial arts are similar. Boxing, in terms of energy supply, belongs to the speed-strength group, with powerful “explosive” movements at the limit of strength capabilities. A professional boxing match lasts 36 minutes, a significant part of which the athlete is active and performs intense movements. Energy costs are very high: an athlete’s pulse during a fight can reach up to 190 beats per minute, which indicates a strong strain on the cardiovascular system. During the fight, athletes lose up to 2-3 kg of body weight through sweat.

Diet requirements

The total energy consumption of a fighter can be 3000 – 5500 kcal. Naturally, a lot depends on preparation. Protein in a Boxer's diet is usually 13-18%, but in some cases it rises to 20%. For strength sports, such as wrestling, an athlete needs 2-2.5 g of protein per kg of body weight per day, again, depending on the type of load, and in sports with a predominantly impact nature of movements - boxing - 1.7-2 .2 g per kg body weight per day. The more power-oriented the fight, the more protein is usually needed.

When working at high intensity, carbohydrates are one of the main sources of energy. Carbohydrate consumption is up to 10 g/kg body weight, or 50-60% of total calories. For boxers, the intake of vitamins and minerals is critical. During intense exercise, the drinking regime becomes especially important. Fluid consumption rates in boxing are approximately the same as in other sports with high intensity exercise - 2 - 3 liters per day, including water obtained from food.

Proper nutrition for a boxer

The Boxer's diet is based on easily digestible foods with high nutritional value. It is dangerous to overload a boxer’s body with “heavy” food due to the strict exercise regime. Accordingly, fatty meats, some vegetables, and mushrooms are limited. Contrary to recommendations sometimes found in older publications, most sausage products should not be included in the diet. Fried foods and smoked foods are also not recommended.

For a Boxer, the most optimal way to prepare food is to cook, including steaming, stewing, and baking. Raw foods - salads, including raw liver. Raw fish is one of the best known sources of helminthiasis.

There is still debate about the admissibility and desirability of vegetarianism in combat sports. Typically, it is mainly “Easterners” who speak out for excluding meat, poultry and fish from the diet, and the overwhelming majority of representatives of traditional sports species are omnivores.

To the great regret of “advanced adherents” of eastern martial arts, pure vegetarianism does not contribute to achieving high results. In addition, large volumes of vegetables overload the intestines. From my own experience, I can recommend lacto-vegetarianism—the consumption of dairy products along with vegetarian food—to those who hate “live eating.” Some vegetarian systems also allow the consumption of eggs, which further enriches the diet with essential proteins, fats and lecithin. Fish fits perfectly into the fighters' diet. Therefore, you can build an optimally balanced diet without meat. Boxers, like other martial arts athletes, are recommended to eat 4-5 meals a day. The calorie ratio for four meals a day can be approximately 25/20/30/25, changes are acceptable, but the main amount of nutrients should be obtained in the first half of the day.

Gaining muscle mass and losing weight

During the period of weight gain, we consider it possible to slightly increase the proportion of protein to the maximum permissible. At the same time, you can slightly increase your carbohydrate intake. The total calorie content is increased so that the planned increase in 1 kg of weight accounts for about 500 kcal and 200-250 g of protein in excess of the calculated norm. If necessary, you can use dietary supplements that stimulate your appetite.

Under no circumstances should there be a deficiency of fluids and vitamins. In this case, multiple meals with a relatively even distribution of food throughout the day are especially useful, although the main load should still occur in the morning and afternoon.

Much has been written about the dangers of accelerated weight loss. However, this is practiced everywhere. “Comrade citizens” fighters, enough is enough! By pushing weight back and forth, you spend precious resources that the body needs to maintain working shape on adapting to a new state, and moreover, if you lose weight incorrectly, you risk completely ruining your health. Most popular reduction modes are based on deliberate overheating of the body, which, first of all, expels water. The consequences of dehydration are widely known - disturbances in the functioning of the cardiovascular and hormonal systems, which, with prolonged “drainage”, are followed by organic disorders.

When losing weight, caloric intake naturally decreases compared to the calculated value. To lose 1 kg of body weight just by changing body composition, you need to maintain a deficit of approximately 700 calories. At the same time, it is worth increasing the proportion of protein while reducing carbohydrate intake. As you probably already know, limiting your fat intake is less effective at reducing fat mass. It is worth taking care to change the composition of consumed fats, focusing on vegetable oils.

For example, for boxers when losing weight, the following diet composition is recommended: protein - 2-2.5 g, fat - 1.0-2.0 g and carbohydrates - 4.0-4.5 g per kilogram of body weight per day. Paradoxically, multiple meals are useful here too. Drinking restrictions are acceptable, but you should not reduce your fluid intake below 1 liter per day. It is better to slightly reduce the amount of salt. For those who are comfortable with unsalted food, I recommend not adding salt at all, replacing it with spices. But you should be careful here - spices stimulate the appetite.

Nutrition at competitions

If the competition is held in the evening, lunch should be light, easily digestible, low in volume, but high in calories. Try not to succumb to newfangled scientific trends, as they can cause harm very quickly. Glycocol is the amino acid glycine. Glycine is necessary for the synthesis of connective tissue, although it is a non-essential amino acid. There is no point in avoiding it, and the products mentioned above are very useful, since collagen synthesis is the basis for recovery from injuries and prevention of ligament tears.

Application of dietary supplements to food

Many representatives of traditional martial arts have a sharply negative attitude towards any dietary supplements. At the same time, athletes with more modern views actively use proteins, amino acids and ergogenic aids. Adjusting the composition of the diet for protein and essential amino acids can be difficult, especially given its high caloric content and the need for rapid absorption. Some meals are quite normally replaced with proteins.

High intensity loads require stimulation of performance and acceleration of recovery. So these three classes of dietary supplements are most effective in this group of sports. The choice here is quite wide. We need proteins, amino acid complexes and plant adaptogens.

Dosages depend on current tasks. As part of a normal diet, say, artificially added protein can account for 20-25% of the total calorie content, amino acids are taken in the doses recommended by the manufacturer. Sometimes athletes use complex stimulants containing, in particular, caffeine, plant extracts, and taurine. You should choose the composition that is most suitable for yourself. The first stimulant, adaptogen or energy drink you come across will most likely not be optimal, and you may need several recipes for different tasks. Let's also not forget multivitamins and minerals - without them it is almost impossible to get an adequate dose of vitamins and microelements. The best solution would be a balanced vitamin and mineral complex.

Sports nutrition for boxing

The use of sports nutrition: protein shakes (proteins), protein-carbohydrate mixtures (gainers). Plus, you can add vitamin and amino acid complexes or BCAA.

Proteins

Whey protein may be the best protein option for a martial artist. For example, proteins from Optimum Nutrition, Power System, Dymatize. Or a multi-component protein. Syntha-6 from BSN and Syntrax from Matrix have proven themselves to be quite good.

Whey Protein Gifted Nutrition 100% Whey Protein is the highest quality and best form of protein available today. Whey provides the body with the necessary material to build muscle tissue. Today, every athlete knows how important it is to consume enough protein. Research agrees that whey protein contains the perfect combination of amino acids; Hormonal and cellular responses are noticeably improved when taking whey protein, not to mention the fact that whey supports the human immune system. Whey protein also plays the role of an antioxidant and immune system protector. And most importantly: constant intake of whey in combination with physical exercise leads to a stable increase in muscle mass and an increase in strength.

Gifted Nutrition "100% Whey Protein", chocolate, 860 g

Whey proteins have the highest absorption rate among animal proteins. The concentration of amino acids in the blood increases sharply within the first hour after administration. At the same time, they do not affect the acid-forming function of the stomach, which eliminates disruption of its functioning. The digestibility of whey proteins is exceptionally high.

The amino acid composition of whey proteins is closest to the amino acid composition of human muscle tissue, and in terms of the content of essential amino acids and branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) - valine, leucine and isoleucine, they are superior to all other proteins of animal and plant origin.

For those athletes who control or reduce their weight, and at the same time experience a feeling of hunger in the evening, casein protein is suitable. Which is usually taken in the evening. Almost before bedtime. This is due to the fact that such protein is not immediately absorbed. This allows it to feed the muscles with proteins during the night’s sleep, without loading the stomach. Casein products from Optimun Nutrition, Dymatize and Weider can be noted.

Amino acids

Amino acids are a good help in nutrition, restoration and preservation of muscle mass. Because they are quickly absorbed, they are convenient to carry and consume directly during or immediately after training. When muscles especially need nutrients.

Amino acid complexes come in liquid, powder or capsule form. More often their choice is based on the convenience of the method of use. However, we should not forget about the concentrations of nutrients in 1 serving. And to a greater extent the concentrations of leucine, isoleucine and valine (BCAA). Here, such complexes as: Modern BCAA from USPlabs, Cytosport Monster amino, BCAA 600 from Gaspari Nutrition are at their best.

Modern BCAA+ is a unique complex of essential BCAA amino acids that promotes faster recovery, regeneration and growth of muscle tissue, as well as increasing your intensity during training. One of the main differences between this product and similar supplements is the rare ratio of BCAA amino acids – 8:1:1, which indicates the most effective growth, restoration of muscle tissue, increased performance and endurance during training. Each serving of Modern BCAA+ contains 15 grams of a special blend of pure amino acids: L-leucine, L-isoleucine, L-valine, L-lysine, L-taurine, L-alanine, L-glycine and the unique Sustamine compound.

In addition, additional intake of the amino acid L-carnitine will not be superfluous. Which promotes the conversion of fat cells into energy.

Gainers

If a boxer athlete decides to use this type of product in his training, then it is recommended to use gainers with a medium and low glycemic index. That is, gainers that use less sugar. Suitable high protein gainers: True Mass (BSN), Up Your Mass (MHP), Real Gains (Universal Nutrition).

BSN True-Mass is considered to really work and is the best mass gainer available today. In developing the True-Mass gainer, BSN shifted its focus from using low-quality carbohydrates to complex carbohydrates and a protein mixture as an additional source of calories from essential macronutrients. That's why True-Mass is a balanced blend designed to build lean muscle mass while remaining an ideal source of extra calories. This fact has become a sensation among protein-carbohydrate sports supplements.

Gainer BSN "True Mass 1200", vanilla, 4.65 kg

Unlike most gainers existing on the sports nutrition market and using cheap raw materials in the form of sugar as a source of calories, the consumption of which led to a rapid gain of fat mass, True-Mass works specifically to increase pure muscle mass. This was made possible through the use of carbohydrates with a low glycemic index, which is why, year after year, consumers prefer True-Mass.

By the way, since we are talking about carbohydrates, you should pay attention to such a source of increasing glycogen stores in the muscles and liver as sports drinks. They can be consumed before, during and after workouts. You will definitely like the taste and composition of drinks from Power System and Maxler. From one can of powder you can prepare up to 16 liters of finished drink.

Vitamins and minerals

Vitamins and minerals also play a significant role in a boxer’s diet. They are not a plastic material or a source of energy. But they participate in metabolism, as participants in biochemical and physiological processes. Therefore, you should not exclude them from your supplementary diet.

Protection of ligaments and joints

Boxing is quite dangerous for joints and ligaments. Therefore, it is advisable for fighters to regularly use supplements containing collagen, glucosamine and chondroitin.

There are many offers here. You can choose Universal Nutrition Animal Flex, Weider, Maxler, Optimum Nutrition. If pain has already appeared, then choose supplements that contain MSM (Animal Flex, Joint Tech from Dymatize).

Animal Flex is a special product from the world famous sports nutrition manufacturer Universal Nutrition. The drug is intended to strengthen the athlete’s joints and ligaments and, moreover, to treat them! Animal Flex is based on glucosamine and chondroitin - the most important drugs for the regeneration of cartilage and connective tissue. They ensure rapid penetration of nutrients into the tissues and have an analgesic effect. Animal Flex also increases the flow of fluid to the joints, which makes their work easier and improves lubrication.

Another property of the drug is a strong anti-inflammatory effect. Athletes who took Animal Flex noted a rapid decrease in tissue swelling and rapid relief of well-being.

But it is not necessary to start taking Animal Flex when there is already a problem with ligaments or joints; it is quite enough to take it in half doses and as a preventive measure for injuries. The drug has a good protective property; it protects ligaments and cartilage tissue from damage and ensures their rapid regeneration.

Creatine

In general, taking creatine by boxers raises a number of questions. Because, based on the descriptions of properties and practice of use, it is a muscle volumizer. Which retains water in them, weighs them down, and creates a pump effect. In common parlance, it “clogs” the muscles. Which, naturally, reduces the speed of delivering a series of strikes.

Therefore, martial artists should avoid pre-workout complexes containing creatine monohydrate. In particular, the hit of bodybuilding is Jack3D.

Although, if you really want an explosive workout, you can try using Neurocore from MuscleTech or Nutrex Hemo Rage in your practice. Where the effect of creatine is not so pronounced. Or even limit yourself to caffeine-amino acid supplements. Such as Amino Energy from Optimum Nutrition, or muscle starter from Power System.

Where do vegetarian athletes get their protein?

The first question people have when they hear that an athlete has become a vegetarian to improve their health and appearance is “Where will they get their protein from?” They believe that a plant-based diet will never provide enough protein for an athlete to perform rigorous daily training.

Nine-time Olympic champion Carl Lewis has had tremendous success following a vegetarian diet. And UFC fighter Mac Danzig has been fighting on a vegan diet since 2004.

“Let me just say that protein intake is important for athletes,” states Danzig, “but I find the required amount of protein, which is 1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight when not training, without much difficulty. I really assume that all these articles telling people how to eat are copied from the diets of fanatical bodybuilders and presented to the general public.”

In general, athletes consuming a balanced, calorically dense vegan diet will automatically provide protein for their physical performance. Good sources of protein include leafy greens (yes, vegetables contain protein; in fact, 30% of spinach's calories come from protein), beans, nuts, and seeds.

Calorie table for cereals, pasta, flour

If you're interested in going vegan but aren't yet convinced that a plant-based diet will provide you with the protein to maintain muscle mass, there are additional ways to get your protein. A lot of vegan protein powders have hit stores in recent years, and these really are great choices. Peas, hemp, brown rice and soy are just a few options. Some foods, such as hemp and rice, have an advantage over others because they are consumed raw, which means important enzymes are not destroyed during cooking.

Plant proteins are much more interesting in composition than animal proteins. For example, the composition of Garden of Life Raw Protein will make any educated vegan salivate: protein from sprouted brown rice, amaranth sprouts (whole grain), quinoa, millet, buckwheat, garbanzo, lentils and adzuki, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin, chia, and sprouts sesame seeds. A 23-gram serving contains 17 grams of protein. It also contains vitamins A, D, E, K plus live probiotics to replenish good gut bacteria and aid digestion. It’s time to leave such waste protein sources as whey and difficult-to-digest casein in the last century.

Garden of Life Raw Protein - If you want to give your body the best, give it Garden of Life Natural Meal Replacement - a high protein, high fiber meal replacement. These products provide your body with the nutrients of balanced, wholesome food in one delicious serving. The natural meal replacement contains live probiotics and enzymes, complex vitamins and nutrients and essential factors such as beta-glucans, SOD, glutathione and CoQ10.

This natural meal replacement is an excellent source of protein, including all the essential amino acids, the essential building blocks of good health. One serving of this product contains 34 grams of protein from organic sprouts, as well as 9 grams of soluble and insoluble fiber. A super concentrated source of nutrients, Natural Meal Replacement is also an excellent source of vitamins and minerals in the form of dietary nutrients and chelated minerals, for targeted effects and natural absorption by the body.

The natural meal replacement contains 26 organic superfoods including sprouts, seeds, greens and fruits, plus live probiotics and enzymes to support digestive health. Natural meal replacement satisfies hunger and gives energy. The natural meal replacement has a neutral taste and will appeal to everyone.

Convenient Natural Meal Replacement Products Suitable for Vegetarians, Low Carbohydrate Diets, and Individuals with Hypersensitivity to Milk, Wheat, Soy, and Other Protein Sources.

With so many plant-based foods to choose from and well-designed vegetarian protein powders, vegetarian athletes don't have to worry about protein deficiency. In addition, a vegetarian diet ensures that the athlete receives not only all the necessary macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats), but also macronutrients for disease prevention and for a happy, healthy longevity.

I hope our article helped you get enough information about how to eat properly for boxers and martial artists. Don't forget to exercise regularly.

Like and repost!

We wish you success and high results!

Many people believe that sports nutrition is important only in weightlifting: powerlifting, bodybuilding, arm wrestling and others. However, with any active sports, the body needs a balanced diet. Today we’ll talk about nutritional supplements developed for boxers, the features of their use and contraindications.

Sports nutrition in boxing

In boxing, reaction speed, endurance, and punching power are important - these are the three principles on which this contact sport is built.

Therefore, the diet, for example, in bodybuilding, is not suitable for contact martial arts. Let's consider the beneficial effects of food additives and their possible disadvantages.

Did you know? Fist fighting competitions were included in the Olympic Games program in 688 BC. e. From now on, this martial arts can be considered a sport.

Advantages and disadvantages

In martial arts, not only muscle strength is important - an equally important factor is a high level of performance, concentration, and the body’s recovery ability. So, the benefits of sports nutritional supplements in boxing:

• help maintain the desired weight by burning fat deposits;
• improve brain activity, concentration and reaction;
• increase endurance;
• provide the body with the necessary amount of useful elements;
• after long training and stress, they stimulate recovery processes;
• help build muscle tissue (within category).

When sports nutrition is used correctly, no problems or adverse reactions from its use are detected. If the rules of administration are not followed, the following painful manifestations are possible:

• nausea;
• diarrhea;
• headache;
• skin rash;
• flatulence.

Important! You need to know which medications to take and at what time. The dosage and type of supplement depend on the athlete’s constitution, so it needs to be selected with a specialist.

Indications and contraindications

Exhaustive physical activity consumes a large amount of energy and can significantly undermine health, so a proper sports diet is not a whim, but a necessity. Nutritional supplements are indicated to maintain vitality and physical strength; their beneficial effect is manifested in the following:

• replenishment of expended energy resources of the body;
• strengthening muscle, connective, bone tissue, reducing injuries;
• support and restoration of the nervous system;
• rapid restoration of physical strength;
• body weight control.

Some health problems may interfere with the use of sports supplements. Among the contraindications are the following factors:

• allergy to the components of the drug;
• diseases of the endocrine system (gainers, complexes with a high content of carbohydrates);
• cardiovascular diseases (caffeine);
• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (pure amino acids).

Features of application

For boxing, of course, developed muscles are important, but the peculiarity is that only dry mass is needed. When choosing supplements, you need to focus on the growth of muscle tissue without an increase in body fat and total body weight.

Did you know? The longest fight in boxing history is considered to be the fight between Jack Burke and Andy Bone in 1983, it lasted seven hours and nineteen minutes.

Sports pharmacology, taking into account all the needs of boxers, has developed separate series for athletes:

Not all drugs are useful for martial artists - some of them can have the exact opposite effect, unlike the complexes described above. The list of additives undesirable for boxing includes:

1. - the drug is capable of accumulating excess fluid in muscle tissue, which negatively affects speed.
2. - promote the accumulation of fat cells.
3. - often contain simple carbohydrates that are not fully digested. The composition also contains undesirable components, such as palm oil and various stabilizers.

Essential vitamins for a boxer

Sports nutrition for boxers must include vitamins - with a lack of these substances, the body's defenses are reduced, performance decreases, and the nervous system works to the limit. The following vitamin elements are important for maintaining health:

• - supports cardiac activity, improves blood circulation, has an analgesic effect, increases endurance during prolonged and intense exercise;
• vitamin C- activates and supports the immune system, is a participant in energy metabolism, protein synthesis, metabolism and absorption of iron and calcium;
• thiamine B1- regulates the functioning of the central nervous system, cardiac activity, digestion and metabolic processes;
• pyridoxine B6- supports the central and peripheral nervous system, improves lipid metabolism, promotes the metabolism of essential amino acids;
• cyanocobalamin B12- increases the ability of tissues to regenerate, improves hematopoietic function, and participates in the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates and lipids.

The best option for boxers are vitamin complexes - for example, Leveton-Forte or Daily Formula and Animal Pak from Universal Nutrition.

In conclusion, sports nutrition in boxing plays a big role in health and performance. It is important to use it correctly and in a controlled manner, remembering to consult with a specialist regarding the need for a particular drug and its dosage.

The training of a boxer and a bodybuilder, although they have some similarities at first glance, are still diametrically different from each other. A bodybuilder can increase body weight, allowing some increase in fat mass, but after a mass-gaining cycle a weight loss cycle must necessarily follow. In boxing, everything is different - only those workouts and a diet that would ensure an increase in lean muscle mass or maintain a constant body weight are permissible. With this consistency, however, it is necessary to increase endurance, strength and impact and its speed.

It is clear that a lot depends on the genetic data of the boxer and the characteristics of his body. However, nowadays there is sports nutrition that is ideal not only for a bodybuilder, but also for a boxer. It will allow you to achieve your goals faster, reduce recovery time, and improve your physical parameters.

We present to you a list of nutritional supplements that are ideal not only for boxers, but also for athletes involved in other martial arts.

• Amino acids

These nutritional supplements have some beneficial properties. Firstly, they are absorbed very quickly. Secondly, they are the most valuable material for muscle tissue.

The following can be used:

Citrulline – promotes faster recovery after workouts

- – restores muscles, is a source of energy during training

- - in addition to accelerating recovery, these amino acids are a powerful anti-catabolic agent

- – acts as a stimulant for the fighter’s nervous system

You can take amino acids all at once - before and immediately after training.

• Rehabilitation complex

This supplement is a complex of several reducing agents - BCAA, citrulline and glutamine.

If it is easier to purchase a recovery complex, then you can take it without amino acids.

• Adaptogens

This type of sports nutrition consists of plant extracts that help increase body tone, endurance and concentration.

This includes lemongrass. For the best effect, the combined use of two adaptogens is allowed.

• Stimulants

Stimulants can be very useful for a boxer as they help increase punching speed and power, increase endurance and improve reaction time.

Among other things, adaptogens help burn subcutaneous fat, which is also important.

Stimulants should be taken 30-40 minutes before the start of the fight.

• Vitamin and mineral complexes

High volumes of training imply increased consumption of vitamins and microelements. The main symptom of a lack of these elements is a decrease in athletic performance and deterioration in well-being.

In addition, vitamins and microelements are involved in all metabolic processes, so their lack will certainly affect the fighter’s performance.

• Fast protein

It is one of the most important nutritional supplements for the Boxer. Under the influence of high-volume training, the body begins to release large amounts of stress hormone, which destroys muscles.

Taking protein suppresses these processes and constantly supplies the blood with amino acids. If your goal is to stay in your current weight class, it is better to replace the protein with an amino acid complex.

Take 1 hour before training and 30 minutes after training.

• Antioxidants

Supplementing with antioxidants is extremely important not only for boxers, but for other fighters as well. During training, many oxidative reactions occur, the products of which are free radicals.

They poison the body, promote inflammatory processes and worsen the general condition of the body. For this reason, additional intake of antioxidants will avoid the negative consequences of increased production of free radicals and significantly improve the fighter’s health.

If you think that sports nutrition is only needed for bodybuilders, then you are very mistaken. Any intense and strength work is extremely costly for the body, therefore it requires high-quality maintenance and recovery, which can only be done through a properly formed diet, proper rest and sports nutrition. And today we will talk about supplements for boxing. Sports nutrition for boxers is a little different from the set that we are used to seeing in bodybuilding. This is due to other priorities, both in terms of physical development and in terms of building a training plan. So, what should any boxer have in his arsenal?

What priorities are important in boxing? Strength, speed, minimal body fat, maximum possible increase in endurance and energy. Don’t forget about mental concentration, which can often come to the fore. It’s also worth adding here the excessive load on the joints and some muscle groups, which also needs to be compensated for somehow. Based on this, you can already understand that sports nutrition for boxers is not just a way to build more muscle, but an opportunity to improve yourself and your skills in all aspects.

Before jumping directly into supplements, it is important to understand why you should take them:

• To improve recovery (which will allow you to train more often and better);
• To speed up the reaction, better mobilization of the joints;
• Strengthening ligaments and bones;
• Building only high-quality muscles (especially important, given the limits of the weight categories);
• Nourishing and restoring the nervous system.

Moreover, this is not a complete list of why you need to take sports supplements. Let's start in order:

Protein– a necessary building material for muscles. It is important both in sports and for every person. Boxing is one of those sports where the load on the muscles during training is extreme. Therefore, without protein it is simply impossible to build muscle and increase such important indicators as strength and speed. You need to choose a protein with maximum protein content and speed of digestion. The ideal option is hydrolyzate, although whey protein concentrate is also suitable to save money.

The technique also makes sense amino acids, which are absorbed as quickly as possible. In boxing, speed of absorption is no less important than in bodybuilding. However, if you can get the entire spectrum of amino acids from protein, then BCAA in this regard is an absolutely necessary supplement. It is Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine, which are included in its composition, that allow you not only to build lean muscle and burn fat, but also to accelerate recovery and, most importantly, to preserve muscle even during ultra-intense training.

Chondroprotectors– if in many sports supplements from this category are of a preventive nature, then for boxers this is rather a prerequisite. The constant load on joints and ligaments is so high that without strengthening them, the risk of injury constantly increases. Chondroprotectors should be taken in courses, at least 2 times a year or until complete recovery, if an injury has already occurred.

Vitamins and minerals– if such complexes are a necessity in bodybuilding, then should a boxer doubt this? Especially considering the intensity of the training. Vitamin-mineral complexes can significantly increase energy, immunity, stress resistance, overall well-being, and even the rate of muscle gain and fat burning.

What else can you add? Of course pre-workout supplements, which will force you to train at the peak of your capabilities even on the most cloudy and rainy day. This is the best source of energy and vigor for constant progress. There is also a special focus on supplements that increase testosterone levels. It is responsible for both strength, mass, burning excess fat, and gives mood and aggression during training.

That is why dough boosters Often added to pre-workouts, these supplements have very similar goals. Also, do not ignore growth hormone boosters, which are considered to be a relatively new type of supplement. It is growth hormone that can provide the fastest possible improvement in physical capabilities and accelerate recovery without any side effects, which is why it is increasingly becoming an absolute necessity not only in bodybuilding, but also in any contact sports.

Also, advanced athletes can sometimes resort to SARMs and prohormones, which are as close as possible to sports pharmacology. If you do take them, it is important to have knowledge about these supplements or take them under the close supervision of a specialist.

In fact, there are practically no supplements that would be contraindicated for boxers. We can only single out those products that are incompatible with any martial arts due to the specific nature of the action. We are talking about gainers and creatine, although the latter still sometimes finds its place among the boxing arsenal of supplements (just not during competitions or when maximum results and peak training are needed).

Creatine can also be used to quickly move to another weight category, but you should be careful with this method of increasing mass. The fluid retention that accompanies creatine supplementation can reduce physical performance, negatively impacting speed. As a rule, creatine is taken only under the supervision of a trainer or experienced specialist; in other cases, boxers should avoid the supplement.

But a gainer is exactly the product that is needed exclusively by “jocks”, and most often by beginners. Firstly, most gainers consist of 2 thirds of carbohydrates and only a third (sometimes even less) of protein, and secondly, they are completely unprofitable in terms of their cost. What will the consumption of gainer in boxing lead to? To a very rapid accumulation of fat, which will not only reduce the level of training and physical capabilities, but can also become a serious obstacle to the entire boxing career.

We hope that we have slightly expanded your understanding of the use of sports nutrition in boxing and dispelled the prejudices that exist in domestic sports today.