C4 Mixed Martial Arts

Testosterone which ill refer to as T is a major male hormone involved in many processes in the body one of which is well known is  that it helps the body to create an anabolic state to increase muscle mass and growth. Steroid use is a common known method of boosting T levels and gaining muscle however it also comes with side effects that will not only be temporary but will coach along side your body through the ages and cause decline in health in the later years. It may be very severe, and could have been preventable by simple research on alternate methods.

Magnesium is a very important mineral invloved in the structure and function of over 300 enzymes and metabolic pathways, and including the reactions involving the transfer, storage and utilisation of energy in all the cells of the body. It also helps to regulate the heart and dilation of the blood vessel walls.

Wet wet wet is what we got last week, but that didn't keep everyone away. There was still good numbers at the Kickboxing and BJJ classes and some new ladies came to give the Fit 'N" Fearless class a go!

Groin strikes for the ladies, keeping a fight standing for the Adult Freestylers and how to get up safely or better yet effectively was a lesson learnt by all during a week filled with straight punching and knee strikes.

Hopefully we will see some sun this week. Either way, Chin Down, Hands ups and stay safe.

Starting a new year always comes with it new goals, so far this year C4 Mixed Martial Arts has already achieved some goals that we had planned for the new year, on top of our 4 newly awarded BJJ Blue belts from our end of year grading (awarded from Vincent Perry), one of our long time students was awarded his BJJ Brown Belt from long time friend and BJJ Black Belt Peter King.

C4 was pumping this week as we welcomed the first Women only class into our previously male dominated gym. Even though there was heavy rain and a few ladies couldn't make due to baby sitter issues, we were happy with the turn out and expect the class to be bigger and better next week.

C4 Mixed Martial Arts is back and pumping! We are back in the swing of things, and have been impressed by the dedication of students who are already back from the Silly Season, ready for action.

The youngsters spent some time last week honing their Kung Fu stances and kata as well as reviewing their striking and grappling skills. The over 13s all the way through to the Adults concentrated on perfecting their Push and defensive Jam kicks in the striking department. The Adult Freestylers also learnt about Arm Drags and Bear hug/suplex defense.

Chia Seeds are great little seeds with loads of nutritional benefit, they include protein, carbohydrate and healthy Omega 3 fatty acids which are a must for all types of athletic training. Omega 3 fats reduce the inflammation in the body and aid mental cognitive function to improve your focus and reduce the overall stress loaded onto your body. You can add them to your smoothy, in salads, yoghurts and even just in a glass of water so drink up... taste weird, but it will give you all of the benefits in a quick hit.

New Year's occassions are a great time to share with family and friends whilst eating good food and having a few social drinks, however when training resumes you hit an enormous brick wall in your overall fitness. This takes some time to get over and feel like you are back to the fitness you were before all the end of year celebrations.

Just a Quick opinion on the common misconception with MMA and Diet. Its not uncommon to recognise that a typical martial artist diet is quite similar of that to a professional bodybuilder, lots of Carbs and lots of Protein, yes you need adequate amounts of these nutrients but not huge amounts to needed to build muscle. Martial arts and MMA in particular is a very dynamic sport with lots of important areas needed to be covered such as strength, Cardio, flexibility, balance, coordination, endurance, skills etc.

Training hard for optimal results? The simple answer is yes. However what else can you add to your tool kit in order to sky rocket your results and not plummet into the ocean? Nutrition. Nutrition plays the most important role in optimising your efforts in training in MMA and Self defense. MMA and Self Defence are not sports for weak hearted,  to be successful you must learn to endure grinding efforts in the gym and still maintain the ability to stay focused and continue training at intense levels week after week, month after month, year after year.