There’s no getting around it: In today’s world, there’s a lot of fretting about what to eat and how much to eat. Sometimes, with specific lifestyles and practices in play, the questions can become even trickier. People ask us all the time: is there a “krav maga diet” that works best for the rigorous training that comes with the practice?
The answer is yes and no. While there are definitely things you can consume and choices you can make to let your body work better with the training, the simple fact is that there’s no prescribed system that works for everybody when it comes to what you should eat over the course of your conditioning. That said, here are some easy rules you can stick to if you want to get the most out of your training.
Keep Yourself Hydrated
This is going to be the one constant that applies to everyone: Any diet you pair with krav maga training is going to require that you drink a lot of water. Water will keep your muscles from getting too stiff, which will be important so as to not pull ligaments or cause cramps while training.
Staying hydrated has some less obvious benefits that are just as important. You’re more alert when there’s water in your system, and drinking lots of water also greatly helps with digestion. No matter what diet for krav maga conditioning you choose, staying hydrated should be one of your cornerstones.
Many Types of Diets Can Work
Your trainer will probably have some good advice in this regard, but there are no hard and fast rules for what a person has to eat in order to stay in shape; the world of MMA, for instance, is full of vegans and carnivores alike. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t some foods you shouldn’t try to minimize or cut out entirely. Trans fats and processed sugars aren’t going to help you much if you need to defend yourself, and as such, no krav maga diet should include a surplus of pizza and donuts.
That said, the things your body does need to be good at krav maga, like proteins and healthy carbohydrates, can be found in all different kinds of foods. Lean meats and fruit are classic staples of a high-energy diet, but if you’re vegetarian, you can also get the vitamins and amino acids you need from things like lentils and wild rice, as well as a plethora of protein powders and healthy supplements. When it comes to conditioning your body for krav maga, almost any diet can be modified to work with it if you’re judicious about keeping away from junk food and making sure you have the energy you need.
Train to Gain
But let’s assume you’re coming in fresh and have no specific dietary regimen that you already follow, such as a paleo or vegan diet. Where should you begin? Well, if you ask yourself what two elements you’d most want for your own body to be best at krav maga, it would likely boil down to agility and endurance. Therefore, when you begin your diet for krav maga training, focus on foods that will be best for those two abilities.
Anyone will tell you that lean meat, like turkey breast and fish, is best for building lean muscle mass. But you have a lot of different options as well if you want to mix it up. For example, did you know that in the proper concentration, dairy fats like yogurt and cheese can actually help your body process hormones like adrenaline and help you stay in the game longer? Or that half a cup of peanuts contains 17 grams of protein and 435 calories, making for a superbly efficient workout snack if a meal is out of the question?
When you start your krav maga diet, you’re gonna do best if you pick foods with chemicals and hormones that maximize your body’s productivity when it comes to energy and hormonal proportion. With a little planning, you can bring enough balance to your body to help make it unstoppable.
You Are What You Eat (From Your Fists to Your Feet)
Obviously, any food regimen you pick for reaching your body’s potential is going to require some discipline and sacrifice, and krav maga is definitely no exception. But that doesn’t mean your meals have to be a joyless grind. Whether you’re a voracious meat-eater, a vegetarian, or even someone with a bit of a sweet tooth, there are lots of different ways a diet for krav maga can help you get to the utmost of your abilities. Everyone’s body is different, and everyone can find the right combinations of food for them to help take their training to the next level. Whatever you decide on, just don’t forget to drink lots of water!
If you’ve been training for a while and still need some diet tips, talk to your trainer and let them know what’s on your mind. After all, their diet as a krav maga trainer is a big part of how they got where they are in the first place! And if you’re curious as to what krav maga is all about but haven’t started your journey yet, give us a call at 1-800-KRAV-MAGA if you want to learn more; our lines are always open. We have facilities all over the world, and we’re always excited to introduce new members to our exciting self-defense discipline. You can start your conditioning today and talk to your trainer to get cracking on the krav maga diet that’s right for you.
