As you might expect, a UFC fighter’s body will feel quite horrible after a big fight, so having a good healing routine is crucial for them. The body of a UFC fighter is subjected to numerous minor wounds as well as more serious traumas such as broken limbs.
However, their body is not a machine; it is an organic collection of systems that has a strong need for recuperation from the extremes that they subject it to. So, how does a UFC fighter get back on his feet?
UFC fighters’ recovery after a fight is comprised of eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, allowing their body to rest, and obtaining deep tissue massages and ice treatments to help rebuild their muscles.
How Long Does Recovery Take
Minor wounds, such as cuts or bruises, normally take a few days for MMA fighters to recover from, but more serious injuries, such as broken limbs, might take weeks or months to heal entirely. The BMI, health, and recuperation methods of a fighter all factor towards their recovery time.
Physical training (weights and cardio) should be avoided by MMA fighters until their injured body parts have recovered sufficiently. This clarifies why some fighters may go a month without doing any physical training or even fighting in the ring.
For injuries that necessitate surgery, MMA athletes may be forced to sit out for several months before returning to training. It all varies on the damage’s severity. Furthermore, after a fight, competitors are typically advised to focus on healing rather than training.
The types of hits a fighter gets, as well as food, weight, and overall health, all play a factor in determining the recovery period for MMA fighters.
How Does UFC Fighter’s Body Feel After A Fight
It hurts like crazy, as you might imagine. Headaches, bumps, and bruises on the face and body, as well as broken hands, can make the day following the fight a total nightmare. Simple things can be difficult to complete when you have an injury. You never understand how much your ribs or hands are used until they are no longer functional.
Any area of your body can be wounded or injured, but there are a few areas that take the brunt of the punishment. Just a few well-placed leg kicks can cause significant damage to the leg or thigh, and in certain fights, swelling and significant bruising can be seen before the fight is even ended.
The ribs and torso can take a lot of punishment and make fighters’ lives miserable for a long time. Rib injuries are horrible because they make breathing, laughing, and even sleeping difficult. They also take a long time to recover because the damaged areas are usually formed of slow-healing cartilage.
Just as importantly, the head is the focus of the opponent’s attention. The most common injuries to the head include cuts and swelling around the eyes, broken noses and jaws, and concussions. Scrapes and bruising are frequent on a fighter’s face.
A fighter’s stomach might often feel sick as a result of the adrenaline pumped into the body during and immediately after a battle. Many fighters may find themselves celebrating at the bar instead of rehydrating properly after a fight due to the adrenaline and congratulations from friends and spectators, which can lead to stomach distress once the adrenaline wears off.
However, the adrenaline wears off over time, and a boxer who has fought numerous rounds will be fatigued and hurting the next day, even if it isn’t till the next day. During a fight, a boxer’s physique is put to extremes. After a fight, whether a boxer wins or loses, one thing is certain: it’s time to relax and recover.
Where are UFC Fighters Recovering
If a boxer wins, he’ll most likely go out and celebrate with his pals, drinking and staying up all night. This isn’t exactly the finest way to recover. If he loses, he may drown his sorrows away, but if he sustains severe damage or suffers any significant injuries, he will most likely spend the night in the hospital per athletic commissions request for insurance purposes. The majority of the time, a fighter returns home the day after a fight.
What Do UFC Fighters Do To Recover
MMA requires both physical and mental recuperation. Before beginning preparations for the next fight, every athlete must take some time to heal, re-energize, and recover. UFC fighters focus on eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, allowing their body to rest, and obtaining deep tissue massages and ice treatments to help rebuild their muscles after a fight to help them recover.
Rehydration
The ideal time to hydrate is immediately after a fight. Water cleanses toxins from the body, distributes nutrients to wounded areas, and aids in temperature and pH balance regulation. It also relieves muscle tension and discomfort. Some UFC fighters include electrolyte-fortified drinks in their recovery routines since it helps ensure that fluid is absorbed into the body instead of just being flushed through urine.
Nutrition
This is likely the most critical aspect of rehabilitation and one that many athletes overlook. When recovering from training, nutrition is the key, and when healing from a fight, it is crucial. Water, electrolytes, protein, carbs, and fats are all depleted in their body, and they require more of each.
Muscle healing is aided by protein. Carbohydrates provide energy, which is especially important after a fight because you are undoubtedly exhausted. Fats aid in the recovery of brain function and organ function, which is beneficial when they have been subjected to negative external focus in the cage.
Magnesium-rich foods, such as seeds, whole grains, greens, and nuts, help to relax muscles while also increasing fat and protein synthesis. Omega-3-rich foods like oysters, sardines, salmon, and even supplements should be prioritized. Fighters should eat a variety of healthful foods, drink enough water, take their vitamins, and try to eat small meals every three hours.
Sleep and rest
Eating a well-balanced diet without allowing your body to heal is a formula for catastrophe. Due to high levels of adrenaline, fighters may have difficulties sleeping the night after a fight, but once they collapse, sleep is a fighter’s best friend. The hard training leading up to a fight, as well as the fight itself, will weary the body.
Following a fight, a boxer should get at least 8 hours of sleep for several nights, and sleep at night is insufficient. They should also take naps as needed during the day, even if it is only for a few minutes at a time. When dealing with muscle strain, getting 9 to 10 hours of sleep per night is ideal.
As the body generates hormones that decrease and gradually eliminate muscle discomfort, sleep increases muscle repair and growth. Unfortunately, lack of sleep causes cortisol levels to rise, affecting testosterone production and so prolonging an athlete’s recovery.
Massage
Deep tissue massage is commonly utilized to help MMA athletes recover faster after a fight. This popular technique is widely used to treat musculoskeletal disorders such as muscular strains and injuries.
Massage treatment, specifically deep tissue massage, aids in the breaking up of scar tissues that form after an accident, relieving tension in the affected tissue. This treatment improves blood flow, speeds up healing, and decreases inflammation.
Activity
Even when recovering from a big fight, fighters must remain active. MMA experts advise that they exercise every day to break up the lactic acid that has built up in their muscles and to release their joints and tendons. When they move around, they assist in the removal of toxins produced by strenuous MMA training. They can engage in light exercises like stretching, walking, and light shadowboxing.
Ice Therapy, Heat, and Steam
An ice bath might help speed up healing and reduce muscular swelling. Although not every MMA fighter takes an ice bath after a fight, those who do seem to heal faster. Ice packs can also be used to relieve pain and speed up recovery times in painful body areas.
Ice baths are used by MMA fighters to help with recuperation by restricting blood flow to muscles. Ice baths have long been used to aid recuperation, and studies have shown that they reduce swelling, muscle injury, and muscular soreness in those who use them. They use specialized ice baths or, if necessary, home bathtubs. They aid in the reduction of inflammation and the removal of waste from the body.
Steam and heat, on the other hand, can be beneficial. They have a comparable effect because they aid in the removal of toxins and the release of tension associated with rigorous training and fighting. Sauna suits are another technique to employ heat, however, they’re mostly used to improve cardiovascular health and oxygen uptake.
Conclusion
Due to the physical nature of the sport, the danger of injury is usually considered in MMA. While some injuries heal quickly, others take longer to heal completely. As a result, MMA fighters must practice the same level of discipline in recuperation as they do in the cage.
Some major injuries may necessitate surgery and a lengthy recovery period. Mild injuries experienced during fights, on the other hand, can be addressed by eating a balanced diet, drinking plenty of water, and giving the body enough time to recover.
The quicker a fighter recovers from pain, the faster he can return to training and fighting. Many fighters would lose years of fighting potential because they do not take care of themselves during this sensitive and crucial period following injuries.
Fighters must take a smart approach to recovery and work just as hard as they do when training and fighting – they’ll get the best out of their bodies both in and out of the cage if they do!
