Nutrition is a very vital part of the success of Thai boxing. Poor food intake leads to weakness and the inability to respond to your opponent’s actions. On the other hand, stomach cramps and pain is the last thing you need. It might downgrade your performance too.
I will reply to the question “what to eat before Muay Thai training” with the maximum of my abilities. I hope this detailed guide will help you boost your performance to the next level.
Table of Contents
Improving Energy Levels Without Food
First of all, the best nutrition in the world can’t help people who sleep 2-3 hours, hang around the nightclubs, and have a rocky lifestyle outside of the dojo. Before I answer the question “what should you eat before Muay Thai training”, I kindly advise you to pay attention to the following paragraphs. Food is your ultimate source of fuel, please don’t joke around with that.
Sleep
The human body cannot function without a proper good night’s sleep. If you work at night, then you’ll have to sleep during the day, but make sure to sleep at least 7-8 hours. It is very important for hormonal balance, when you’re too tired, the training session is pointless.
Rest
Whenever you have time, take a nap or rest. It will regenerate your muscles and boost your energy levels. What I found very helpful and relaxing is an ice bath after the intense training. Give it a try, you may like it.
Hydration
You should drink at least 2 liters of water per day. If you have a physical activity or live in a very hot climax, the amount might ascend to 4-5 liters per day. This is very important!
Should I Eat Before My Muay Thai Training Session?
Yes, absolutely. You should get your meal at least 90 minutes before the training session. But there are some tips and tricks too:
- You can take slow-digesting food 120 minutes before your activity, it won’t do any harm to your body.
- One or two fruits 30 minutes before the training session are completely fine.
- If you eat very little, each 15-30 minutes, that is excellent, because it gives more long-lasting energy to your body.
Should I Focus On Caloric Value, Vitamins, Or Minerals?
This is the essence of the question “what to eat before Muay Thai training”. The answer is – all three. Good caloric value means nothing when you eat only sweets or cookies. You need micronutrients and, if possible, slow-digesting food that gives you long-lasting energy.
Great Foods To Eat Before Muay Thai Training
I will now tell you what should you eat before your Muay Thai training. I made a list of foods that should skyrocket your performance. Just follow my pieces of advice!
Whole Grain Foods
These groceries are rich in carbohydrates, plus the level of processing is reduced to a minimum. This is equal to, for example, eating corn, rice, barley, or oats. It contains a lot of slow-digesting energy and vitamin B.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is one of the best meals for Muay Thai as it digests slowly and offers a huge amount of energy. It is easy to mix it up with milk, yogurt, and even fresh fruit, plus it contains a lot of manganese and molybdenum.
Leafy And Red Vegetables (Salad) In Addition To Lean Meat/Fish
This is an excellent combination of proteins with carbs and different kinds of vitamins/minerals. Leafy vegetables are stacked with all kinds of vitamins and minerals, while red vegetables, for example, pepper is rich in vitamin C.
Whole Grain Eggs
The egg is a fabulous source of protein, especially when you can buy it from a local peasant. The even healthier method is the separation of egg whites and yolks. The majority of athletes prefer consuming only egg whites.
Eggs contain a lot of proteins, so if you combine them with lean meat or fish, one meal could fulfill your daily protein requirements. You don’t have money? No probs, 3-5 eggs, and your protein needs are on point!
Bananas
Stacked with slow-digesting carbohydrates and vitamin K. An ultimate source of energy for aerobic and high-intense Muay Thai training sessions.
Nuts And Seeds
If you’re looking for a vitamin and mineral bomb for your body, you’ve just found it. For me, this is one of the best answers on “what to eat before Muay Thai training”.
Nuts and seeds are rich in the following minerals – zinc, magnesium, iron, copper, calcium, phosphorus, selenium, and potassium. You can also find vitamins B6, E, niacin, and folate.
Agrumes (Citrus Fruits)
Citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C, which plays a major role in keeping your body healthy. It is one of the first lines of defense against viruses, bacteria, and free radicals, plus it boosts your energy levels.
The majority of these fruits are stacked with phosphorus, which keeps you awake and significantly improves your performance in the training session. For example, you can take one lime 30-45 minutes before your workout and you won’t be sleepy!
Other Fruits
Fruits are generally good, but you have to be cautious. Eating too much fruit might affect your digestion and lead to stomach issues. Take it before the workout, just please don’t go too far.
The list of great fruits includes apples, peaches, apricots, and all kinds of berries. For example, raspberry and blueberry are stacked with vitamin C, folic acid, fiber, and antioxidants.
It is the first line of defense against diseases, but it also helps your brain function normally, which means you’ll deal with the pressure way easier.
Potatoes
Potatoes are rich in slow-digesting carbohydrates. If you’re not a fan of pasta or bread, this might be the perfect choice for you. It contains a lot of fiber and vitamin A too. But don’t eat too much of it due to its glycemic index.
Boiled potatoes are the proper answer to the question of what to eat before the Muay Thai training session, please stay away from mashed potatoes and French fries.
Good Fat
An example of good fats is olives, avocados, olive oil, and fish. Muay Thai athletes are showing better performance when ingesting a healthy amount of good fats.
Terrible Foods To Eat Before Muay Thai Training
Processed food is not recommended because it leads to a high glycemic index. This kind of food might be beneficial for 15 or 20 minutes as you’ll get a quick burst of energy, but after the fuel is burned, your performance will suddenly drop and the opponent is gonna piece you up.
Simple Sugars
Their glycemic index is a killer, you might get benefits in the first five minutes of your activity, then you’ll get sleepy. If you don’t believe me, try it out and you’ll see!
Coke And All Kinds Of Carbonated Drinks
Carbonated drinks lead to bloating and belching, so a kick or a punch to the stomach could cause nausea or vomiting. Plus you’ll feel very tired after an initial energy boost.
Processed Foods
I am not saying to fully stay away from it. You can buy white bread if you don’t have money, but please, give an advantage to whole grain foods.
Alcohol
Drinking is a big no, no, no for the athlete. First of all, you’ll feel sleepy, then you’ll be sick. These are empty calories, beer contains a few B-complex vitamins but that’s all you’ll get.
Alcohol significantly downgrades your performance, plus it is prohibited in the competition. You don’t want double damage, do you?
High-Fat Meals
Too much time might be required to digest. Your blood will be flowing to the stomach instead of the muscles, which could significantly downgrade your performance. That’s why burger doesn’t play a good role in athletes’ nutrition.
Cakes, Cookies, And Sweets
This food might help you in the first 20 minutes of the activity, but you’ll get hungry out of nowhere, plus your energy’s gonna start dropping. It affects your cardio and the ability to endure the hardest training sessions.
One cake after lunch rich in micronutrients is fine, but five cakes without processed or boiled foods are gonna make a mess inside of your body. If you can’t imagine your life without sweets, stay moderate and there will be no problems for you.
Coffee
If you can tolerate caffeine, please ignore this paragraph, and take a cup of coffee 40 minutes before your workout, drink a glass of water, and enjoy your better performance. For those non-tolerant to caffeine, please forget about this.
Conclusion
I hope I answered the question “what to eat before Muay Thai training” properly. I know this might be a bit harder article to understand. Yet, good nutrition is extremely important for high-level performance. You’ll never see somebody becoming a champ on burgers and sweets, a good amount of micronutrients is vital for good functioning and performance.
Do you still have a dilemma? Do you know the perfect meals for your successful day of Muay Thai? Would you like to know something else? No probs, please leave me a comment below!
Last Updated on July 6, 2022 by Deni
