Mixed martial arts (MMA) have become really popular these days for many men who want to learn how to defend themselves, and who are also trying to get in shape.

There are a lot of bodybuilders attracted to the idea of improving their fighting skills, and using the same vigorous exercises to get in great shape. While bodybuilders are using this trade off, a growing number of MMA fighters are now using bodybuilding techniques to improve their fighting and get bigger for matches and competitions.

One important factor that often gets overlooked is that you could never have a great amount of success if you're training for bodybuilding and MMA fights at the same time. These are two very different things that require different energy expenditures, food and diet, as well as training routines.

Bodybuilders have discovered great success through applying MMA techniques mainly for cardio to help them loose body fat and reach their personal goals. This is a popular thing to do amongst bodybuilders because it makes them look better, gets them in better shape, and can teach them defense techniques as well.

The Diet

It's imperative that you still eat like a bodybuilder, but before getting into a MMA workout, you can include additional carbs. The training session can put additional strain on your body, so it's also good to consume proteins after you have worked out. In order to assist with your recovery, it's good to include a large amount of clean and slow burning carbs. For helping your body heal at night, many people make themselves a casein protein blend.

The Training

When figuring out your training routine, it's important to separate the time spent training for bodybuilding and training for MMA. Many have found it helpful to select three days for bodybuilding and mark them on a calendar, and then doing the exact same thing for days that they plan on training MMA style. These two styles are separate, so try to make them separate occasions. Avoid adding weight training while using MMA techniques, and also avoid fighting on the weight training days.

The Recovery

So if you are trading off days during the week between training as a bodybuilder and training as a fighter, your body is taking quite a beating, both literally and figuratively. The quick and jabbing nature of MMA fighting coupled with the intense and arduous heavy training of bodybuilding means that your central nervous system (CNS) is most likely working overtime to recover.

The idea of combining MMA and bodybuilding training techniques is becoming more and more popular. People are discovering the advantages of this combination, and are willing to going through the tough training of each for the incredible results.