The sport of MMA is filled with high-impact moves and sophisticated submission holds. It demands tremendous skill, speed, raw power and endurance to succeed at the top in this competitive profession. Sports supplements can play a very important part in an MMA fighters success by helping them recover faster between training, as well as enhancing a fighter’s energy and boosting their endurance and explosive power.

Below is a list of the 5 best sports supplements from ICON Nutrition’s range that MMA fighters should consider taking to give them that ICON edge over their opponents. 

#1 Lean Whey Protein
ICON Nutrition’s Protein Evolution is one of the leanest whey blends on the current supplement market. It is excellent for supporting recovery post training and preserving and building lean muscle. Per serving of Protein Evolution shuttles 24g of protein to the muscles and provides just 1.6g of carbs and 1.5g of fat. It also provides 5g of Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA’s) ensuring optimal muscle repair and less risk of sustaining an injury. Immediately post training is when your muscles are like dried out sponges waiting to soak up some protein goodness. This then is ideally the best time to take a serving of Protein Evolution with water for rapid absorption.

#2 Recovery Drink
Upon completion of a training session a fighter’s body will be depleted of glycogen and he/she will likely feel completely fatigued. A quality recovery formula such as ICON Nutrition’s ISO-Drive is the ideal supplement to deliver fast acting carbs to replenish empty glycogen stores. Usually if your workout is longer than 60 minutes fatigue can kick in and prevent maximum performance. To avoid becoming prematurely fatigued, ISO-Drive can be consumed whilst you train to help prevent this from happening. What makes ICON Nutrition’s ISO-Drive such a great sports supplement is its flexibility to be used at 3 different workout stages to provide 3 different, yet equally important benefits:

Pre Workout Phase: Used before to give the body a carb load for sustained energy levels.

Intra Workout Phase: Used during a workout to increase energy and replace important electrolytes lost through sweat.

Post Workout Phase: Used after a workout to replenish glycogen stores and to take your body into its recovery phase.

The fast acting carbs in ISO-Drive are to ensure instant energy before and during a workout. When consumed post workout the dextrose monohydrate ensures immediate and effective glycogen replenishment, instantly elevating blood sugar for maximum recovery. ISO-Drive has been fortified with an electrolyte complex name “ISO-Replenish” which ensures the proper functioning of the digestive, cardiac, nervous and muscular systems. ISO-Drive is also fortified with Vitamin C & E to help fight off infections, strengthen your immune system and destroy free radicals.

#3 BCAA’s (Branch Chain Amino Acids)
BCAA’s form the building blocks of protein and are an essential supplement for helping with muscular endurance and repair. They are also great for MMA fighters that are in their cutting phase as they ensure the body’s muscle tissue is fully supported - akin to what Protein Evolution would do - but with less calories than a protein shake. On training days it is recommended BCAA’s should be taken before, during and after a workout to help with muscular endurance, strength and sufficient recovery.

#4 Fat Burners
Fat burners can be a great addition to a fighters diet plan especially if they are looking to lose a few pounds in time for their next fight. How fat burners work is very simple: they speed up the bodies metabolism and create a thermogenic effect (essentially heating up the body’s core a couple of degrees) which forces the body to burn a greater number of calories and therefore enhancing the fat loss process.

For best results it is recommended to take two of ICON’s Lean Fix tablets daily, one first thing in a morning and one 4-5 hours later, and cycle on these for 6 weeks and then cycle off them for 4 weeks to ensure the body doesn’t create an intolerance to the ICON fat fighting support complex. Also, you can take two of ICON’s Lean Fix fat burner tablets 20 minutes prior to a workout to boost energy, focus and performance and further encourage calorie expenditure and increase the likelihood of fat loss.

#5 Creatine Monohydrate
Creatine monohydrate is a heavily research driven supplement that is essential in providing the energy for muscle contraction. MMA fighters can benefit from taking creatine as it is shown to improve the performance in repeated short bursts (30-60 seconds) of very high intensity exercise by increasing the re-synthesis rate of Adenosine Tri-Phospahate (ATP) - the molecule that is essential in providing energy for muscle contraction. In laymen terms it allows you to train harder and faster for a longer period of time. By supplementing creatine in with your existing diet and training plan you should notice improved gains in raw strength and explosive power.

There you have it. That is a pick of the five best sports supplements for MMA fighters. For more information about ICON Nutrition’s unique range of sports supplements, please visit www.iconnutrition.co.uk/

Reflex Peptide Fusion sets the bench mark for a blend of protein, only the finest proteins are used at optimal ratios. Peptide Fusion uses Reflex’s the finest pure whey protein, picked because of its huge content of Branch Chain Amino Acids and premium proteins. The purest cold processed super filtered milk protein giving undenatured micellar casein along with the finest source of egg white protein available today.

Reflex clearly state the ratios of the main 3 superior proteins so that you know exactly how much of each protein source has been used in its Peptide Fusion. This is opposed to the secret ‘proprietary blend’ approaches that are sometimes nothing more than a low quality and low cost mix of milk, egg and cheap soy. You can nearly always tell by looking at the ingredients list. If whey protein appears first then the majority of the protein in the tub will be whey protein because legally ingredients have to be listed in order of quantity. That is not necessarily what you want if you are buying a blend for its time release properties. Ideally you would want to see micellar casein first on the ingredient list. Peptide Fusion contains a blend of 33:33:33 Micellar Casein, Egg White Isolate and undenatured whey protein with all protein fractions present and proven by lab assay. The Peptide Fusion formulation is finished in a base of glutamine peptides and digestive enzymes and Lactospore pro-biotics for their health focused benefits relating to gut health.

NUTRITIONAL CONTENT

Each 100g Provides
78g Protein
5.4g Carbohydrate
2.9g Fat
0.8g Fibre

PhD Catalyst isn't your "run of the mill" multivitamin!

Containing synergistic amounts of the most “athlete-friendly” anti-oxidants, Nutrient absorption systems, a precision vitamin blend and Zinc power stack, PhD have designed Catalyst to stand alone as the final word in muscle protection for hard training and hard working athletes. They never intended to cram the product full of every minor vitamin and mineral under the sun, like other brands do, because they don’t think they are all necessary or indeed synergistic. Many of them we obtain easily and readily from our balanced diets.

Catalyst is about re-defining what we do need to bolster our over-worked immune system, maximising recovery, keeping missed workouts to a minimum and ensuring every athletes body is focused on progress in training, rather than fighting off minor colds and sniffles. PhD include NAC and R-ALA (The ultra-absorbable R-isomer Alpha-lipoic acid) as they are the top two key antioxidants required by strength athletes and packed them high on the list of nutrients within Catalyst. Catalyst then adds Grapeseed extract to work in conjunction with a Zinc and Magnesium power stack to ensure optimum health and strength.

Catalyst works to enhance health, strength, vibrancy and well-being, just take a capsule with your first and last meals of the day.

You can order online from EZ Sports here.

Protein is essential for many things including muscle repair, growth and recovery. An often overlooked aspect of protein is its ability to enhance weight loss. A high protein breakfast forces the liver to work harder in order for it to process the protein, more so then it would carbohydrates and fats. This boosts the bodies metabolic rate and therefore helps enhance fat loss. By taking Bella Diet Whey first thing in a morning for breakfast helps kick start your metabolism ensuring greater calorie expenditure and in turn boosting weight loss.

Bella Diet Whey can be used to help increase lean muscle tone, reduce body fat percentage or just help with weight management. It is low in carbs and high in quality whey protein. It also contains two fat fighting ingredients: Green Tea Extract and L-Carnitine. Green tea helps with weight loss by increasing your metabolic rate which results in a greater calorie burn throughout the day. L-Carnitine has also been shown to aid weight loss by stabilising blood sugar levels, helping eliminate cravings for carbohydrates and enhancing the body’s ability to burn fat as fuel.

A single serving of Bella Diet Whey provides 24 grams of quality whey protein and less than 10g of carbohydrates.

The Key Benefits of ICON Bella Diet Whey Are:

✓ Elevates fat loss

✓ Helps control weight management

✓ Enhances lean muscle tone

✓ Promotes a healthy lifestyle

✓  Reduces cravings for carbohydrates

If you are looking to tone up and get body confident you should try ICON Nutrition’s Bella Diet Whey twice daily as a meal replacement.

To find out more information about ICON Nutrition’s unique range of fitness supplements check out their website www.iconnutrition.co.uk

Protein is not only vital for the building of lean muscle, it is also important when seeking to repair muscle tissue from damage created in the gym, on the track or on the field. Obtaining the necessary amount of protein to maximise the time spent in training can be difficult, and sometimes the thought of yet another chicken breast just isn't appealing. That's where PhD Growth Factor 50 Brownies come in!

PhD Nutrition’s Growth Factor 50 is the world’s first high protein, muscle building chocolate brownie. With an amazing 50 grams of protein per brownie, along with PhD’s own slow burning carbohydrate ingredient: Waxy Vol, plus Glutamine Peptides, Growth factor 50 truly is a muscle-building phenomenon. Growth Factor 50 also contains 6G of MCT oil per brownie to assist with the muscle building and mass gaining process. Containing a 2:1 Protein: Carbohydrate ratio, this product is ideal for those either looking to gain lean muscle mass or strength. The texture is soft and easy to eat, and the brownies come in deliciously decadent chocolate and chocolate orange flavours, each with a chocolate flavour coating. 50 grams of protein, great taste and designed for serious athletes, what more could you ask for?

You can purchase online from EZ Sports here.

Eating a healthy and balanced diet whilst living a modern lifestyle is not always possible, particularly for those who participate in high intensity exercise and have a higher need for certain nutrients.

Progen has been designed to be a nutritionally balanced meal replacement shake, conveniently packaged in individually foiled wrapped sachets that can be mixed into a tasty shake at any time of day, where ever you might be.

Progen provides 40g of high quality protein from 3 different sources, each chosen for their unique benefits. Progen combines the finest preferentially selected whey protein, chosen for its superior levels of Branch Chain Amino Acids and higher levels of protein, the finest, cold processed ultra filtered milk protein providing undenatured micellar casein along with the purest egg white protein available.

Progen combines low glycemic index organic oats and barley as its primary carbohydrate source. Low GI sources of carbohydrates are broken down slowly, providing energy over a longer period of time, allowing for a more balanced release of energy than simple carbohydrate sources such as maltodextrin. Additionally oats and barley are rich in other nutrients such as fibre and naturally occurring vitamins and minerals.

To further complete the formula, Progen meal replacement contains a complete blend of vitamins and minerals to aid overall health. The vitamins and minerals provided in Progen are all sourced from market leading suppliers. This is highlighted by our use of Delta Tocotrienols, a highly bioavailable form of natural vitamin E and our extensive use of chelated minerals for their superior absorption when compared to other cheaper forms such as oxide minerals.

To make sure your body is utilising the nutrients within Progen, it also contains digestive enzymes, probiotics and bioperine, all of which contribute to the effective utilisation of the ingredients.

You can buy Reflex Progen from the EZ Sports website.

Kinetica Ready To Drink shakes replenish your body’s amino acid levels, support lean muscle growth and aid recovery. Ideal for all athletes and fitness enthusiasts, these delicious shakes are absorbed quickly by the body allowing you to achieve the maximum effect in a short space of time. Each shake provides 26.5g of protein with zero fat and none of the hassle of mixing a shake from powder, making them ideal for popping in your gym bag or the office fridge. These shakes proved so popular at the recent Caledonian Combat martial arts event that we went through over 500 in a single day! They taste that good.

Available in a convenient, great tasting format Kinetica's Ready to Drink protein shake is suitable for anyone seeking to support and sustain lean muscle. Use it to provide extra protein before, during or after exercise or as part of a meal.

You can purchase directly from the EZ Sports site here.

SportSense CreaTech 5/50 is a next generation creatine supplement designed to amplify strength, increase muscle size, increase blood flow and maximise training intensity. The main active ingredients are Creatine, L-Arginine, Beta Alanine and L-Taurine.

Creatine may  ‘super hydrate’ or volumise your muscle cells to further stimulate protein synthesis and decrease muscle breakdown. 

L-Arginine - has several major functions in the body including being precursor of nitric oxide (N.O.) This plays a vital role in vasodilatation - a widening of blood vessels leading to greater muscle pumps and blood flow.

Beta Alanine - is a non essential amino acid that helps to reduce muscle ph levels allowing them to work harder for longer and assist in reducing soreness after exercise.

L-Taurine - is the second most abundant free amino acid in the muscle tissue. L-Taurine may exhibit an ‘insulin –like’ effect in muscle tissue and play a prominent role in increasing muscle size and strength whilst encouraging muscle recovery.

Overall this is an ideal formula for hard training athletes in strength / power sports, bodybuilders or anyone interested in maximise strength and power whilst reducing recovery time.

You can order online from EZ Sports here.

Extreme PRO 6 is a sustained release 7 protein blend which contains both fast and slow digesting proteins to help maximise strength gains and aid recovery from exercise. PRO 6 provides a controlled release of amino acids for up to 8 hours after you drink it, making it the ideal protein source to take before bedtime. Best of all it mixes easily and has a thin, light texture that will not leave you feeling bloated. Perfect for those dieting, building or maintaining muscle and for those following a low carbohydrate diet plan. 

After any kind of physical training it is vital to fully replenish nutrient stores as quickly as possible with a post workout meal. Solid food however can take several hours to digest, by which time the bodies repair process has already begun to slow down! This is where a post exercise drink like PhD Recovery 2:1 comes in to play; mixed as a fruit flavored shake it digests extremely rapidly providing carbohydrates to replenish fuel stores, amino acids and protein to speed up the repair of damaged muscle tissue and creatine monohydrate to maximise strength gains and muscle growth.

The end result is faster recovery from training, less muscle soreness, and improved performance in subsequent training sessions or sports activities. So whether you're a top level athlete like Hudson Kennaugh or a weekend warrior who just wants to make the most of every training session, Recovery 2:1 can help you feel better, heal faster and perform better! 

PhD Recovery 2:1 is available in delicious Berry, Lemon Barley and Orange Barley flavours from all EZ Sports stores and online at http://www.ezsports.co.uk/