Let’s be honest. For most Australians, we play sport from a very young age. Many of us continue to play competitive sports throughout our lives. Obviously, most athletes have a maximum age they reach to compete, which is around thirty for men and around 33 for women.

I am a professional athlete. I compete in mixed martial arts, one of the most physically demanding sports and, as most will agree, one of the most brutal sports out there. And let me tell you, there is nothing worse than trying to complete a grip or punch training session after an all-night bender.

Another simple truth is that being Australians, we are very social people. And we like to drink. I can’t name a single person I know back home who doesn’t indulge in a Friday or Saturday night drink with his friends over a meal, including me! But my views on alcohol and training are simple; alcohol will affect every aspect of your training. It affects your ability to recover, it affects your ability to think and coordinate your mind and body, it affects your liver and digestive system, it affects your body’s ability to metabolize fat and protein, and for those like me who are involved in sports where the weight and weight loss are very important, it can affect your ability to lose weight.

Without giving in to scientific evidence, the evidence against alcohol and athletic performance far outweighs the benefits. Research indicates that drinking a glass or two of red wine every other night can help lower blood pressure, but for those of us who are competitive athletes, a strict diet is also important, so blood pressure (unless athlete has a pre-existing condition) ) should never be a problem.

For those who train for professional sports, one of the best ways to learn about this topic is to listen to people and bring together those with experience. Here are some quotes from people who have been training and competing as professionals.

Rob Hill (Australia) Pro MMA Fighter – “Alcohol, like everything else, can be done in moderation. However, for those who are competing, regardless of any sport, it will slow down their fitness, progress and recovery. No there is nothing that can affect you as much as alcohol unless you are injured or sick, and nobody wants that, for at least a couple of months before an event, and enjoy one or two as a reward after a fight or an event ” .

Robert Bondy (England) Professional Boxer: “Don’t go, whatever. If you’re training for a fight camp, whether it’s a 6 or 8 week camp, it doesn’t matter, no alcohol for a training camp. Most people grow up being able to drink and being able to drink between their camps and that’s acceptable as it’s important for a person to mentally recover and spend time with their friends and family and not be a burden but for a boot camp nothing of alcohol. It just affects too many things that can cost you a fight.”

Silviu Vulc (Romania) MMA trainer, former member of the Red Devil fighting team, former Romanian boxing trainer – “It’s not bad to have a glass of alcohol or a beer after training, as long as it’s with lunch or dinner, as it can help relax the body after a training session. A glass of wine is best. But before an event, for 6 weeks, no alcohol.”

Rafael ‘Negao’ Lopes (Brazil) MMA Fighter, Muay Thai Fighter, BJJ Brown Belt and Trainer: “Man, you can’t drink. If I drink and train for a fight, I never feel like I’ve recovered. If I drink beer, it’s Unlike vodka or liquor, beer is still bad, but I feel really bad if I drink vodka. If I fight, I don’t drink for sure!

Boyd ‘Gypsy’ Clark (Australia) Muay Thai, Boxing: “If for some reason you had to, an alcoholic drink wouldn’t really affect training. If your fight camp was set up for six weeks, I’d like to think I wouldn’t drink any of it.” alcohol, more than one drink if absolutely necessary. More than anything, it would hinder your recovery, so you could never give 100% effort in your training sessions.”

So there you have it, from active fighters and very experienced trainers. The common opinion is that drinking alcohol while preparing for any type of competition is going to hinder your performance, by reducing your ability to recover, slowing down your nervous system and reducing your ability to train 100%, which is what every athlete want to do. the top of your sport wants!