The effects of drinking coffee are already well known. Drinking a healthy amount of coffee can bring a surprising number of health benefits. UFC Gym takes a deeper look at caffeine and its effects on physical exercise!
Muscular Benefits
When it comes to coffee, people often tend to think about the effects in regards to the nervous system, alertness and concentration. Some studies have shown that coffee can have great benefits in terms of martial arts, such as Muay Thai and MMA, as these disciplines require muscular strength and are performed at high intensity.
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Pain Relief: Caffeine contains some morphine-like compounds that can help to relieve pain during intense physical exercise. Caffeine has also been shown to have analgesic effects that are similar to aspirin or ibuprofen.
Muscle Recovery: Coffee contains anti-oxidants which can help to prevent the aging process and restore muscle strength. These active ingredients directly affect the diaphragm and muscles near the bone and so long-term use can have an effect on injury during training.
Increased Muscular Power: Caffeine is a stimulant and so can cause muscles to perform at a higher level for a short period of time. Even after you stop exercising, the muscles will continue to function more effectively for several more hours. Caffeine has been scientifically proven to boost glycogen (a type of energy stored in muscles) by 66% for up to 4 hours after exercising.
Other Benefits
In addition to the muscular benefits, coffee also positively affects the processes that take place inside your body that are conducive to intense physical activity.
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Enhances Metabolism and Reduces Fat: Coffee boosts the body’s metabolism by between 3%-11%. Caffeine also stimulates production of the hormone epinephrine (also known as adrenaline) in the blood. Epinephrine follows the blood stream to the fatty tissues and breaks down fat.
Improved Memory: When practicing martial arts, you will be required to memorise and repeat specific actions and in this regard the memory enhancing effect of caffeine will be useful. Caffeine has an effect on the area of the brain called the hippocampus, which forms and stores memories. 1-2 cups of coffee before a work out can help to solidify memories, helping with training.
Stimulates Adrenaline: Coffee stimulates the nervous system into producing adrenaline which will cause you to feel more energetic and flexible when taking part in physical activity.
Things to Take Note of
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While caffeine has some great benefits, you should also pay attention to the potential adverse effects of coffee.
Daily Intake of Coffee: The recommended amount of caffeine is approximately 400mg/day, equivalent to 1-2 cups of coffee. For people with heart disease, high levels of caffeine can adversely affect the heart and blood pressure during exercise.
Drink Plenty of Water: The most important thing to remember when working out is to stay hydrated. Coffee cannot replace the total amount of water needed when exercising so make sure to drink as much water as possible.
Take Time Off: Drinking a cup or two of coffee before exercise may be good but make sure you allow your body to rest and recover as coffee can make you more alert and affect your sleep. It is recommended that those sensitive to caffeine do not drink coffee for up to 6 hours before bed.
Now that you know all about caffeine and its effect on exercise, come in to UFC Gym to take part in one of our martial arts classes. If you want to learn more, one of our experienced coaches are always happy to offer work out or nutritional advice!
Lauren Wu (Calipso)
Learn more about UFC Gym Vietnam:
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