Best Foods to Eat Before and After Martial Arts Training

Updated on February 18th, 2025 at 11:53 am

Martial arts students who fuel up before and after training give their bodies the nutrients they need to make the most of their workouts. Nutrient-rich foods help muscles repair and the body recuperate. Here are the best foods to eat before and after martial arts training.

Why is choosing the right foods important for martial arts training?

What a martial arts trainee eats before and after their workouts affects not only their physical performance but their mood, metabolism, and overall experience during the session. Practicing discipline in eating right is just as important as maintaining discipline when training.

Proper nutrition for martial artists includes a variety of foods that contain calories and carbohydrates. It is vital that students consume enough protein to promote muscle repair. Vitamins and minerals are necessary. Plus, hydrating with beverages throughout the day is key to optimal performance.

By neglecting to eat a healthy diet, martial artists experience a reduction in stamina, which adversely affects their performance. Timing is also crucial. Students must give their bodies sufficient time to digest their meal prior to working out. Heavy meals cause sluggishness and discomfort during training.

How much time should a student allow between meals and training?

Whether the martial artist consumes a snack or a meal, their stomach requires at least 30 minutes to digest the food. However, this timing varies depending on the type and quantity of food eaten. A full meal, for instance, takes two hours to digest but a snack requires 45 minutes.

The larger the meal, the longer students must wait before training. A snack consisting of simple carbs breaks down easily. But complex carbs, fats, and large portions are heavy on the body and should be avoided unless the student has at least an hour between the meal and workout.

What are the best foods to eat before martial arts training?

Carbohydrates deliver energy, which is what a martial arts student needs prior to a training session. The best carbs for a martial artist are fruits and vegetables. Complex carbohydrates are also necessary, such as quinoa, brown rice, whole grains, and farro.

Simple carbohydrates break down easily and quickly deliver energy to the student before a martial arts session. On the other hand, complex carbohydrates take more time to break down, which makes them ideal foods to eat prior to starting longer workout sessions.

Students might consume whole grain foods, like toast, and top it with peanut butter and banana slices for a nutritious pick-me-up before workouts. Up to two hours before a session, eat grilled chicken with rice. A light meal may include berries, eggs, avocados, and oats.

What are the best foods to eat after martial arts training?

After a rigorous martial arts training session, the student must fuel up on carbs, proteins, and healthy fats. Nutritious foods stimulate chemical reactions in the body and support the muscles as they repair. Plus, nutrient-rich snacks and meals post-training help the martial artist recover.

Examples of foods students can eat include salmon and sweet potatoes. The fish provides healthy fats and protein, while the vegetables deliver carbohydrates and fiber. Similarly, students might eat a plate of grilled chicken, brown rice, and avocado, which provide carbs, proteins, and healthy fats.

Snacks post-workout include cottage cheese and fresh fruit; this combo provides fat and protein, healthy carbs, and fiber. Avocado toast offers these three macronutrients that students need. Martial artists can also reach for high protein drinks or shakes to replenish their energy.

Why should martial artists stay hydrated?

Hydration is critical both before and after martial arts training. In fact, students should drink water throughout the day to maintain optimal performance, prevent cramping, and avoid fatigue during their martial arts training sessions. Sip on water during workout breaks and before sessions.

What foods should martial artists avoid?

While certain nutrient-rich foods are advised, martial artists should avoid unhealthy foods that cause a spike in blood sugar or contribute to heart disease. For instance, fast food, while convenient to order after a rigorous training session, can negatively impact athletic performance.

Similarly, unhealthy foods include junk food, which is high in calories, nutritionally deficient, and filled with unhealthy fats. Red meat and full-fat dairy are likewise unadvisable because they contain high levels of saturated fat. Foods with excess sugar should be avoided to prevent a spike in blood sugar.

Caffeine is controversial, as some pre-workout energy drinks contain it. Discretion is advised when drinking beverages loaded with caffeine, as they can have an adverse effect on sessions. Although caffeine boosts energy, it may interfere with the student’s ability to get restful sleep at night.

Related Post: Nutrition for Martial Arts Excellence | What Foods to Avoid

Eating the best foods, staying hydrated, and allowing ample time between meals and training sessions enhance athletic performance. Students should not only eat right but learn new skills or improve their existing ones by taking martial arts lessons at Master S.H. Yu Martial Arts.

We offer martial arts classes for both children and adults. Young students can enroll in our KinderKarate program, where we teach karate in a supportive learning environment. Class sizes are small, with up to 10 kids per class, to ensure individualized attention.

Adults can participate in our 12-week martial arts self-defense program and pick up invaluable techniques in Tae Kwon Do, Hapkido, Karate, Kung Fu, or Judo. We also offer quality training in ancient weapons, also known as Kumdo, the “Art of the Sword.”

Our students may choose to perfect what they learn from us through hour-long private training sessions. Instructor Sr. Grandmaster Yu customizes the training to fulfill the student’s learning objectives and meet their training needs. Private training allows students to excel in their chosen discipline.

Martial arts training at Master S.H. Yu Martial Arts teaches not only physical techniques but instills life lessons that promote students’ physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Visit our facility in Oak Park, Illinois, to see firsthand how martial arts lessons can be invaluable in your life.

Give us a call at (708) 383-3456 or pre-register online to get started on your martial arts journey. We are ready to help you make all your martial arts dreams come true!