It can be a true challenge for fighters to preserve their bodies physical stature as their MMA career continues to wear on, yet some fighters and fitness influencers alike have strongly taken a stance in the belief that yoga could be the best method to maintaining longevity when recovering from a grueling octagon encounter.
It may come as a surprise to some, but the former UFC Lightweight champion Charles Oliveria has been very vocal surrounding the longevity that yoga has provided for his body in an effort to maintain his peak physical form and build.
Oliveria is now set to do battle in an enticing encounter against the number four ranked lightweight Islam Makhachev for the vacant title, Makhachev is the current favourite in the betting markets, the fight which is set to take place at the Etihad Arena located in the United Arab Emirates, on the 22nd of October.
Following the retirement of the legendary Khabib Nurmagomedov, Oliveria has since stepped up as the top Lightweight in the division after winning the formally vacant championship at UFC 262 against Michael Chandler from which he has since displayed an eccentric and energetic fighting style that has excited UFC fans in attendance and left viewers at home itching for more action featuring the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu sensation.
As part of his cardio workouts during the early hours of the morning, Oliveria also includes laps in swimming, body weight and punching bag sessions at a later part of the day as well as sparring in various heavy pad workout.
Yet to preserve his physical being, Oliveria has since adopted the use of yoga workouts to maintain his body build and longevity so that he is capable of heading back out to the octagon at a later stage of his career while still remaining as one of the best active fighters in the UFC.
- The origins of Yoga:
The true origin of yoga has spanned over five thousand years by the Indus-Sarasvati civilization in North India before being refined by mystic seers named the Brahmans and Rishis as part of their practices and further beliefs in crafting over 200 scriptures.
Yoga has also sided into two major eras that can often be labelled as the classical yoga (a mismatch of a number of ideas and beliefs as well as techniques that would so often contradict each other) and the post-classical era that saw yoga masters establish a great system of practices that mainly focused on preserving the body and prolonging lifespan.
Ancient teachings from ancient races and civilizations were often rejected and was now viewed as a way to achieve enlightenment through what is now often described as a unique method to stay in shape.
Since this method and adjustment of the prior mentioned scriptures with studios and classes now being opened featuring teachers as well as other pioneers now focusing on popularizing some of the major arts of yoga including hatha which has since become the most iconic and actively partaken yoga exercises in recent history.
The history of yoga is among the most impressive and archaic of recent exercise methods, and many individuals seemingly believed that yoga was simply about playing relaxing music and holding poses that were sighted as being beneficial to the body’s health and wellbeing in the long-run.
- Why Yoga is the perfect exercise for athletes in the UFC and other sports:
Out of all major sports, MMA is one of the most cruelling and physical demanding as well as taking a strain on the mental wellbeing of most names within the sport, due to the unforgiving nature that some fights can last on the human body and mind.
Physically, yoga can provide athletes within promotions such as the UFC with a great enhancement on their body recovery following a fight which is especially key due to the wider damage that may have been amassed during the ongoing bout as well as allowing muscles to develop a metabolic byproducts more at a much quicker rate.
Fighters, as well as other athletes alike, can also showcase their increase in upper and lower body strength as well as increasing an individual’s endurance which is especially key in MMA fights due to athletes being reliant on taking harsh blows.
Yoga can also limit or stall the chances of facing severe injury limitations due to the overall increasement of the bodies mechanics and awareness.
The popularity surrounding the physical exercise of yoga has skyrocketed in recent years due to more athletes now highlighting their involvement in the sport and how much of a vital asset this can be as part of their day-to-day workouts.
MMA is of no difference as even the top ranked fighters in a number of high-profile promotions, including the UFC, have since praised the efforts made in adapting a yoga workout into their regime and the wonders that this has provided on their physical stature.
