the ringside nutrition podcast
Welcome to the homepage of The Ringside Nutrition Podcast – the podcast delivers informative & practical information on areas including, strength & conditioning, lifestyle & mindset, specific to combat sports athletes to help them make weight safely, perform at their best & fulfil their true athletic potential. Guests on the podcast include world-leading experts in the combat sports field such as; Academic Researchers, Qualified Performance Nutritionists, High Performance Coaches, Strength & Conditioning Coaches, Sports Psychologists & Ex & Current Professional Fighters.
Please find each of the episodes below – happy listening!
In this episode I chat with Performance Nutritionist David Stache all about what it takes to support elite level boxers with their nutrition, recovery, sleep, stress, & overall lifestyle in & out of fight camps. We also discuss the importance of individualised nutrition strategies & how to use tools such as metabolic carts & heart rate monitors to help fighters maximise their performance levels.
In this episode I chat with Current Commonwealth Cruiserweight Champion Chris Billam-Smith about how important it is for fighters to educate themselves about nutrition, sleep & hydration. Chris also shares how he uses various bits of technology such as a WHOOP to track his sleep quality & heart rate variability to ensure he his fully recovered & ready to perform at his best in training sessions.
In this episode I chat all things supplements for combat sports athletes with registered sports nutritionist Mark Germaine (MSc, SENr). We delve into what role supplements play in supporting optimal performance, which ones work, which ones should be avoided & how to check if a supplement if safe to take. We highlight the current evidence surrounding CBD & why is a risk for fighters to take it.
In this episode I am joined by my good friend & fellow sports nutritionist Sam McKenzie to unpick the classic weight making methods used by ex & current boxers & how fighters can utilise the latest scientific evidence to help them make weight safely & step into the ring in a healthy condition. Sam also defines the key differences between fat loss & weight loss & why they are not classed as the same thing.
In this episode of the podcast I sit down with current professional boxer Jack Flatley to talk about his year round approach to nutrition, why restrictive diets can lead to fighters developing negative relationships with food & why cutting out food groups can limit a fighter’s performance levels. Jack also shares his favourite foods, go to snacks & offers some key nutrition advice for younger fighters to consider.
In this episode I chat with Strength & Conditioning coach for combat sports athletes Mr Reiss Silva (Elite Step). Strength & conditioning is often an area fighters get wrong, Reiss explains the benefits of S & C & mobility for fighters, how to periodise training loads to reduce injury risk, how to train different energy systems & how fighters should structure their taper in preparation for fight night.
In this episode I chat to registered Performance Nutritionist & Nutritionist to Rocky Fielding, Dr James Morehen. James shares how he has previously mapped out Rocky’s nutrition during fight camps to allow him to make weight safely. James also discloses some travel & post weigh in nutrition strategies he has implemented with Rocky to help him reduce his risk of getting ill & to help him rehydrate optimally.
In episode 2 of the podcast I chat with Performance Nutritionist Danny Lennon about the concept of the 52 week fight camp. We have a great chat about the benefits of fighters following a nutrition plan/structure outside of fight camps to avoid huge spikes in weight gain which can make acute weight cuts harder in future fight camps. Danny also highlights the importance of periodising nutrition into distinct phases.
In the very first episode of the podcast I am joined by combat sports mastermind, Dr Carl Langan-Evans. Carl shares the correct way for fighters to make weight by using body composition analysis & metabolic testing to find out if they can make the weight. Carl also touches on the importance of carbohydrates, the dangers of cutting too much weight, low energy availability & how to rehydrate & refuel post weigh in.