But the champ does it. So it must be good.. Right?
On my socials, I follow several professional fighters and groups focused on combat sports. In these groups, the discussions often center on the training and nutrition of these athletes. Since I work with this on a daily basis, it really appeals to me and I often join the conversation. I also frequently notice things going wrong, which is why I respond.
A good example is the following video:
But he is the champ!
In it, you see Muay Thai legend Buakaw kicking pads with a resistance band. And putting aside the fact that Buakaw has been at the absolute top of the world, this is not a good training method. Why not, you might ask? Firstly, the resistance band doesn’t follow the movement of the leg, which negatively affects the kick. This becomes even more obvious when the band pulls his foot downward, causing him to lose balance after each kick.
Is this a disaster? No! Does it really add much to his kicks? Not really. Are there other (better) methods to improve his kicks? Absolutely! In response, people said, “But he’s the champ, right!” But that argument is not exactly strong.
Legends don’t know everything.
In my career, I’ve often seen things from pros that made me raise my eyebrows. Legends like Peter Aerts and Nieky Holzken squatting with terrible form. Michael Chandler or Paige VanZant using CBD, whose proven effects are scientifically very thin. Weight cuts using a keto diet or fat burners. The use of BCAA’s, and I could go on.
Professional athletes are still just people, and despite being very good at what they do, they’re not experts in everything. And that’s totally fine. Am I Mr. Know-it-all? Certainly not. But I do realize that “but the champ does it too” is not a valid argument.
Do you have questions about nutrition or S&C training? Send me a DM on instagram @roegkuijpers or via the contact form.