The UFC recently announced UFC 187 coming up in May. On paper this is arguably the biggest card in UFC history. This card features two championship fights as well as a fantastic undercard.
Heading into that pay per view event, all the athletes involved will be dedicating weeks and months of training in order to be at their best. This often means utilizing new technologies and training methods in the hopes of gaining the slightest edge over opponents. Let’s take a look at some of these technologies that MMA athletes are using to get ahead.
Altitude Mask
One type of training technology that has gained popularity is the “altitude mask”. The device argues that since resistance training is good for your body, then having some sort of resistance to your airflow will improve your ability to breath. The product can increase lung capacity, anaerobic threshold, oxygen efficiency and even mental focus. The product mimics the effects of high altitude training and supposedly makes a 20 minute workout as effective as a 60 minute workout.
Marshawn Lynch made headlines when he was using an altitude mask to warm up for playoff games this past season. In the UFC it is popular among top fighters like Carlos Condit, Rashad Evans and Anderson Silva.
iPunch
Responsive Sports developed an app called iPunch. The app tracks punch speed, accuracy and power and then providers users with feedback via the in-app coaching software. The app is able to track a user’s activity via MMA gloves that have embedded sensors. The data is then transferred via Bluetooth from the sensors to the iPunch app.
iJudgeFights
If you’re a fan of MMA and happen to live in Asia, you may want to check out a company called iJudgeFights.com.In Asia , most people stream UFC fights or watch pirated versions the day after an event. It’s hard to get access to the main card, especially in China where the Internet is politically censored. A lot of Asian fight fans are watching events online and on their smartphones. iJudgeFights is hoping to change that.
The website currently shows MMA news and results. However, through the partnership with Samsung, all their combat sports content will run through iJudgeFights.com. This will make it much easier for MMA fans to get live streaming access to fights and other content that they currently don’t have.
TITIN
Titin, the worlds only weighted compression gear, is becoming popular among mma athletes. If you’ve been interested in ankle weights or weighted vest but found they bounced around too much and just didn’t match what you were looking for, Titin can help with that. Titin gear is evenly distributed and compressed to fit the body properly.
Titin’s 14 pocket shirt secures 8 pounds of gel inserts onto the upper body. There is also an outer compression shirt to complete the set. This gear can help you build strength, speed and endurance. The outer compression shirt which is made with Sorbtek, a moisture-wicking technology used to prevent chafing and keep users dry, holds the gel inserts in place securely and comfortably. It gives users balance without shifting weight.
From mobile apps to altitude masks, technology is playing an integral role in the evolution of the sport. With MMA being the fastest growing sport In the world, keep a look out for the latest trends and technology being used here that may find their way into other sports.