Issue 133

October 2015

The UFC’s employment of USADA to spearhead its war against performance-enhancing drug (PED) cheats is in full swing, but according to research from the University of Adelaide, Australia, cheats may not even benefit from using them anyway.

Published in the Journal of Human Sport and Exercise, the study analyzed Olympic and world athletic records from 26 sports between 1886 and 2012, results didn’t improve as expected after steroids became available in 1932. “The average personal bests for ‘doped’ top athletes didn’t differ significantly from those considered not to have doped,” states Dr Aaron Hermann, who led the study. “Even assuming that not all cases of doping were discovered, doping did not improve sporting results as commonly believed.”

With doping then maybe more of a taboo than a surefire shortcut to success, perhaps athletes’ perceptions of doping are about to change.

3

The number of UFC champions that had their titles stripped following positive post-fight PED tests: Josh Barnett, Sean Sherk and Tim Sylvia.

Lack of sleep will make you weak

Fighters who have difficulty getting a night’s shuteye could be putting themselves at a significant disadvantage. A new study by Uppsala University, Sweden, suggests missing just one night of sleep could change your cellular clock and even alter your DNA molecules for the worse. 

According to Dr Guy Leschziner, consultant neurologist at London Bridge Hospital, UK, not spending enough time sleeping can cause problems with your mood, ability to learn and memory – which are all needed when preparing for a bout. 

Tech trap

If you’re struggling to get the most out of your gym sessions but can’t seem to figure out why, put your phone down. Kent State University, Ohio, recently discovered that checking your cellphone during gym sessions decreases your workout intensity dramatically. So if you want to build incredible strength like UFC 205lb champion Daniel Cormier, leave it in your gym bag. 

Fat-blast fast track

Using cardio to cut weight is key for all fighters, but what’s best way to do it? A study in the Journal of Obesity found that high-intensity interval training was the most efficient way to lose fat in a short period of time.