Although mixed martial arts has been around for years and years, it is just now starting to make a major splash with the mainstream. Heck, it was until just a year or two ago that UFC got signed with ESPN and even now there are still plenty of other promotions that people don’t even know about.
That being said, martial artists live hectic lives. And while sure, every athlete has a hectic life, but i’ll be the first one to tell ya, top MMA fighters are among the top contenders when it comes to stress levels. This is because in order to be successful in the sport you need to not only be skilled at a variety of disciplines but also be able to handle the enormous amount of pressure.
Imagine the training that these guys go through in order to be in tip top shape. You need good cardio, you need to know how to defend against takedowns as well as be able to takedown your opponent. You need to know how to box, you need to know judo and jiu jitsu, the list goes on and on. As if the pressure wasn’t enough!
Simply put, the life of an MMA fighter is hectic. All that aside, these fighters have a variety of ways to deal with this craziness. While burning incense might not currently be on their list, it should be as the benefits are enormous for the stressful life of an MMA fighter.
Here is exactly why all MMA fighters should practice burning incense.
Table of Contents
Relaxing And Unwinding Between Sparring Sessions
With 2 or 3 training sessions a day it can be hard for even the most underrated fighter to find time to relax. How can you go home and relax when you know that you have to be back on the road in just a few hours to hit up another training session? It makes it hard, but this is exactly where incense could come in handy. Giving the body time to recover and recuperate is key staying healthy as well as building new muscle. Incense has been proven to help relaxation and promote a sense of calm making it perfect for unwinding after a long day.
The Reduction Of Stress And Anxiety After MMA Practice
Any mixed martial arts fighter will tell you that it is hard to get your mind to stop racing. Anxiety and constantly overthinking is just the way it goes. How could you be anxiety free when you have so many things going on? If you aren’t worried about making it to your next practice session, you are probably worried about booking your next fight. Once again, this is where incense could provide the relief that a fighter needs. Relaxing sometimes just isn’t enough and incense could be that step up that is needed. Burning incense has been shown to help in reducing anxiety. Burning the items and enjoying the soothing aromas that they produce can reduce your heart rate as well as lower your breathing. These are all things that will encourage your mind to stop jumping from one thing to the other. Scents like sandalwood, lavender, and rosemary will be perfect for unwinding after a long training session.
Helps Keep You Focused Before a Fight
A fighter must have his or her mind in the right place at all times. If your mind isn’t focused on the fight or training session ahead, you will not only reduce your effectiveness, but you are going to increase the chances of sustaining an injury. For a fighter, an injury could spell the difference between a loss and a win or between getting paid and not getting paid. If you don’t fight, you don’t get paid. All that aside, incense aromas like aloeswood can provide the uplifting fragrances that you need to stay focused.
Improve Quality of Sleep
Insomnia is a condition that is growing all too common in today’s society, especially in the fighting community. How could you not have a hard time sleeping when you have so much going on and so much to worry about?
Anyone would, but this is just another area where incense can help out.
Lavender is especially good for aiding in sleep. Vetiver and Chamomile are also two great scents that will not only help you fall asleep faster, but they will help you get a more meaningful night’s rest so that you can waken ready and recharged to tackle the next day. Also important to note that burning incense is a safer alternative to burning candles.
Improve Mood and Well-Being
There is no disputing the fact that fighter’s bodies take a lot of damage and abuse. This is just something that comes along with the sport of martial arts.
However, this is just another area where good aromas can help out.
Burning the right aromas such as citrus and fruity smells can boost serotonin levels in the brain which in turn can improve overall mood and well-being.
Burning Incense Smells Amazing
And I mean come on, who the heck doesn’t like the smell of burning incense? Burning incense always smells so unique and refreshing no matter what the fragrance is. I love the stuff and I definitely plan to use more of it. And not only does it smell good but it makes for a perfect boxing glove deodorizer when you are trying to keep your gloves clean and odor free. Although there are many ways to clean your gloves and make your gloves smell good, incense works great for me and keeps my gloves smelling fresh and bad-odor free.
