UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler has captivated audiences with his electrifying fighting style and unwavering determination. As he prepares for his highly anticipated bout against Conor McGregor, fans and fellow athletes alike are keen to understand the rigorous training and disciplined diet that fuel his performances. This article delves into the details of Chandler's approach to nutrition and exercise, offering insights into the lifestyle of a top-tier mixed martial artist.
The Importance of Diet and Training
Getting ready for combat sports is a very different endeavor than preparing for a bodybuilding or strength-based competition. It takes a different kind of sharp focus to prepare for battle. Like a top-level bodybuilder, an MMA athlete can't rely solely on their training to be in top condition. A fighter’s diet is also paramount to their preparation. Besides the physical aspects of training, mindset is also a major aspect of preparing for a fight. When that fight is against one of the most popular fighters in combat sports history, it adds yet another layer of complexity to proceedings.
A Look Inside Chandler's Fridge
Chandler's diet revolves around the principle of clean eating, emphasizing high protein and healthy fats, along with a variety of nutrient-dense foods. "I always have meat and vegetables in my fridge," said Chandler. His fridge is stocked with a selection of meats including ground elk, ground beef, free-range eggs, and salmon. In addition to these protein sources, his fridge boasts an array of vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, peppers, and beets.
Chandler called his pre-fight nutrition plans the toughest diet he's ever tried. "If I work hard in the kitchen-pull the right things out of my refrigerator and the right things in my body-that weight cut is going to be easier and my performance is going to be better. That's the most important thing," he said. On the night before a fight, Chandler said he keeps his meals consistent. He sticks with the same high-protein, high-fat foods, along with sweet potato, rice, or gluten free pasta, to avoid introducing anything that might upset his stomach. The lightweight isn't a big breakfast guy, but said scrambled eggs, veggies, and bacon with his favorite sauce called "Ninja Squirrel," a coconut sriracha concoction.
Supplementation and Beverages
Chandler's approach to nutrition underscores the importance of balanced supplementation. He emphasizes the intake of multivitamins, micronutrients, minerals, and electrolytes numerous times a day, particularly in the morning. Notably, he incorporates a mix of espresso, coconut oil, and non-dairy creamer into his morning routine to kickstart his day.
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The beverage fridge is stocked with a huge range of carbonated waters, Monster Energy drinks (Chandler prefers the white and orange zero sugar options), kombucha, and lots of water. "We love carbonated and bubbly waters. Gotta have the zero-sugar Monsters. Kombucha."
The "Suffering Sanctuary": Chandler's Training Regimen
Chandler's training routine is a testament to his unwavering dedication to staying fight-ready. Chandler opened up his "suffering sanctuary"-the fully-stocked home gym that sits on his property. "I'm training mixed-martial arts every single day." he said. The breakdown is intense: Monday and Tuesday is MMA training, Wednesday is strength and conditioning work, Thursday is more MMA drilling, and Friday afternoon is for strength training.
"I’m training MMA every single day," continued Chandler. "I do a lot of strength plus speed equals power where we’re lifting weights, taking them off, and then doing something explosive to create power. When I first started lifting weights, I focused on static strength movements to get stronger.
Chandler works in the 10- to 15-rep range on exercises like squats and trap bar deadlifts, and pairs them with ballistic exercises like med ball slams and box jumps to teach his body to transfer that strength to usable force.
"My fights are always explosive," Chandler said. "I try to be as powerful as I possibly can. I've been trying to do that over the past 22 years, and that's worked out really well for me." While Chandler said he focused on general strength movements when he first started lifting weights, he's changed over the years to doing more functional, explosive exercises that will help him as a fighter. He also credits lifting weights to help avoiding injury, and is a big proponent of using a foam roller.
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But when he doesn't hit the gym, Chandler said he loves trail running. "Any day that you can get out in God's creation out in the woods is a good day."
Mental Fortitude and Recovery
After back-to-back losses against top lightweight Will Brooks in 2014, Chandler re-evaluated his mental approach: “Our success is driven and determined by what we put into our mind. You’re going to fail sometimes, you’re going to get knocked down, but a failure is an event, not a person."
The life of a professional fighter extends beyond strict dietary choices and grueling training sessions. Chandler's commitment to a disciplined lifestyle extends to his recovery practices, which include foam rolling before and after each practice, regular sports massages, and weekly chiropractic visits.
Weight Management
Depending on where his weight is, Chandler needs two to four weeks to lose 30lbs and make the 155-lb limit. Because weight cutting can leave fighters feeling fatigued and unmotivated, Bristol has Chandler ease up on lifting, sticking with lighter weights. “You hear about a lot of fighters who miss weight, or you might see a fighter giving a poor performance in the cage and know that they didn’t handle their nutrition correctly,” explains Bristol.
“As I’ve gotten older I realize that 80% of my weight management is having good supplementation and nutrition,” says Chandler, who eats a basic diet of lean meats, veggies, and healthy fats.
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Sparring and Strategy
“The worst thing you can do is put unneeded miles on yourself at the gym,” says Chandler, who, like many current fighters, is now focusing on lighter sparring to reduce the risk of prefight injury and increase shelf life. “I don’t spar with guys who are trying to take my head off. I spar hard in the sense that I have a high output.
“Simplicity is the name of the game,” says Chandler about his favorite punch combination-a jab, cross. “In the fight where I knocked out Patricky ‘Pitbull’ Freire [at Bellator 157], I threw my jab often and violently so he would begin to expect it.
Chandler vs. McGregor: A Clash of Titans
With the bad blood Michael Chandler and Conor McGregor built up on TUF 31, this battle is becoming a whole lot more interesting. Michael Chandler will serve as a coach opposite Conor McGregor on The Ultimate Fighter 31, set for release on May 30. Coaching opposite Conor McGregor on the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fight (TUF), Michael Chandler went from respecting his rival to apparently having an altercation with the brash Irishman. That behind the scenes clash likely gave Chandler some extra motivation to be at his best ahead of their bout. That means taking his training to the next level.