Anyone who trains in martial arts has been there before. Your muscles are sore, your brain feels foggy, and your motivation to train starts to dwindle. That often results from overtraining—something fighters are particularly prone to. You want to be the best, so it’s sometimes hard to resist the urge to keep training hard even though your body keeps telling you it needs a break.

Blood testing is one of the tools that fighters use to optimize recovery, avoid burnout, and train smarter. Biomarkers in your blood, like cortisol, creatine kinase, and c-reactive protein, can provide valuable insights on how hard you should be training to optimize your growth as a fighter.

Biomarkers 101: Your Body’s Warning Signals

Biomarkers are measurable clues in your blood that show how well your body is handling the stress training put on it. The three markers that matter the most to fighters are:

1) Creatine Kinase (CK)

This biomarker shows if your muscles are getting overworked. It is an enzyme that leaks into your bloodstream when muscle fibers are damaged, like after an intense workout. High CK levels indicate significant muscle breakdown, a sign of overtraining.

A 2022 study showed that mixed martial arts fighters had two to ten times higher CK levels than non-athletes after sparring matches and fights.

Here’s a cheat sheet to help you understand what your CK levels mean:

• Typical Range: 20-200 U/L (varies by lab).
• Post-Training Spike: 500-2,000 U/L isn’t unusual for fighters.
• Red Flag: Consistently over 1,000 U/L could mean you’re overtraining.

Fix:

• Get more rest. Consider taking an entire week off.
• Drink more water. Dehydration leads to more muscle damage during training.
• Try contrast therapy. Alternate between hot and cold showers. You don’t need to join a spa for contrast therapy. Any shower works.

2) Cortisol

This is the stress hormone, and it spikes during intense activities like an intense sparring match. However, chronically high cortisol levels could indicate that your body isn’t getting enough time to recover between workouts.

Here’s what your numbers mean:

• Morning Cortisol (normal): 10-20 mcg/dL.
• Red Flag: Consistently above 20 mcg/dL.

Fix

• Aim for seven to nine hours of shut-eye daily. Lying on the couch and watching TV doesn’t count.
• Practice mindfulness. As little as five minutes spent performing relaxation exercises like deep breathing after training sessions can help keep cortisol at healthy levels.
• Cut back on the intensity of your training sessions. Swap a few sparring sessions for technique drills, watching tape, or strategizing with your instructors.

3) C-Reactive Protein (CRP)

Your levels of c-reactive protein rise when there’s inflammation in your body. Some inflammation after workouts is a normal part of recovery, but chronically high CRP levels are linked to overtraining syndrome.

Here’s what your CRP readings mean:

• Normal: <1.0 mg/L.
• Post-training: 1-3 mg/L.
• Red flag: Consistently over 3 mg/L.

Fix

• Eat more anti-inflammatory foods that are rich in antioxidants, like salmon, berries, and turmeric.
• Opt for active recovery over hanging out on a couch all day on recovery days. Low-intensity activity improves blood circulation, speeding up the recovery process.
• Wear compression gear while training to help with circulation.
• Try contrast therapy. Alternating between extreme temperatures helps to reduce inflammation all over the body.

Rethink your approach to training if the changes listed above fail to bring your CRP levels back to normal.

How To Use Blood Testing To Optimize Fighter Training

Some of the ways fighters can take their training to the next level with blood testing include:

• Test Strategically: Check biomarkers every 8 to 12 weeks or at the start of fight camps. Fasted tests performed in the morning are the standard.
• Time Your Tests: Avoid testing right after training sessions since all your biomarkers are elevated at that point because of all the intense activities you’ve been engaged in.
• Work With A Pro: A sports doctor or nutritionist can help decode your blood test results and help you create an appropriate training plan.

Your Game Plan

• Start Tracking: Ask your doctor for a basic panel to establish a baseline.
• Log Trends: Use apps like MyFitnessPal to spot patterns in your blood test results.
• Adjust Your Training: Lower the volume or intensity of your training if your biomarkers suggest you’re overtraining.

Biomarkers are helpful tools that help you to determine how hard you should be training. Pair the results of your blood tests with some common sense. You don’t need blood tests to tell you that you should probably skip a few training sessions if you can barely get out of bed in the morning.

Frequently Asked Questions About Blood Testing For Fighters

Let’s wrap this up by going over some frequently asked questions about using biomarkers to optimize fight training.

Q: How Often Should I Test?

A: Aim to get your blood tested every two to three months or at the start of every fight camp.

Q: Can I Still End Up Overtraining With “Normal” Biomarkers?

A: Yes. Normal biomarkers don’t protect you against overtraining; they simply show how your body is currently handling the stress you put it through. That’s why listening to your body is so important – it gives you more feedback than the results of any lab tests.

Q: What’s The Best Recovery Hack For Busy Fighters?

A: Sleep is the best recovery tool. Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep daily and make active recovery part of your training. Activities like swimming, hiking, and cycling are great ways to keep your blood flowing on rest days.

Q: Does Age Or Gender Affect Biomarkers?

A: Yes. Older athletes recover more slowly, which means their biomarkers stay elevated for longer periods. Women’s cortisol levels fluctuate with their menstrual cycles, impacting blood test results.

Q: Do Beginner Martial Artists Need Blood Tests?

A: That’s unnecessary since you’re highly unlikely to be overtrained when you’re new to martial arts. Save the blood tests for later when you’re skilled enough to spar a few times weekly.

Conclusion:

With that, we hope this article answers all your questions about biomarkers and how to approach them in your martial arts training. Remember to always listen to your body and adjust your training as needed to ensure optimal performance and recovery.

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