11/05/2025
Sparring burns more than you think.
Most calorie trackers only measure movement, not impact.
A 2018 study on pro rugby players found that when collisions were added to training, their total energy burn jumped ~1,200 calories over 5 days…
That’s roughly +250 calories per day, just from the hits.
Why? Because impact = muscle damage, inflammation, and extra recovery cost.
Your body has to work harder to repair tissue, even when you’re resting.
So if you’re doing hard sparring or heavy grappling days, don’t underfuel.
Add 200–300 extra calories, mostly from carbs, and keep protein high (2g/kg).
Your recovery and performance will thank you.
Fighters aren’t just burning calories from training, they’re burning from getting hit.
Fuel for that too.
