MMA star Kayla Harrison in training gear 'looks like Mortal Kombat'

MMA star Kayla Harrison shows off her acrobatic skills in a new social media post. Harrison, 33, shared a video in which she wore black leggings and a camouflage sports bra and performed an impressive kip-up on the mat before landing in a fighting stance. “I take training seriously. 😜 #sporty #sportyspice #fitnessgoals #mma #mmatraining #ufc300 #kaylaharrison #teamkayla,” she captioned the post. “Looks like something out of Mortal Kombat 🔥🔥🔥🔥,” one fan commented, to which Harrison replied with a ninja emoji. This is what her diet, training and training program looks like.

Harrison treats her training like her job. “I usually do two to three training sessions a day, which can also include grappling, sparring and various exercises.” she said Women's fitness. “I see my strength and conditioning coach twice a week, do light technical training on Saturdays and then I rest on Sundays. When it comes to dealing with stress, being a fighter is like putting yourself in the most stressful situation possible and finding ways to deal with it.” With that said, there's nothing more stressful than locking yourself in a cage with someone who's trying to fight back one to fight.

Harrison begins changing her diet three weeks before a big fight. “No more pizza, no more ice cream, things like that. I eat as much as I want, but just really good, healthy food.” she said Muscle & Fitness. “Nothing processed. Simple and easy proteins with lots of vegetables and fruits when I feel like I need the sugar and that's it. I’m also a single mom and eat whenever I can.” [laughs]but I think I have it down to a science and my body feels really good. df44d9eab23ea271ddde7545ae2c09ec

Harrison uses visualization techniques to manage stress. “I’m not trying to find exercises to relieve stress, but rather to find ways to deal with stress better.” she said Women's fitness. “This includes breathing exercises, visualization activities and positive thinking. Every evening I train my brain, as well as my body. I imagine success, I imagine being the best MMA fighter in the world, I imagine an arm, shutting someone out or landing the perfect cross… and I repeat it over and over again.”

Harrison knows diet will absolutely have an impact on her recovery. “Nutrition is definitely something I’ve taken more seriously as I’ve gotten older,” she said Muscle & Fitness. “When you're 20, you recover easily no matter what, as opposed to when you're 30 and you just don't recover as well. Therefore, nutrition is an important part of recovery.”

Harrison is a creature of habit and routine. “I grew up in a routine” she said Muscle & Fitness. “I woke up every morning, made my bed, got my clothes ready for school the night before, and as I got older I woke up every morning and went for a run or lifted weights. After that, I would have done either cross-country drills or wrestling drills or strength and conditioning drills, and then I would go to judo, do my homework in the car, then come home, sleep, repeat and do it all again.