Abstract
Objective: The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of Cold Water Immersion (CWI) on the recovery of physical performance, hematological stress markers and perceived wellness (i.e., Hooper scores) following a simulated Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) competition.Methods: Participants completed two experimental sessions in a counter-balanced order (CWI or passive recovery for control condition: CON), after a simulated MMAs competition (3 × 5-min MMA rounds separated by 1-min of passive rest). During CWI, athletes were required to submerge their bodies, except the trunk, neck and head, in the seated position in a temperature-controlled bath (∼10°C) for 15-min. During CON, athletes were required to be in a seated position for 15-min in same room ambient temperature. Venous blood samples (creatine kinase, cortisol, and testosterone concentrations) were collected at rest (PRE-EX, i.e., before MMAs), immediately following MMAs (POST-EX), immediately following recovery (POST-R) and 24 h post MMAs (POST-24), whilst physical fitness (squat jump, countermovement-jump and 5- and 10-m sprints) and perceptual measures (well-being Hooper index: fatigue, stress, delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), and sleep) were collected at PRE-EX, POST-R and POST-24, and at PRE-EX and POST-24, respectively.Results: The main results indicate that POST-R sprint (5- and 10-m) performances were ‘likely to very likely’ (d = 0.64 and 0.65) impaired by prior CWI. However, moderate improvements were in 10-m sprint performance were ‘likely’ evident at POST-24 after CWI compared with CON (d = 0.53). Additionally, the use of CWI ‘almost certainly’ resulted in a large overall improvement in Hooper scores (d = 1.93). Specifically, CWI ‘almost certainly’ resulted in improved sleep quality (d = 1.36), stress (d = 1.56) and perceived fatigue (d = 1.51), and ‘likely’ resulted in a moderate decrease in DOMS (d = 0.60).Conclusion: The use of CWI resulted in an enhanced recovery of 10-m sprint performance, as well as improved perceived wellness 24-h following simulated MMA competition.
Highlights
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is characterized by a combination of fighting styles inspired from other combat sports, resulting in an attractive conglomerate of fighting techniques, i.e., strikes, clinch and grappling, and submission (Amtmann et al, 2008; del Vecchio et al, 2011; La Bounty et al, 2011)
Moderate improvements were in 10-m sprint performance were ‘likely’ evident at POST-24 after Cold Water Immersion (CWI) compared with CON (d = 0.53)
The use of CWI resulted in an enhanced recovery of 10-m sprint performance, as well as improved perceived wellness 24-h following simulated MMA competition
Summary
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is characterized by a combination of fighting styles inspired from other combat sports, resulting in an attractive conglomerate of fighting techniques, i.e., strikes, clinch and grappling, and submission (Amtmann et al, 2008; del Vecchio et al, 2011; La Bounty et al, 2011). With the Ultimate Fighting Championship R (UFC) events, its worldwide popularity has grown exponentially, resulting in MMA being one of the most increasingly participated sport at amateur, right through to professional levels (Ghoul et al, 2017). Results showed that simulated MMA competition induced high HR, blood lactate and RPE (181.3 bpm, 13.6 mmoL, and 6.9 – scale of 10, respectively) (Ghoul et al, 2017). A single MMA combat or training session has been shown to increase salivary and blood cortisol levels, as well as urinary neopterin content, indicating profound physiological stress (Ghoul et al, 2017; Lindsay et al, 2017). It is essential that appropriate recovery strategies are undertaken, to ensure that training and/or completion demands are adequately met
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