Mixed Martial Arts Athletes Research Articles

Weight Cutting And Professional Mixed-martial Artists

PURPOSE: Although mixed martial arts (MMA) has been around for decades, current peer-reviewed literature is limited to individual sports (such as boxing, judo, and wrestling) that compose mixed martial arts (MMA). Within other combat sports, weight cutting practices have included methods of extreme dehydration or food restriction; however data is lacking in professional MMA athletes. Thus, the purpose of this study was to survey professional MMA athletes about their current and past weight cutting methods as well as to investigate who is advising them nutrition and strength and conditioning. METHODS: N=55 male professional mixed martial artists (18-40 yrs) were recruited from every weight class in the states of California and New Mexico. Participants were administered a questionnaire that had been reviewed by a registered dietitian, a certified strength and conditioning specialist, and an exercise physiologist. Data presented as percentage of frequency of responses calculated using IBM Analytics, SPSS v24. RESULTS: The top 3 methods MMA fighters use in cutting weight were food restriction (87.3%), increased training (70.9%) and the Sauna (69.1%). Most MMA fighters do not utilize a professional nutritionist/dietitian for advice during either the weight cut (74.5%) or off-season (75.4%). In fact, only 7.3% reported they regularly used a professional nutritionist/dietitian when cutting weight. Fighters are receiving nutrition advice primarily from teammates (78.2%), while only 23.6% are getting any advice, on or off-season from a professional nutritionists. CONCLUSIONS: Professional mixed martial artists report cutting weight for a fight using methods that can be considered dangerous and impair performance. Many reported receiving no professional advice on or off-season from a licensed nutritionist or dietitian.

The prevalence, risk factors predicting injury and the severity of injuries sustained during competition in professional mixed martial arts in Africa

Background: Professional mixed martial arts (MMA) has gained international popularity. No African-based studies have reported the prevalence or severity of injuries, risk factors associated with injuries or return-to-play (RTP) time. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of injuries and associated risk factors, as well as severity of injuries sustained by professional male MMA athletes competing at the Extreme Fighting Championships Africa (EFC Africa) from 2010 to 2014. Methods: Permission to do the study and the medical records of all professional events (2010 – 2014) were obtained from EFC Africa. Data were obtained from 173 male competitors aged 18 to 44 years, who had participated in 300 professional MMA fights. Results from this prospective cohort study were compared to a similar study done in the United States of America (USA). An injury was defined as any damage to an athlete’s body that needed the attention of the ringside physician. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics and a stepwise logistic regression. Odds of an injury were predicted with six independent variables: fight outcome, age, weight division, number of fights, injuries in the preceding fight and years of fighter experience. Results: Head, face and neck injuries were most common (22%), followed by traumatic brain injuries (knockouts) (6%). Losing a fight was a significant predictor of injury when using the stepwise logistic regression model (p=0.040). The odds ratio indicated that a preceding fight injury almost doubled the risk of injury in the following fight (OR 1.91; p= 0.163). Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) in this study of African-based competitions (6%) were substantially higher than reported in the American study (1.8%). Conclusion: Head, neck and face injuries are common in African fighters. The high rate of TBIs in African competition compared to the USA study is concerning. This could reflect superior refereeing in the USA group, as fights may be ended sooner by stoppage. Further investigation of injury trends and preventative measures should be studied to reduce the incidence of injuries during African competitions.

Injuries Sustained by the Mixed Martial Arts Athlete.

Context:Mixed martial arts (MMA) is rapidly growing in popularity in the United States and abroad. This combat sport joins athletes from a wide variety of martial art disciplines, each with characteristic and distinguishing injury profiles, together in competition. Because of increasing participation by professionals and amateurs alike, injuries sustained by MMA athletes have been on the rise.Evidence Acquisition:A review of relevant publications using the search term mixed martial arts and each of its component combat sports (eg, Muay Thai, Brazilian jiu-jitsu) from 1980 through 2015 was completed using PubMed and Google Scholar.Study Design:Clinical review.Level of Evidence:Level 5.Results:The majority of studies on MMA injuries evaluate those sustained during competition, which range in incidence from 22.9 to 28.6 per 100 fight-participations. Striking-predominant disciplines such as boxing, karate, and Muay Thai have high rates of head and facial injuries, whereas submission-predominant disciplines such as Brazilian jiu-jitsu, judo, and wrestling have high rates of joint injuries.Conclusion:Numerous studies have evaluated injuries in athletes who participate in MMA and its component disciplines during competition but much remains to be discovered about injuries sustained during training and in specific patient populations such as adolescents and women.

O ESTRESSE NO MMA: AS ESTRATÉGIAS DE ENFRENTAMENTO PODEM MELHORAR O DESEMPENHO DOS LUTADORES?

RESUMO Introdução: Um dos maiores fenômenos esportivos na atualidade, o Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), realizado no Brasil em 2013, movimentou entre R$ 15 e R$ 50 milhões, destacando-se na mídia internacional. Apesar dessa superprodução dos eventos, os estudos com atletas de MMA (Mixed Martial Arts ) ainda são escassos, sobretudo no que se refere aos aspectos psicológicos. Objetivo: Analisar estratégias de coping, níveis de estresse e características de treinamento de atletas paranaenses de MMA. Métodos: Foram estudados 50 atletas de MMA do sexo masculino, com idade de 25,0 ± 4,8 anos. Como instrumentos foram utilizados uma ficha de identificação, o Inventário Atlético de Estratégias de Coping e o Questionário de Estresse e Recuperação para Atletas (RESTQ-76 Sport). Na análise dos dados, utilizou-se estatística descritiva, teste de Shapiro-Wilk, teste "U" de Mann-Whitnney; teste de Kruskal-Wallis e coeficiente de correlação de Spearman; a significância adotada foi p < 0,05. Resultados: Os atletas com principal fonte de renda no MMA apresentaram maior "estresse geral" (p = 0,023) e "estresse social" (p = 0,043) . Conclusão: Conclui-se que quando o esporte é a principal fonte de renda dos atletas, o estresse dos lutadores é elevado. Quanto maior o volume de treino, mais o atleta busca estabelecer objetivos e maior é sua a capacidade de confrontar as adversidades. Além disso, a variedade de estratégias de coping utilizadas pelos lutadores melhora seu estado de recuperação (capacidades físicas e psicológicas) durante as competições.

Time-Motion and Biological Responses in Simulated Mixed Martial Arts Sparring Matches.

Coswig, VS, Ramos, SdP, and Del Vecchio, FB. Time-motion and biological responses in simulated mixed martial arts sparring matches. J Strength Cond Res 30(8): 2156-2163, 2016-Simulated matches are a relevant component of training for mixed martial arts (MMA) athletes. This study aimed to characterize time-motion responses and investigate physiological stress and neuromuscular changes related to MMA sparring matches. Thirteen athletes with an average age of 25 ± 5 years, body mass of 81.3 ± 9.5 kg, height of 176.2 ± 5.5 cm, and time of practice in MMA of 39 ± 25 months participated in the study. The fighters executed three 5-minute rounds with 1-minute intervals. Blood and salivary samples were collected and physical tests and psychometric questionnaires administered at 3 time points: before (PRE), immediately after (POST), and 48 hours after the combat (48 h). Statistical analysis applied analysis of variance for repeated measurements. In biochemical analysis, significant changes (p ≤ 0.05) were identified between PRE and POST (glucose: 80.3 ± 12.7 to 156.5 ± 19.1 mg·ml; lactate: 4 ± 1.7 to 15.6 ± 4.8 mmol·dl), POST and 48 hours (glucose: 156.5 ± 19.1 to 87.6 ± 15.5 mg·ml; lactate: 15.6 ± 4.8 to 2.9 ± 3.5 mmol·dl; urea: 44.1 ± 8.9 to 36.3 ± 7.8 mg·ml), and PRE and 48 hours (creatine kinase [CK]: 255.8 ± 137.4 to 395.9 ± 188.7 U/L). In addition, time-motion analyses showed a total high:low intensity of 1:2 and an effort:pause ratio of 1:3. In conclusion, simulated MMA sparring matches feature moderate to high intensity and a low degree of musculoskeletal damage, which can be seen by absence of physical performance and decrease in CK. Results of the study indicate that sparring training could be introduced into competitive microcycles to improve technical and tactical aspects of MMA matches, due to the high motor specificity and low muscle damage.

Using Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) with Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Athletes to Reduce Irrational Beliefs and Increase Unconditional Self-Acceptance

The reported application of rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) with athletes is growing but remains scarce within sport psychology literature. This study used a single-case multiple-baseline across participants design to investigate the effects of REBT on irrational self-depreciation beliefs and unconditional self-acceptance (USA) with three male mixed martial arts (MMA) athletes. Visual and statistical analyses indicate a reduction in total irrationality and self-depreciation and an increase in USA, which was maintained at 6 months post-REBT for two of the three athletes. Social validation data revealed positive changes in emotion management and performance in all athletes. The mechanisms by which REBT promoted changes in self-depreciation and USA are discussed as are recommendations regarding the future implementation of REBT with athletes.

Skeletal Muscle Phenotype and Performance of an Elite Mixed Martial Artist

PURPOSE: Mixed martial arts (MMA) requires a unique combination of muscular strength, power, and endurance. However, little is known regarding elite MMA athletes muscle characteristics at the cellular level. The purpose of this study was to determine the myocellular phenotype [fiber type, size, and myonuclear domain (MND) size] and whole muscle performance of an elite MMA fighter. METHODS: One male MMA athlete [Record: 8 wins, 2 losses; Ranked: top 10 in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Division] volunteered to participate in this study [Age: 33 y, Height: 1.89 m, Mass: 102.1 kg (competes at 93.0 kg)]. The participant underwent a vastus lateralis muscle biopsy to analyze myocellular characteristics, which included myosin heavy chain (MHC) fiber type distribution (via SDS-PAGE), fiber size (cross-sectional area; CSA), and MND size (via immunofluorescent labeling and confocal microscopy). Whole muscle performance measures included hand grip dynamometry, peak isometric mid-thigh pulls, vertical jump (measured with no counter-movement), and 5 repeat Wingate Anaerobic Tests (WAnT). RESULTS: Muscle fiber type composition was 29% MHC I (pure slow-twitch fibers), 66% MHC IIa (pure fast-twitch fibers) and 5% hybrid fibers (containing multiple MHC types). Mean ± SE fiber CSA and MND size were 3,183 ± 225 m2 and 11,008 ± 1,331 m3, respectively. His grip strength was 78.4 kg, isometric mid-thigh pull peak force was 37.7 N/kg, and vertical jump was 57.2 cm. Additionally, the WAnT determined his peak power (PP): 1,075.89 W, relative PP: 10.45 W/kg, average power (AP): 838.87 W, fatigue index: 43.39%, and PP decrease over 5 rounds: 12.1%. CONCLUSIONS: This elite MMA athlete exhibited a homogeneous muscle fiber type (i.e. predominantly fast-twitch with few hybrids) with relatively small MND sizes compared to untrained men in the literature (using similar measures). These cellular characteristics may help partially explain the athletes elevated whole muscle strength, power, and endurance performance. This case study provides initial insight into the muscle physiology of high-level MMA fighters; future research should continue investigating the myocellular structure/function relationship among these unique athletes to further our knowledge regarding elite human muscle physiology.

Body composition, somatotype, and physical fitness of mixed martial arts athletes

Purpose To describe the morphofunctional characteristics of elite mixed martial arts athletes.

Towards a Determination of the Physiological Characteristics Distinguishing Successful Mixed Martial Arts Athletes: A Systematic Review of Combat Sport Literature.

Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a combat sport underpinned by techniques from other combat disciplines, in addition to strategies unique to the sport itself. These sports can be divided into two distinct categories (grappling or striking) based on differing technical demands. Uniquely, MMA combines both methods of combat and therefore appears to be physiologically complex requiring a spectrum of mechanical and metabolic qualities to drive performance. However, little is known about the physiological characteristics that distinguish higher- from lower-level MMA athletes. Such information provides guidance for training interventions, performance testing and talent identification. Furthermore, while MMA incorporates techniques from both grappling and striking sports, it is unknown precisely how these disciplines differ physiologically. Understanding the relationship between higher-level competitors in grappling and striking combat sports can provide further insight into the development of the optimal performance profile of a higher-level MMA athlete. This article aims to analyse the scientific literature on MMA and the primary combat sports underpinning it to determine the physiological adaptations that distinguish superior competitors, with a view to defining the optimal physiological profile for higher-level MMA performance. Furthermore, this article will explore the differences in these capabilities between grappling- and striking-based combat sports in the context of MMA. A literature search was undertaken via PubMed, Web of Science, SportDiscus and Google Scholar. The following sports were included for systematic review based on their relevance to MMA: mixed martial arts, boxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, judo, karate, kickboxing, Muay Thai and wrestling. The inclusion criteria allowed studies that compared athletes of differing competition levels in the same sport using a physiological performance measure. Only male, adult (aged 17-40years), able-bodied competitors were included. The search history spanned from the earliest record until September 2015. Of the eight combat sports searched for, five were represented across 23 studies. Sixteen investigations described maximal strength or neuromuscular power variables, while 19 articles reported anaerobic or aerobic measures. The results indicate that a number of strength, neuromuscular power and anaerobic variables distinguished higher- from lower-level combat sport athletes. However, these differences were less clear when groups were stratified within, rather than between competition grades. Greater aerobic power was generally not present amongst superior combat sport competitors. There appear to be differing physiological profiles between more successful grappling and striking combat sport athletes. This is represented by high-force demands of grappling sports causing an upwards shift of the entire force-velocity relationship driven by an increase in maximal strength. In comparison, smaller increases in maximal force production with more notable enhancements in lighter load, higher velocity actions may better identify superior performance in striking sports. Anaerobic capabilities largely distinguished higher- from lower-level combat sport athletes. In particular, longer-term anaerobic efforts seem to define successful grappling-based athletes, while superior competitors in striking sports tend to show dominance in shorter-term measures when compared with their lower-level counterparts. Given the demand for both forms of combat in MMA, a spectrum of physiological markers may characterize higher-level competitors. Furthermore, the performance profile of successful MMA athletes may differ based on combat sport history or competition strategy.

Analysis of injury types for mixed martial arts athletes.

[Purpose] The purpose of the present study was to examine the types of injuries associated with mixed martial arts and their location in order to provide substantial information to help reduce the risk of these injuries during mixed martial arts. [Subjects and Methods] Data were collected from 455 mixed martial arts athletes who practiced mixed martial arts or who participated in mixed martial arts competitions in the Seoul Metropolitan City and Gyeongnam Province of Korea between June 3, 2015, and November 6, 2015. Questionnaires were used to collect the data. The convenience sampling method was used, based on the non-probability sampling extraction method. [Results] The arm, neck, and head were the most frequent locations of the injuries; and lacerations, concussions, and contusions were the most frequently diagnosed types of injuries in the mixed martial arts athletes in this study. [Conclusion] Reducing the risk of injury by establishing an alert system and preventing critical injuries by incorporating safety measures are important.

Salivary nitrite content, cognition and power in Mixed Martial Arts fighters after rapid weight loss: a case study

Rapid weight loss (RWL) is extensively practiced by combat sports athletes, including Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), but its effects on performance are not well established with different magnitudes of RWL, including those higher than 5% of total body weight. The aim of the present study was to follow MMA athletes during RWL with subsequent weight regain to evaluate the responses of isometric strength, power, cognition and salivary nitrite ( ) content. Two professional male MMA fighters, same age, competing in the same weight category underwent two magnitudes of RWL before a simulated competition period. Anthropometric measures, records of nutritional status, training, voluntary dehydration strategies, salivary samples, cognition response, isometric strength and muscular power were obtained: (I) 7 days before combat, (II) at the weigh-in moment, and (III) in the combat day. Athlete 1 lost 7.2 kg (9.1% of total bodyweight) and Athlete 2 lost 4.0 kg (5.3% of total bodyweight). Athlete 1 had a lower and misbalanced caloric ingestion (708 ± 428 kcal), ingested 6 L of water during the first 5 days of RWL, underwent 2 days of fasting, water and sodium restriction before weigh-in. Athlete 2 was supervised by a nutritionist, had a balanced diet (1600 ± 0 kcal), ingested 2 L of water during the first 6 days of RWL, underwent only 1 day of fasting and water restriction, and did not restrict sodium. As expected, there was a negative effect of RWL in the evaluated parameters at the weigh-in moment, while in the combat day, salivary ) content. Two professional male MMA fighters, same age, competing in the same weight category underwent two magnitudes of RWL before a simulated competition period. Anthropometric measures, records of nutritional status, training, voluntary dehydration strategies, salivary samples, cognition response, isometric strength and muscular power were obtained: (I) 7 days before combat, (II) at the weigh-in moment, and (III) in the combat day. Athlete 1 lost 7.2 kg (9.1% of total bodyweight) and Athlete 2 lost 4.0 kg (5.3% of total bodyweight). Athlete 1 had a lower and misbalanced caloric ingestion (708 ± 428 kcal), ingested 6 L of water during the first 5 days of RWL, underwent 2 days of fasting, water and sodium restriction before weigh-in. Athlete 2 was supervised by a nutritionist, had a balanced diet (1600 ± 0 kcal), ingested 2 L of water during the first 6 days of RWL, underwent only 1 day of fasting and water restriction, and did not restrict sodium. As expected, there was a negative effect of RWL in the evaluated parameters at the weigh-in moment, while in the combat day, salivary was not completely reestablished at baseline levels (decreased by 35.9% in Athlete 1 and, 25.2% in Athlete 2, as compared with 7 days before). The athlete who underwent a lower weight loss (5.3%) presented better recovery of cognition and upper limbs power on the combat day as compared with the athlete who lost 9.1% of body weight. Although we cannot precisely conclude, this case report led us to believe that the recovery period between weigh-in and competition may be insufficient for total reestablishment of salivary after RWL, and higher amounts of RWLhave negative impacts on average power and cognition when compared with lower RWL.Relevance for patients: Scientific aspects related with performance in MMA athletes brought to light the absence of studies investigating the recovery of isometric strength, power, cognition and salivary during RWL with subsequent weight regain. This study revealed that athletes from the same categories can adopt different magnitudes of weight loss, and that this procedure impacts several important measures, for example, the reduction of salivary is associated with the lower O2 transport capacity, decreasing muscle performance.

Punching Faces and Publishing Papers: a Review of Jonathan Gottschall’s The Professor in the Cage: Why Men Fight and Why We Like to Watch

We are living in a peaceful period of human history (Pinker 2011). Yet, our minds retain remnants of our violent evolutionary past. Even though violence is “unbecoming” of a refined, civilized man, many of us have a thirst for witnessing violence, as evidenced by the popularity of contact sports and, in particular, by the meteoric rise of mixed martial arts (MMA). (Jonathan Gottschall 2015), the author of The Professor in the Cage:WhyMen Fight andWhyWe Like toWatch, delivers an unapologetically honest account of his experiences as a mixed martial artist. This book is not a collection of research findings on human combat—most of which lack descriptions of the raw, human experience of violence. Nor is it a diary of one fighter’s brutish adventure into combat—which is often void of scientific analysis. Rather, it is an eloquent combination of both: Gottschall describes his first-hand experiences involving combat—inside and outside the cage—with a scientific eye. In other words, this book provides unique insights on “the other side of the table” that the scientist, the cage fighter, or the layperson would otherwise never experience. Gottschall describes the importance of the pre-fight stare down, noting that “if you lose the prefight staring duel, you are well on your way to losing the actual fight” (p. 54). To someone who has never experienced combat and who is unfamiliar with research on combat, the stare down seems like a trivial spectacle to promote a fight. But this is a naive conclusion. Among many non-human species, ritualized combat is an escalation of increasingly dangerous stages, each of which provides a combatant with information about the opponent’s “formidability”—or strength and skill. For example, there are three stages of ritualized combat between two battling sierra dome spiders Neriene litigiosa (Watson and Field 2004). The spiders will “size up” one another by spreading their front legs. Theywill pluck the spider web with their other legs to demonstrate their formidability (stage 1). If the spiders still cannot assess which of the two is more formidable, then, they proceed to wrestle each other (stage 2). If the fighters still cannot decide which combatant is more formidable, then, they will bite each other—sometimes resulting in death (stage 3). Each subsequent stage is more dangerous than the previous stage. If at any stage one spider is clearly outmatched by the other, then the weaker spider will not escalate and will forfeit the contested resources to the winner. It is not difficult to appreciate how humans might follow a similar script: One man insults another man at a pub. They turn and stare each other down. Each man spreads his arms laterally to his side while verbally provoking the other. If neither man retreats, then they shove each other. If the escalation continues, then punches are thrown. If the insult was particularly egregious, then lethal weapons may be deployed. All of this begins with the pre-fight stare down (i.e., stage 1), during which each fighter advertises his confidence in his own formidability. Indeed, among professional MMA athletes, the fighter who smiles more during a pre-fight stare down—which is an expression of reduced hostility in a fight—is more likely to lose (Kraus and Chen 2013). Gottschall notes that “beneath all the wild diversity of human sporting events, there is a shared underlying structure and purpose. Sports, just like gazelle wrestling, are always about finding reasonably safe, rule-bound ways for people to demonstrate their physical prowess and mental toughness to others” (p. 140). Here, again, Gottschall demonstrates his sophisticated understanding of the scientific literature. It is no coincidence that many MMA organizations across several cultures forbid punches to the groin or throat. Humans abide * Michael N. Pham mnpham@oakland.edu

Considerações sobre mídia e “heróis esportivos” do mixed martial arts

The text presents some considerations about mechanisms used by the media industry in the construction of sports heroes of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). For that, there was a theoretical study and highlighted a few examples of situations experienced by Brazilian MMA athletes to discuss such mechanisms. Thus, it is understood that the sporting spectacle, the use of specialized marketing and sensationalism in the dissemination of information about the lives of these athletes are some of the mechanisms used by the media in the construction of MMA heroes. We conclude that this is one of the most effective strategies to transform the MMA a popular phenomenon, encouraging their consumption sold in Brazilian society.

Methods Used for Rapid Weight Loss for MMA Athletes

The Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has achieved great popularity around the world and is increasing with respect to the number of athletes involved. In these events the athletes are divided by weight class and if the athlete does not meet the body weight requirement he will be disqualified from the competition. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the main methods used by MMA athletes to achieve the necessary body weight to be qualified for the fight. METHODS: 13 males MMA athletes (age : 27.15 ± 3.69 years) who participated in at least one competition at state, national and/or international level and with 7.31 ± 3.82 years of experience in the MMA, answered a questionnaire adapted from Artioli et al. (2010) which contained questions regarding the methods used for rapid weight loss. A score schemes was utilized for the answers, where the athlete reported the frequency of the method with the corresponding number: never used (1); ever used, I no longer use (2); almost never (3); sometimes (4); and always (5). RESULTS: The figure below shows the scores obtained by each method from the sum of the responses of the participants. CONCLUSION: The results provide important information in the methods that MMA athletes employ to meet body weight can be deleterious to health. It was also found that MMA athletes also employ illegal/banned substances including diuretics and laxatives to promote rapid weight loss.

Rapid Weight Loss Elicits Harmful Biochemical and Hormonal Responses in Mixed Martial Arts Athletes.

The purpose of this study was to compare biochemical and hormonal responses between mixed martial arts (MMA) competitors with minimal prefight weight loss and those undergoing rapid weight loss (RWL). Blood samples were taken from 17 MMA athletes (Mean± SD; age: 27.4 ±5.3yr; body mass: 76.2 ± 12.4kg; height: 1.71 ± 0.05m and training experience: 39.4 ± 25 months) before and after each match, according to the official events rules. The no rapid weight loss (NWL, n = 12) group weighed in on the day of the event (~30 min prior fight) and athletes declared not having used RWL strategies, while the RWL group (n = 5) weighed in 24 hr before the event and the athletes claimed to have lost 7.4 ± 1.1kg, approximately 10% of their body mass in the week preceding the event. Results showed significant (p < .05) increases following fights, regardless of group, in lactate, glucose, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatinine, and cortisol for all athletes. With regard to group differences, NWL had significantly (p < .05) greater creatinine levels (Mean± SD; pre to post) (NWL= 101.6 ± 15-142.3 ± 22.9μmol/L and RWL= 68.9 ± 10.6-79.5 ± 15.9μmol/L), while RWL had higher LDH (median [interquartile range]; pre to post) (NWL= 211.5[183-236] to 231[203-258]U/L and RWL= 390[370.5-443.5] to 488[463.5-540.5]U/L) and AST (NWL= 30[22-37] to 32[22-41]U/L and 39[32.5-76.5] to 72[38.5-112.5] U/L) values (NWL versus RWL, p < .05). Post hoc analysis showed that AST significantly increased in only the RWL group, while creatinine increased in only the NWL group. The practice of rapid weight loss showed a negative impact on energy availability and increased both muscle damage markers and catabolic expression in MMA fighters.

The Effect of an Intervention Program on Functional Movement Screen Test Scores in Mixed Martial Arts Athletes

This study assessed the basic fundamental movements of mixed martial arts (MMA) athletes using the functional movement screen (FMS) assessment and determined if an intervention program was successful at improving results. Participants were placed into 1 of the 2 groups: intervention and control groups. The intervention group was required to complete a corrective exercise program 4 times per week, and all participants were asked to continue their usual MMA training routine. A mid-intervention FMS test was included to examine if successful results were noticed sooner than the 8-week period. Results highlighted differences in FMS test scores between the control group and intervention group (p = 0.006). Post hoc testing revealed a significant increase in the FMS score of the intervention group between weeks 0 and 8 (p = 0.00) and weeks 0 and 4 (p = 0.00) and no significant increase between weeks 4 and 8 (p = 1.00). A χ analysis revealed that the intervention group participants were more likely to have an FMS score >14 than participants in the control group at week 4 (χ = 7.29, p < 0.01) and week 8 (χ = 5.2, p ≤ 0.05). Finally, a greater number of participants in the intervention group were free from asymmetry at week 4 and week 8 compared with the initial test period. The results of the study suggested that a 4-week intervention program was sufficient at improving FMS scores. Most if not all, the movements covered on the FMS relate to many aspects of MMA training. The knowledge that the FMS can identify movement dysfunctions and, furthermore, the fact that the issues can be improved through a standardized intervention program could be advantageous to MMA coaches, thus, providing the opportunity to adapt and implement new additions to training programs.

Weight loss in mixed martial arts athletes

Weight loss in mixed martial arts athletes

Validade de diferentes equações de predição da carga máxima em atletas de artes marciais mistas

The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity of different prediction equations to the one maximum repetition (1-RM) test at the bench press exercise (BP) with bar in mixed martial arts (MMA) athletes. The sample was composed by 19 male MMA athletes (27.68 ± 6.19 years). The data collection was performed in two different moments: 1) in 1-RM test; 2) in submaximal test and their respective numbers of repetitions. The paired-sample t test was performed and was noted that, among the six equations compared with the 1-RM test, only the Adams (p= 0.337) and O’Conner’s (p= 0.250) equations showed no significant differences. However, there were high Pearson correlation and intraclass correlation coefficients (r= 0.924, ICC= 0.924; r= 0.944, ICC= 0.944), respectively. Nevertheless, all equations showed high correlations that ranged between 0.854 and 0.944. In conclusion, for estimation of 1-RM, the predictive equations based on Adams and O'Conner’s are valid in MMA athletes.

Correlation between body composition and biomechanical measurements of performance for mixed martial arts athletes – a pilot study

Background Mixed Martial Arts is a weight-category dependent sport, and its athletes often attempt to maintain a body weight that is relatively close to their fighting class. However, they frequently experience moderate to high levels of training intensity, long term lack of recovery, and a habitual state of nutritional deficit as part of their training, fight prep, and competition. As a result, their body fat percentages remain relatively low (6-13%); however, they must also be able to retain a relatively high level of certain biomechanical capacities in order to maintain their competitiveness in the sport. If they are not capable of accomplishing both variables successfully, a marked decrease in their performance is likely.

Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation Pre/Post a Simulated Figth of Professional Mixed Martial Arts Athletes

Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation Pre/Post a Simulated Figth of Professional Mixed Martial Arts Athletes