Suggestions for Professional Mixed Martial Arts Training With Pacing Strategy and Technical-Tactical Actions by Rounds

Abstract

Suggestions for professional mixed martial arts training with pacing strategy and technical-tactical actions by rounds. J Strength Cond Res 37(6): 1306-1314, 2023-This study compared the pacing strategy and motor actions used in mixed martial arts combats ending by knockout/technical knockout (KO/TKO) or submission. All of the sample bouts ended in KO/TKO and consisted of 1,564 rounds of 678 bouts. The bouts were separated by round (R) of bouts ending (ER) in the first round (n 5 192), first (1R 3 2ER) and second (2R 3 2ER) of bouts ending in the second round (n 5 172), and first (1R 3 3ER), second (2R 3 3ER), and third (3R 3 3ER) of bouts ending in the third round (n 5 1,200). The analyses were performed according to the duration (Δ) in each phase: Δ standing preparatory activity time, Δ standing combat activity time, Δ ground preparatory activity time, and Δ ground combat activity time and their technical-tactical actions (attempted and landed strikes to the head, body and leg, takedowns, and submissions). The main results demonstrated a shorter Δ standing preparatory activity time in 1R 3 1ER (95.6 6 62.9 seconds) and 2R 3 2ER (93.6 6 67.9 seconds) vs. 2R 3 3ER (160.5 6 87.4 seconds) and 3R 3 3ER (144.0 6 88.5 seconds) with fewer strikes attempted and landed to the head, body, and legs (p # 0.05). No differences were observed (p . 0.05) between Δ standing combat activity time, but lower attempted and landed takedowns and strikes to the head, body, and leg frequencies. There were shorter Δ ground combat activity time (p # 0.05) in 1R 3 1ER (23.4 6 45.5) and 2R 3 2ER (25.3 6 41.9) vs. 2R 3 3ER (50.4 6 69.9) and 3R 3 3ER (52.9 6 74.2), with lower attempted submissions, chokes, and attempted and landed strikes to the head, body, and leg frequencies observed. These results contribute to the information developed from current research to help improve the quality of training and promote effective athletic preparation related to pacing strategy and performance models.

Ultimate Full Contact: Fight Outcome Characterization Concerning Their Methods, Occurrence Times and Technical–Tactical Developments

“…Considering all fight outcomes by year between 2008 and 2017, the following were observed: total fights: 173,288; submission: 67,134 (0.39); decision: 41,985 (0.24); and (T) KOs: 61,395 (0.35). In contrast, another study showed the decision as the main fight outcome reported [ 12 ], and this is in line with the following studies: in 174 female MMA fights, 72.4% ( n = 126) fight outcomes were by the decision of the judges, 11.4% ( n = 20) by submission, and 16% ( n = 28) by KO or TKO [ 6 ]; the results of an MMA study that considered 304 bouts between male fighters demonstrated ( n = 210) fight outcomes by decision, ( n = 40) fight outcomes by submission, and ( n = 54) fight outcomes by KO/TKO [ 14 ]. However, different results have been observed in a previous study, which demonstrated that the majority of amateur male fights ended in KO (57.7%) [ 15 ].…”

“…This means that the ability to perform the fight on the ground is an efficient strategy; that is, grappling submission proved to be a determinant style in the Ultimate Full Contact. This is because the frequencies of the fight outcomes are related to fight skills or styles [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ].…”

“…Furthermore, the frequency of victories for specific actions reflects the level of versatility of their training [ 8 ]. In fact, the technical–tactical actions performed through the fight are related to the type of outcome of the fight [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ].…”

“…Therefore, some studies have characterized the percentages of fight outcomes in different modalities, by gender (i.e., male and female) [ 6 , 13 ], fighters’ classes (i.e., amateurs and professionals) [ 6 , 8 , 10 , 14 , 15 ] and skills [ 9 , 10 , 12 ]. As a result, some factors have been identified for the different fight outcomes, e.g., specific fighting methods, physical conditioning, age, weighting, timing between fights, timing into the fight, fighting importance and technical efficiency [ 10 , 13 , 16 , 17 ].…”

Technical-Tactical Behaviors Analysis of Male and Female Judo Cadets’ Combats

“…All participants had previous experience (>2 years) with official judo events (range level: local to national), rules and procedures (International Judo Federation (IJF), 2018). No modifications were made in the judo training (range frequency: two to five times/week, range time: three to 12 h/week) nutritional or hydration status of participants, following preceding protocols (Antonietto et al, 2019). There are no ethical problems in investigating data of public events, as disposed by prior protocols (Sterkowicz-Przybycien et al, 2017).…”