Biochemical profile in mixed martial arts athletes

The study aimed to evaluate changes in selected biochemical indicators among mixed martial arts competitors in subsequent periods of the training cycle. The research involved 12 mixed martial arts athletes aged 25.8 ± 4.2 years competing in the intermediate category. Selected somatic indicators were measured twice. Biochemical indicators were assessed five times during the 14-week study period. Serum concentrations of testosterone, cortisol, uric acid, myoglobin, total protein, interleukin 6, and tumor necrosis factor, as well as creatine kinase activity were determined. One hour after sparring completion, there were significant increases in cortisol (by 54.9%), uric acid (22.0%), myoglobin (565.0%), and interleukin 6 (280.3%) as compared with the values before the simulated fight. The highest creatine kinase activity (893.83 ± 139.31 U/l), as well as tumor necrosis factor (3.93 ± 0.71 pg/ml) and testosterone (5.83 ± 0.81 ng/ml) concentrations (p = 0.00) were recorded 24 hours after the simulation. Systematic observation of selected blood biochemical indicators in the training process periodization in mixed martial arts helps understand adaptive, compensatory, and regenerative mechanisms occurring in training athletes.

AÇÕES INCLUSIVAS DE MULHERES ATRAVÉS DAS ARTES MARCIAIS: UM OLHAR DIFERENCIADO DE TENTATIVAS DE CORRIGIR A RESTRIÇÃO SOCIAL

Introdução: A relação de gênero é evidenciada nas lutas. As mulheres que praticam artes marciais são geralmente reconhecidas como masculinizadas, fora do padrão de corpo ideal feminino ou até homossexuais, por praticar um “esporte de homem”. Esse estereotipo não é exclusivo dos homens, muitas mulheres são preconceituosas em relação as escolhas esportistas, com o pensamento que existem esportes que masculinizam as mulheres. Apesar das dificuldades encontradas, as mulheres estão conquistando espaço e continuam lutando pela sua participação em qualquer esporte. O estudo visou contribuir para a compreensão das lutas e artes marciais femininas, especialmente o boxe, judô e Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), na perspectiva histórico-social das relações de gênero, através da pesquisa realizada com a literatura a respeito direcionada ao estudo. Objetivo Geral: Compreender o processo de exclusão das mulheres nas lutas das artes marciais. Objetivo Específico: Descrever o contexto histórico-social das relações de gênero que implicavam na prática de lutadoras brasileiras das modalidades Boxe, Judô e Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Material e métodos: Realizou-se busca nos bancos de dados Lilacs/SciELO, Scholar Google e Periódicos CAPES por artigos nacionais. A seleção inicial foi feita com base em seus títulos e resumos. Os artigos são sobre participação de mulheres nas artes marciais, tendo como critério de exclusão trabalhos que não tratavam das modalidades femininas de Boxe, Judô e Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Foram selecionados 14 artigos para compor o presente estudo. Resultados: Historicamente a mulher é vista como “sexo frágil”, esse estereótipo foi construído social e culturalmente. O esporte seria visto como uma prática social sexuada, e a sociedade assume o papel de definir se tal modalidade pode ser praticada por homem ou mulher, de acordo com as características que ela impõe sobre masculinidade e feminilidade. Conclusão: A mulher, que já foi percebida e reconhecida como “sexo frágil”, busca na atualidade assumir uma posição de destaque nos esportes que ainda possuem dominação masculina. A ação nomeamos de empoderamento da mulher atleta, porém, ainda algumas sofrendo discriminações nas competições. A evolução das conquistas nas lutas femininas foram reforçadas nas olimpíadas de 2020, onde tiveram participação expressiva nas competições.

O espetáculo das artes marciais. O que estamos comprando?

O Canal Combate apresentando-se como o maior veiculador de conteúdo voltado às artes marciais no Brasil, se consolida como o grande representante midiático do público interessado pela temática. Assim, os conceitos gerados e a visão proferida sobre as artes marciais, influencia diretamente a visão de seus espectadores e consumidores. O objetivo do presente estudo é analisar a grade de programação semanal do Canal Combate e traçar inferências em relação ao real escopo do mesmo. O estudo analisou sua grade de programação compreendida entre o dia 20/07/2020 e 26/07/2020. Os resultados demonstraram que 34% do conteúdo veiculado pelo canal destina-se a lutas do Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), seguido de 19% de anúncios publicitários. O canal combate caracterizou-se como um promotor de lutas de Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), em grande parte relacionadas à empresa UFC, que possui em seu cerne o espetáculo para fins de consumo.

Communicating with Georges Bataille in the Mixed Martial Arts Gym

In this article I turn to the theorist Georges Bataille to explore how the transgressive elements of training in mixed martial arts (MMA) facilitate a sense of intimacy and feeling of community among the participants. To build this argument, I draw on ten years spent alongside the hobbyists and competitors who spend their free hours in mixed martial arts gyms punching, kicking, choking, and hurting each other. Taking inspiration from Bataille, along with new engagements with materialism within studies of sport, I make central the exchange of sweat, touch, scent, germs, hair, saliva, blood, and pain. Through combining core elements of Bataille's writings with stories from the MMA gym, I direct attention to the allure of fleshy moments of excess, vulnerability, transgression, and communication. I conclude with a reflection on the gendered expectations that proliferate the gym, the challenges presented by the commodification of the practice, and the radical potentials of play and care.

Characterizing Head Impact Exposure in Men and Women During Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts

Background: The accumulation of subconcussive impacts has been implicated in permanent neurological impairment. A gap in understanding the relationship between head impacts and neurological function is the lack of precise characterization and quantification of forces that individuals experience during sports training and competition. Purpose: To characterize impact exposure during training and competition among male and female athletes participating in boxing and mixed martial arts (MMA) via an instrumented custom-fit Impact Monitoring Mouthguard (IMM). Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Twenty-three athletes (n = 4 women) were provided a custom-fit IMM. The IMM monitored impacts during sparring and competition. All training and competition sessions were videotaped. Video and IMM data were synchronized for post hoc data verification of true positives and substantiation of impact location. IMM data were collected from boxing and MMA athletes at a collaborating site. For each true-positive impact, peak linear acceleration and peak angular acceleration were calculated. Wilcoxon rank sum tests were used to evaluate potential differences in sport, activity type, and sex with respect to each outcome. Differences in impact location were assessed via Kruskal-Wallis tests. Results: IMM data were collected from 53 amateur training sessions and 6 competitions (session range, 5-20 minutes). A total of 896 head impacts (men, n = 786; women, n = 110) were identified using IMM data and video verification: 827 in practice and 69 during competition. MMA and boxers experienced a comparable number of impacts per practice session or competition. In general, MMA impacts produced significantly higher peak angular acceleration than did boxing impacts ( P < .001) and were more varied in impact location on the head during competitions. In terms of sex, men experienced a greater number of impacts than women per practice session. However, there was no significant difference between men and women in terms of impact magnitude. Conclusion: Characteristic profiles of head impact exposure differed between boxing and MMA athletes; however, the impact magnitudes were not significantly different for male and female athletes.

Constrictive pericarditis in the setting of repeated chest trauma in a mixed martial arts fighter

Background Constrictive pericarditis (CP) is characterized by scarring and loss of elasticity of the pericardium. This case demonstrates that mixed martial arts (MMA) is a previously unrecognized risk factor for CP, diagnosis of which is supported by cardiac imaging, right and left heart catheterization, and histological findings of dense fibrous tissue without chronic inflammation. Case presentation A 47-year-old Caucasian male former mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter from the Western United States presented to liver clinic for elevated liver injury tests (LIT) and a 35-pound weight loss with associated diarrhea, lower extremity edema, dyspnea on exertion, and worsening fatigue over a period of 6 months. Past medical history includes concussion, right bundle branch block, migraine headache, hypertension, chronic pain related to musculoskeletal injuries and fractures secondary to MMA competition. Involvement in MMA was extensive with an 8-year history of professional MMA competition and 13-year history of MMA fighting with recurrent trauma to the chest wall. The patient also reported a 20-year history of performance enhancing drugs including testosterone. Physical exam was notable for elevated jugular venous pressure, hepatomegaly, and trace peripheral edema. An extensive workup was performed including laboratory studies, abdominal computerized tomography, liver biopsy, echocardiogram, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Finally, right and left heart catheterization—the gold standard—confirmed discordance of the right ventricle-left ventricle, consistent with constrictive physiology. Pericardiectomy was performed with histologic evidence of chronic pericarditis. The patient’s hospital course was uncomplicated and he returned to NYHA functional class I. Conclusions CP can be a sequela of recurrent pericarditis or hemorrhagic effusions and may have a delayed presentation. In cases of recurrent trauma, CP may be managed with pericardiectomy with apparent good outcome. Further studies are warranted to analyze the occurrence of CP in MMA so as to better define the risk in such adults.

On the self-presentation in the sport discourse (On the example of mixed martial arts fighters’ discourse)

The article considers specific features of MMA fighters’ self-presentation. The strategy of self-presentation was studied predominantly on the basis of the political discourse, but it is used in the sport discourse as well. It has been found out that for self-presentation sportsmen actively use metaphors, epithets, similes, allegories, cliches, actualize such modality and formulas as ‘I am an underdog’, ‘I am the best’, ‘I am like you’.

Dynamics of special physical training of qualified MMA fighters during the preparatory period of the macrocycle when performing shock equipment

Purpose: to determine the influence of the experimental training program for qualified mixed martial arts fighters of 18-19 years old on their special physical fitness when performing shock actions. Material and methods. The study involved seven athletes 18-19 years old (all athletes - KMSU) department of mixed martial arts ODYUSSH «Dinamovets» in Zhitomir. A training program for qualified junior mixed martial arts fighters was developed using interval and interval-circular training methods with a wide range of general, special and competitive training means. The training program is designed for 15 weeks (may 17 - august 27, 2021) in the preparatory period of the macrocycle, therefore its predominant focus was towards physical fitness. Research methods: analysis of scientific theoretical sources, conversations with specialists, pedagogical observations, pedagogical testing, methods of mathematical statistics. Results: the dynamics of special physical readiness of qualified fighters was investigated, under the influence of an experimental training program, when performing percussion technique. The study of the dynamics of special physical readiness when performing a series of punches with hands showed significant positive shifts in the total force of punches with hands during the execution of an 8-second series (t=3,02; p˂0.05) and a 40-second series of punches (t=7,69; p˂0,001). The result of the average force of strikes (t=2,21; p˂0,05) in a 40-second series of strikes also noticeably improved. The study of the dynamics of special physical readiness when performing a series of strikes with the dominant leg revealed positive changes in the total force of strikes in the 8-second (t=3,33; p˂0,01) and 40-second (t=5,39; p˂0,001) tests. The high-speed component of the striking technique did not undergo significant positive changes, although there is a tendency towards positive dynamics (p>0,05). Conclusions. It was determined that the introduction of an experimental training program into the educational and training process of 18-19 year old mixed martial arts fighters made it possible to improve the special physical fitness of the fighters when performing specific striking techniques. In five studied indicators, a significant positive trend was obtained, confirmed by mathematical calculations. Significant positive changes in the total strength in the series of punches with the hands and the dominant leg were determined both in the 8-second and in the 40-second tests (p˂0,05 - p˂0,001). We also found a significant positive dynamics in the average force of punches in the 40-second test (p˂0,05). Keywords: mixed martial arts, qualified fighters, special physical training; interval training method; Interval-circular training method; training aids.

Comparative analysis of indicators of competitive activity of the strongest male and female fighters of mixed martial arts MMA

Purpose: to conduct a comparative analysis of the indicators of the competitive activity of the strongest fighters of men and women of mixed martial arts MMA from the TOP-10, regardless of weight. Material and methods. The research used the following methods: analysis of scientific and methodological information and Internet sources; generalization of best practical experience; analysis of protocols and videos of the competitive activity of men and women fighters from the TOP-10, regardless of weight; methods of mathematical statistics. The performance output of the strongest male and female MMA fighters is taken from the UFC website. Results: the analysis of the strongest fighters of women and men from the TOP-10, regardless of weight, showed that the average age of women is 32,7±3,74 years, and of men – 33,2±2,75 years. The average fight time for women is 16,25±3,43 minutes, and for men – 12,76±3,05 minutes. The TOP-10 strongest female fighters, regardless of weight, include representatives of six countries (four fighters from the United States, two representatives from Brazil and one athlete each from Kyrgyzstan, China, and the Netherlands), and the TOP-10 strongest male fighters regardless of weight also includes representatives of six countries (four fighters from the USA, two representatives from Russia and one athlete each from France, Nigeria, Brazil, Australia). It was found that male fighters from the TOP-10, regardless of weight, during their sports careers won 204 fights and lost 17 fights. For female fighters, these results are worse – 151 wins and 35 losses. Conclusions. Comparative analysis of the indicators of the competitive activity of the strongest fighters of women and men from the TOP-10, regardless of weight, showed that fighters of women and men deliver the same number of punches per minute (4,52 punches), and women fighters miss more punches (3,36 punches) than male fighters (2,60 strokes). The greatest number of punches was carried out by women and men in a standing position (women – 66,9 %; men – 64,6 %), then on the ground (women – 19,0 %; men – 21,6 %) and in a clinch (women – 14,1 %; men – 13,8 %). The largest number of blows are in the head (women – 60,2 %; men – 68,4 %), then on the body (women – 20,9 %; men – 18,3 %) and on the legs (women – 18,9 %; men – 13,3 %). The strongest fighters, women and men, defend against takedowns more efficiently (women – 77,5 %; men – 81,6 %) than against punches (women – 56,8 %; men – 59,8 %). The number of takedown attempts in 15 minutes is greater (women – 1,53 times; men – 1,86 times) than performing a submission in 15 minutes (women – 0,55 times; men – 0,53 times). Keywords: competitive activity, mixed martial arts MMA, TOP-10, indicators, fighters, men, women.