Maximum Isometric and Dynamic Strength of Mixed Martial Arts Athletes According to Weight Class and Competitive Level

Orlando Folhes, Víctor Machado Reis, Diogo Luís Marques, Henrique Pereira Neiva and Mário Cardoso Marques
Additional contact information
Orlando Folhes: Department of Sport Sciences, University of Beira Interior, 6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal
Víctor Machado Reis: Department of Sport Sciences, Exercise and Health, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Diogo Luís Marques: Department of Sport Sciences, University of Beira Interior, 6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal
Henrique Pereira Neiva: Department of Sport Sciences, University of Beira Interior, 6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal
Mário Cardoso Marques: Department of Sport Sciences, University of Beira Interior, 6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 14, 1-11

Abstract: Mixed martial arts (MMA) athletes must achieve high strength levels to face the physical demands of an MMA fight. This study compared MMA athletes’ maximal isometric and dynamic strength according to the competitive level and weight class. Twenty-one male MMA athletes were divided into lightweight professional (LWP; n = 9), lightweight elite (LWE; n = 4), heavyweight professional (HWP; n = 4), and heavyweight elite (HWE; n = 4). The handgrip and isometric lumbar strength tests assessed the isometric strength, and the one-repetition maximum (1RM) bench press and 4RM leg press the dynamic strength. Univariate ANOVA showed differences between groups in absolute and relative 1RM bench press and absolute isometric lumbar strength. Post hoc tests showed differences in 1RM bench press between HWE and LWE (117.0 ± 17.8 kg vs. 81.0 ± 10.0 kg) and HWE and LWP athletes (117.0 ± 17.8 kg vs. 76.7 ± 13.7 kg; 1.5 ± 0.2 kg·BW −1 vs. 1.1 ± 0.2 kg·BW −1 ). In addition, there was a correlation between 1RM bench press and isometric lumbar strength for absolute ( r = 0.67) and relative values ( r = 0.50). This study showed that the 1RM bench press and isometric lumbar strength were associated and could differentiate MMA athletes according to their competitive level and weight class. Therefore, optimizing the force production in the upper body and lower back seems important in elite and professional MMA athletes.

Keywords: combat sports; elite athletes; professional athletes; mixed martial arts; heavyweight; lightweight; physical performance; isometric strength; dynamic strength (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/14/8741/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/14/8741/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:14:p:8741-:d:865379

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().