Sports (Jan 2023)

Experience, Training Preferences, and Fighting Style Are Differentially Related to Measures of Body Composition, Strength, and Power in Male Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Athletes—A Pilot Study

  • Christian G. Almeda,
  • Gerald T. Mangine,
  • Zackary H. Green,
  • Yuri Feito,
  • Duncan N. French

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/sports11010013
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 1
p. 13

Abstract

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To examine relationships between Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) descriptors (belt rank, experience, gi preference, and fighting style), resistance training (RT) experience, and measures of body composition, strength (maximal handgrip, 3-5-repetition maximum [RM] in barbell glute bridge [GB], prone bench row [PBR], and bench press [BP]), and velocity (GB, PBR, and BP at 7 kg and 30–60% 1-RM), 13 experienced (4.3 ± 3.4 years) BJJ athletes were recruited for this cross-sectional, pilot study. Significant (p 10 = 6.5), BJJ experience and body fat percentage (τ = −0.44 to −0.66, BF10 = 2.6–30.8) and GB velocity (τ = −0.45 to −0.46, BF10 = 2.8–3.1), RT experience and strength (τ = 0.44 to 0.73, BF10 = 2.6–75.1) and velocity (τ = −0.44 to 0.47, BF10 = 2.6–3.3), gi preference-training and relative PBR strength (τ = 0.70, BF10 = 51.9), gi preference-competition and height and lean mass (τ = −0.57 to 0.67, BF10 = 5.3–12.4) and BP velocity (τ = −0.52 to 0.67, BF10 = 3.5–14.0). The relevance of body composition and performance measures to sport-specific training and research interpretation are differentially affected by a BJJ athlete’s experience (BJJ, belt rank, RT), gi preferences, and fighting style.

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