Active vs
Passive Recovery in Between MMA Fight Rounds
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is a full contact
sport that allows use of grappling and striking techniques, either standing or
on the ground
Active Rest (AR) involves moving, like
walking
Passive Rest (PR) involves sitting (traditional stool sitting)
Purpose of my
Research is to augment
performance in MMA
How? By educating coaches and athletes that much of the traditional training is now becoming
obsolete according to current science
Problem? There is
little to no research on AR when it comes to Combat Sports, especially in MMA
Gaining more
knowledge in AR will help abate injuries because of the athlete being less
fatigue physically and mentally.
AR is Superior because?
Respiratory Ventilation
Primary Inspiratory muscles:
- Contraction of external
intercostal muscles elevates the
ribs, providing 25% of the volume of air in the lungs at rest
- Contraction of diaphragm flattens floor of thoracic cavity,
providing 75% of the volume of air into lungs in normal breathing at
rest.
Accessory Inspiratory Muscles:
- Assists the external intercostal muscles by elevating the
ribs, increasing the speed and amount of rib movement when primary
respiratory muscles are unable to move enough air to meet oxygen demands of
tissues.
Image by http://www.physio-pedia.com/Muscles_of_Respiration
Venous Return
Skeletal Muscle Pump:
- Large veins located in calf region of leg, which are one way valves that direct blood flow toward the
heart.
- Muscles surrounding these veins, contract and relax causing
compression and decompression in the veins. Much like a pump, which is enhanced
by locomotor activity (ex walking or running)
Respiratory Pump:
- aka respiratory activity influences venous return
by increasing the rate and depth of breathing, which increases
the flow of blood towards the heart.
Image
by https://www.studyblue.com/notes/note/n/chapter-15-blood-flow-and-the-control-of-blood-pressure/deck/3166005
Review of Literature on AR vs PR
According to
Connolly, D. , Brennan, K. , & Lauzon, C. (2003) AR having advantges over
PR in subsequent short duration performances, in high intensity exercise has
been well recorded (Ainsworth et al., 1993; Stanley et al., 1988).
A Judo
study, reported that when AR was performed by one judoka and his opponent
performed PR, the odds of winning increased ten times (Franchini, E. , de
Moraes Bertuzzi, R. , Takito, M. , & Kiss, M., 2009).
Results of
the present study are also in line with previous ones that reported AR was
better than PR for lactate removal from the blood (Greenwood et al. 2008; Siegler
et al. 2006; McAinch et al. 2004;
Gupta et al. 1996; Weltman and Regan 1983;
Weltman et al. 1979)
Metabolic
Acidosis (MA)
MA has been mistakenly believed to be caused by lactic acidosis
for over 80 years. It is when the body becomes so acidic you feel sick.
According to scientists Robergs, Robert A., Farzenah Ghiasvand, and Daryl
Parker (2004) reported "This review presents clear evidence that there is
no biochemical support for lactate production causing
acidosis. Lactate production retards, not causes acidosis."
Meaning lactate is not the bad guy during high intensity
exercise, but the good guy. Thus, as scientists and coaches, we need to focus
on whats more important being Acid = H+.
MA: Decrease pH, Decrease HCO3-, < 7.35 (acidosis) / CO2
-pH (potential
Hydrogen) = H+
-H+ = Acid
-HCO3- = Bicarbonate (Buffer resist change in pH)
-Normal Blood HCO3- = 24 mmol
-Normal Blood pH = 7.4
-CO2 = Carbon Dioxide
(Robergs, R.
A., Ghiasvand, F., & Parker, D., 2004)
If
HCO3- decreases , then pH decreases, meaning that they are directly
related. However, they are both inversely related to CO2. This simply
means, to combat MA during high intensity exercise, in this case an MMA bout,
focusing on breathing out CO2 to raise pH and HC03- would be practical.
Hypothesis
AR in
between MMA fight rounds is optimal for subsequent performance, because it is
easier to hyperpneic (breathing deeper or faster than
normal) when walking, to increase the ratio of breathing, exhaling more
CO2 per breath.
"People
Don't Plan To Fail, They Fail To Plan"
The Effects of Hypohydration on Muscular Performance
Introduction
Many factors collectively contribute to decreased muscular performance, such as hypohydration (HYPO), caloric restriction, increased muscular temperature, and inadequate recovery time between performance bouts. It is difficult to determine the contribution of HYPO alone on decrements in muscular performance. When such confounding factors are accounted for, research has found that a 3-4% reduction in hydration state reduces strength (maximal force muscle can generate at a specified velocity), peak power (muscle engages in maximal concentric action at the optimal shortening velocity), and high-intensity endurance (maximal activities lasting >30 seconds but <2 minutes)[1,2,7,8, 14].
HYPO is defined as a decrease in total body water. In many investigations, HYPO appeared to affected muscular performance but research results were confounded due to both masking and exacerbating factors [1,2] . This literature review attempted to further discover the specific effects of HYPO on muscular performance.
Purpose
The purpose of this review was to examine the effects of HYPO on muscular performance and to specifically determine if, and how, HYPO affects muscular strength, power, and high-intensity endurance (HIE).
Methods
Databases searched included Google Scholar, SportsDiscus, and PubMed for literature dated 2005 on. Keywords searched included: “dehydration”, “hydration”, “muscular performance”, “fluid balance”, and “fluid restriction”.
Literature Review Data Synthesis
Effects of HYPO on Muscular Performance
Most research has found that a 3 to 4% reduction in HYPO reduces muscle strength by 2%, muscle power by 3%, and HIE exercise by 10% [1,2,7,8]. The larger reduction in muscular performance as a result of HIE may be attributable to the greater time involvement, thus mechanisms other than HYPO may contribute to the adverse outcomes[1,3,6,7].
Exacerbating Factors
Previous investigations on HYPO and muscular performance did not account for certain factors which appear to magnify/exacerbate the deleterious effects. These exacerbating factors include: (1) increased core temperature, (2) caloric restriction, and (3) muscular fatigue [1,7,8,9,12,13].
Masking Factors
Other factors that confound or mask the effects of HYPO on muscular performance include: (1) the level of endurance training, (2) women’s menstrual status, (3) the type of test used to measure strength and power [1,8,10,12].
Potential Mechanisms Suggesting HYPO Decreases Muscular
Performance
Cardiovascular (CV) Mechanism: It is unclear of the degree to which CV alterations affect strength and power. Brief productions in both, occur independently to CV because the exercises tested rely on stored ATP and CP for energy [1,11]. However, CV changes in HIE exercise may affect performance by reductions in adequate blood perfusion for oxygen delivery, removal of waste by-products, and muscle blood flow [11,14].
Buffering Mechanism: It has been suggested that hydration state may affect acid-base balance of the body [1]. It is well known that there is an optimal pH level for optimal performance. Research suggests that pH may be altered by HYPO [1,4]. However, actual evidence examining muscle and blood demonstrated no HYPO-induce changes of internal pH and bicarbonate after exercise. Thus acid-base balance is unlikely to represent the mechanism for HYPO.
Metabolism Mechanism: A disturbance in metabolism by HYPO may cause a major ripple effects on muscular performance [1,4]. However, specific in-depth research is needed to understand the actual effects of HYPO on lipid, protein, and carbohydrate metabolism during exercise, to establish whether muscle performance is affected.
Neuromuscular Mechanism: HYPO may alter the CNS by reducing the recruitment of motor units thus adversely affecting the neuromuscular system [1,4,14]. Also, the loss of total body water may affects some component of the neuromuscular system [14,15]. However, studies have not examined the effect of hydration state on central drives and thus there is not enough scientific evidence to support these hypotheses. [1,4,11,14,15].
 |
| Non-confounded studies examining muscular strength, power, and high-intensity endurance |
Conclusion
Techniques used to dehydrate subjects greatly affects fluid reserves in the body and hence performance outcomes. When confounding factors are accounted for, research found that HYPO alone causes negative effects on muscular performance [1,2,7,8]. Concluding that a 3-4% reduction in HYD state reduces strength by 2%, peak power by 3%, and high-intensity endurance by 10% [1,2,7,8]. In casual resistance training a 2-3% reduction in strength and power is insignificant for the maintenance of health. However, as an athlete or someone looking to maximize muscular performance, a small percentage reduction is extremely significant.
