Physiological Basis of MMA/Combat Sports

The ultimate goal of the sports scientist is to assist coaches, athletes and the interdisciplinary team to make informed to decisions to optimize the training process and competition performance. This is done through testing, data collection and analysis. In order to truly understand testing and the relevance of key metrics, we should have an appreciation of the adaptations which take place as a result of training. In this module we will take a deep dive into the underlying physiology of MMA and combat sports, identifying physiological changes which take place and their significance based on the sport in question. By the end of this module you should be able to identify specific adaptation in the following systems:

• The neuromuscular system
• Sensory motor systems
• Cardiac and respiratory systems
• Energy systems
• The systems responsible for sports specific skill development

Video: Module 2 Introduction (2 min)