MMA Training for the Significantly Overweight (as promised)

“In 648 B.C.E., the Greeks introduced the sport of pankration” (Walter 2003, para 1). Pankration was essentially a combination of boxing and wrestling and is the basis of the current sport known as mixed martial arts, or MMA, which has been popularized in recent years due largely to the Ultimate Fighting Championships, or UFC. MMA is not just a spectator sport that showcases the talents of top competitors. It is also a wonderful mix of strength and cardio training that can be used as an exercise program for anyone who wants to learn. With the rise in American obesity, and the rise in popularity of MMA, many people are flocking to MMA training facilities, and many are encountering concerns about how their weight may affect their ability to train. Many of these concerns can be easily addressed through proper training techniques that will allow anyone to learn this sport. Despite the many concerns regarding injury rates and obesity, mixed martial arts training can be physically beneficial to the significantly overweight individual. It can become part of a diet and exercise program that will alter the body composition and change their lives for the better.

As more studies are done on the issue of obesity, it becomes evident that many health problems can manifest as a result of being significantly overweight. It is commonly known and understood that obese individuals are at a heightened risk of diabetes and heart disease, but studies also suggest that excess body weight puts one at a higher risk of injury. In fact, “a new study on the subject says about one out of every four obese people report personal injuries in men and about one out of every five obese women report the same. This may be compared to the one out of six normal weight men and one out of eight normal weight women who report such injuries” (Obesity can increase, para. 2). This heightened injury risk should be noted by a prospective fighter who is significantly overweight. If he or she goes into training armed with an awareness of this risk, its causes, and its manifestations then he or she may be more self-aware and better prepared to utilize proper training methods to avoid these injuries.

As many people know, “obesity can limit the amount of physical strain a person can take” (Obesity can increase, para. 5). Having excess body weight puts more strain on the bones and joints that move the body, and this strain adds up over time. Therefore, it is necessary for the obese fighter to monitor the amount of stress on his or her body to avoid overexertion.

The first and perhaps most widely recognized aspect of MMA is the stand-up fighting or striking. The most commonly used stand-up style is muay thai: the Thai art of kickboxing which uses punches and kicks as well as strikes from the knees and elbows. While many people perceive this as dangerous because of the bumps and bruises, there are certain other inherent risks to muay thai training when the fighter-trainee is significantly overweight.

For the fighter, the greatest risk is injury of the lower body’s joints. As a recent study by W. Gilleard and T. Smith (2007) noted, obesity is “a factor in reduced motion magnitude at the hip joint and the lumbar spine, possibly owing to a mechanical effect of interposing adipose tissue restricting joint range of motion” (p. 1). This means that an overambitious or overly forceful kick can cause strain and injury to the hip joints. The knees are also at risk for injury during training, as many kicks use a knee extension, and the technique of dodging and weaving to avoid punches requires significant and frequent bending at the knees. If the obese person has not been getting regular exercise to strengthen the lower body, the necessary muscles will be weak. “Weak quadriceps and hamstrings [and] poor alignment” are frequently the culprits of knee pain and injury” (Sherman 2006, para. 1). “The simplest ways to keep your knees healthy,” Alexa Joy Sherman (2006) advises, “include staying fit and maintaining an appropriate weight” (para. 2). These weak quadriceps, hamstrings, and lumbar spine areas are also quite prone to muscle strain when they are used vigorously, and MMA training is “more rigorous training than almost any other sport,” according to top UFC contender Chuck Liddell (as quoted in Walter 2003, para. 19). This is very normal, and as long as the obese person does not overexert himself or herself, these muscles will strengthen over time ([name removed for public posting], personal communication).

Another area of concern is the risk to the sparring partner that the obese person’s physical condition may affect. There is a common misconception that a higher body weight leads to more powerful striking. While “research has generally indicated that obese adults present with greater absolute strength and power of muscles of the trunk and lower extremity, the effect appears to be highly site-specific” (Byrne, Henning, Hills, Steele & Wearing, 2006, p. 2). Given the known musculoskeletal issues with obesity previously noted, this does not translate into more powerful strikes. Striking is not dependent on site-specific power, but on the body’s ability to create the right amount of force in the right position ([name removed for public posting], personal communication). There is more risk that the obese fighter will injure his or her sparring partner by misplacing kicks. Since the range of motion in the hips is limited, the leg often cannot hit the intended target with the necessary precision. This can often result in a kick that is intended for the thigh to impact the common peroneal nerve directly. It should be noted, though, that this mishap is common regardless of the size of the fighter. There is slightly more concern with the obese fighter, as his or her range of motion is inherently more limited than that of a person of average weight. ([name removed for public posting], Personal Communication).

Each of these problems can be avoided by proper muay thai training, which will enrich the obese person’s training experience in multiple ways. Training by using a heavy bag or a thai bag will help any fighter develop proper form before working with a partner. This is essential to the prevention of partner-injury, and it also provides the fighter-trainee with an excellent cardiovascular and muscular conditioning session. Using the speed bag and the double-end bag will develop precision in the punches. Once the trainee has enough precision, he or she can transition more easily to working with focus mitts and thai pads without running the risk of misplacing a punch and accidentally hitting a partner in the chest or face. ([name removed for public posting], personal communication). These things together provide a good, rounded kickboxing program for the obese person. Use of the bags to develop precision also strengthens the muscles of the lower body, and the repetition creates a greater range of motion in the hips and knees. ([name removed for public posting], personal communication). As part of a weight loss program, kickboxing is very effective, as it burns approximately 720 calories per hour. (If Your Goal Is, 2005, ).

The other part of MMA training is grappling which is most commonly presented in the form of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. This is an art that involves submission of the opponent primarily via joint locks and chokes. When an obese person enters jiu jitsu training, there are a couple of things that must be considered. Due to the noted musculoskeletal concerns, many trainers believe that joint locks can cause greater injury to an obese trainee’s joints, and that the muscular stretching that occurs when these joint locks are applied will cause too much strain. ([name removed for public posting], personal communication). While these limitations will take time to overcome, there is much that the obese person can do to speed the process. Frequent stretching is required for any fighter but is even more important for the overweight individual whose range of motion and flexibility are limited. Yoga has been very effective for increasing flexibility, and is highly recommended by trainers. ([name removed for public posting], personal communication).

The other largest concern with jiu jitsu is that the obese person will lose his or her balance during a move, and will smother his or her opponent. ([name removed for public posting], personal communication). The easiest way to overcome this obstacle is by proper training. The training techniques used for muay thai will help build precision and balance, and the stretching exercises or yoga will help one to achieve flexibility. In addition to these, there are many solo jiu jitsu drills that will help the obese individual further condition his or her muscles and gain the necessary strength and precision to spar with a partner, or as it is called in jiu jitsu, to roll. Any certified jiu jitsu instructor can show the trainee a series of solo drills. ([name removed for public posting], personal communication).

Anyone can use these principles to learn MMA, but they are especially important for an obese person. It is important to remember to discuss these things with a potential instructor, as they will be able to tell the student which drills might benefit him or her most as well as how much experience the instructors have had addressing these issues through training before. In a good program with a qualified instructor, students can almost always lose weight and reshape their bodies. Schools that have tracked student weight loss have shown that students lost on “average [ten] pounds a month” (Orange County Jiu Jitsu and MMA, para.2). Many people have lost even more weight. D******S***** [name removed for public posting] (personal communication) lost 90 pounds in four months using the diet and training principles for MMA outlined by his trainer, J********T******** from D***** D******* Biloxi, MS [names removed for public posting]. I have personally lost 128 pounds in the last nine months using the training principles given by S**** B******, a professional MMA fighter of Georgia’s T***** B***** [names removed for public posting]. If the obese individual trains properly and exercises caution to avoid injury, this weight loss can be beneficial and even life changing.

References

Byrne, N.M., Hennig, E. M., Hills, A. P., Steele, J. R., & Steele, J. R. (2006, February). The biomechanics of restricted movement in adult obesity. Obesity Reviews, 7(1) 13-24. Retrieved June 11, 2008 from, EBSCOhost Database.

Gilleard, W. & Smith, T. (2007, February). Effect of obesity on posture and hip joint momentsduring a standing task, and trunk forward flexion motion. International Journal of Obesity, 31(2), 267-271. Retrieved June 11, 2008 from EBSCOhost Database.

If your goal is weight loss. (2005, March). Natural Health, 35(3), 84. Retrieved June 11, 2008, from EBSCOhost Database

Mink, R. (2008, March) A New Grip on Talent. The Washington Post, p. E01. Retrieved June 11, 2008, from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/06/AR2008030603982.html

Obesity can increase the chances of injuries. (2005, July). The American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Retrieved June 2, 2008, from www.bio-medicine.org/medicine-news/Obesity-Can-Increase-The-Chance-Of-Inuries-4024-1/

Orange County Jiu Jitsu and MMA. You will change with our training. Retrieved June 11, 2008, from http://www.ocjj.com/index

Sherman, A. J. (2006, September). Strong in the knees. Natural Health, 36(8), 45-48. Retrieved June 11, 2008, from EBSCOhost Daabase.

Walter, D. F. (2003, December). Mixed martial arts: ultimate sport or ultimately illegal? Retrieved Jun 11, 2008, from http://www.grapplearts.com/Mixed-Martial-Arts-1.htm