Muscle Power and Body Composition of Ranked and Unranked Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Athletes: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Background: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is a martial art in which practitioners require a variety of technical and biomotor skills for optimal performance. The International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) awards points to athletes who win first, second, and third place in their competitions, but it is not known whether there are differences between ranked and unranked athletes. Therefore, the objective was to evaluate and compare the muscular strength and body composition of IBJJF-ranked and unranked athletes. Methods: Eight athletes ranked (RG = 3–1st, 24th, and 26th) or not (NRG = 5) by the IBJJF participated in this study and underwent lower and upper limb power and body composition tests. Results: despite percentage differences in favor of RG, there were no differences (p > 0.05) between the groups for the variables analyzed. Conclusions: there is no difference in muscular power and body composition between ranked and unranked athletes. This state of affairs suggests the complexity of athletic performance in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) and thus highlights the need to consider other aspects in addition to those evaluated, such as technique, tactics, and psychological factors, which can play a crucial role in the performance of athletes.

1. Introduction

The word jiu-jitsu is synonymous with Ju-Jutsu, which means “gentle art” in Japanese [1]. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is an intermittent grappling martial art in which the athletes aim to immobilize and finish the fight using joint locks (fist, elbow, knee, and ankle locks), chokes, and pressure techniques. It began in 1917 with the arrival in Brazil of Mitsuyo Maeda, also known as Count Koma, a renowned Japanese martial artist who, upon his arrival, gave several martial arts demonstrations, the first of which was attended by Carlos Gracie, who, despite not having the physical aptitude for fighting, became interested in the practices [2,3]. Thus, brothers Carlos and Hélio Gracie developed BJJ based on the use of movements and actions that allow individuals with less muscle mass to dominate stronger opponents [4].

The popularization of BJJ happened due to the good performance of Brazilian fighters in international Mix Martial Arts events, which also promoted the practice of BJJ as a sport. The first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Championship was held in 1996, and since then, the number of practitioners and athletes has increased significantly. In this scenario, in addition to submissions (such as joint locks, chokes, etc.), the athletes’ goals include taking dominant positions (mount, knee on belly, back control), performing specialized sweeps, and breaking the opponent’s guard (guard passes). These actions are rewarded with technical points and, in a practical sense, allow for the neutralization of an aggressor [3,5].

In the context of adult BJJ, there are nine weight categories in addition to the open category, divided into five belt categories, with fights lasting between 5 and 10 min, depending on the age group and belt of the fighter, with the adult black belt category having the longest duration [3]. The ranking of the athletes is based on the points that competitors receive for first, second, or third place in tournaments affiliated with the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) [6].

Recent research indicates that high-intensity strength training is advantageous for the physiological conditioning of BJJ athletes. It is crucial to enhance the manifestations of maximum strength, power, muscular endurance, and flexibility to optimize the athletic performance of these athletes, particularly competitors [7,8,9].

In this context, the capacity to generate substantial strength and power in the upper extremities is crucial for executing technical maneuvers that result in victory over an opponent. This attribute is highly sought after in athletes engaged in grappling martial arts [9,10,11,12]. Furthermore, at the highest level of competition, these athletes demonstrate exceptional levels of dynamic strength, muscular endurance, power, and anaerobic capacity, as well as superior aerobic capacity. These attributes appear to be more pronounced in the upper body than in the lower body, indicating that training programs should prioritize the development of the upper body. However, it is noteworthy that muscular power may be more highly developed in the lower body [10,13]; it is, therefore, essential to measure and understand these conditions.

It is established that muscle power tests can be conducted through the use of jumping (for lower extremities) and throwing (for upper extremities) exercises [14,15]. A study conducted with Finnish judo players [16] utilizing the vertical jump platform demonstrated that athletes engaged in competitive activities exhibited augmented power output in lower limb muscles relative to their non-competing counterparts. Another study [14] showed that experienced jiu-jitsu athletes (mean age 28 ± 5 years, 11 ± 4 years of training experience, brown and black belts) have high lower limb power, reaching a mean of 41 ± 5 cm in the countermovement jump. In addition, the body composition characteristics of these athletes showed a predominance of the somatotype mesomorphic component, low % body fat, and high amount of muscle mass, which are important factors to consider when it comes to high performance. However, it remains unclear whether there are differences between the muscular power and body composition of ranked and unranked BJJ athletes.

This information could inform the development of initiatives that enhance the efficacy of current guidelines for monitoring and training BJJ athletes, thus benefiting all stakeholders in the sport. In view of the above, the aim of this study was to evaluate and compare muscle power and body composition of IBJJF-ranked and unranked athletes.

2. Materials and Methods

This quantitative, cross-sectional, and descriptive study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of São Paulo (protocol number 0598/2023, date of approval 29 November 2023) and was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and all applicable rules and regulations pertaining to research involving human subjects. Following a comprehensive explanation of the research procedures, each participant provided written informed consent in the form of an informed consent form.

2.1. Assessment and Recruitment Environment

Participants were recruited (for convenience) after an initial telephone contact through their respective coaches (who were duly informed about the research through prior contact by the principal investigator), followed by a face-to-face contact at their respective training sites at the end of the training sessions.

The volunteers responded to an anamnesis, which was used to ascertain their state of health and any history of injury that might have precluded their participation in the study. The guiding question was, “Have you sustained or do you currently have an injury within the past three months?” Based on the participants’ responses, the researchers determined whether it was appropriate for the athlete to refrain from taking part in the study.

The data collection was conducted in the Sports Sciences laboratory at the Federal University of São Paulo, where the conditions of privacy, ventilation, light, and temperature were strictly controlled. The proposed assessments and tests were carried out on a single day, with each participant completing approximately 35 min of testing.

2.2. Participants, Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria

Eight professional male jiu-jitsu athletes met the criteria and were assessed. To be included in the study, the athletes were informed of the specifics of the research and met the inclusion criteria: they were between the ages of 18 and 35, had not sustained an injury in the previous three months, and did not have any medical contraindications to physical activity. The only exclusion criterion was that the athletes were not involved in IBJJF competitions.

The athletes (black and brown belt) were divided into two groups based on their ranking on the IBJJF world circuit: the Ranked Group (RG = 03, black belt = 02), comprising the top performers (ranked 1st, 24th, and 26th in their categories), and the Non-Ranked Group (NRG = 05, black belt = 01), comprising those with less significant results in the big leagues.

All athletes (from medium and medium-heavy categories) had the same training characteristics with 150 ± 30 min of specific jiu-jitsu training (on the mats) combined with 90 ± 20 min of general physical training (including upper/lower limb and core strength and power on gym equipment) with a frequency of 5 ± 1 times per week.

The athletes (n = 8) were 24.00 ± 4.14 years old, 84.61 ± 13.33 kg in body mass, 1.79 ± 0.09 m in height, 26.43 ± 2.65 in body mass index, 9.50 ± 2.00 years of sport experience and 6.90 ± 1.3 years of competitive experience.

2.3. Anthropometric and Body Composition Assessment

Body mass and height were measured using a Sanny™ (Sunny Group, Yuyao, China) anthropometric scale (model: Digital with stadiometer), which is accurate to 100 g and 0.1 cm, respectively, according to the methodology previously outlined in reference [17].

Body composition was assessed via the tetrapolar bioelectrical impedance method with the BC-558 Ironman™ Segmental Body Composition Monitor (Tanita Corp., Tokyo, Japan), equipment, considered to be a fast, non-invasive, and economically viable method to indirectly estimate the values of lean, fat and bone mass, total body water and basal metabolic rate by using regression equations. The procedures and recommendations for this evaluation were carried out in accordance with the literature [18].

2.4. Lower Limb Power Assessment

To evaluate lower limb power, vertical jumps were conducted under the following conditions: The jumping exercises performed were the Squat Jump (SJ) and the Counter Movement Jump (CMJ). An optical measurement system, the Opto Jump Next™ (Microgate, Bolzano, Italy), was used to collect the data. Each transmission bar contained 96 LED lights (1.0416 cm resolution) in continuous communication with the receiving cell, measuring the contact times during the jumps with an accuracy of 1/1000 per second.

Prior to data collection, the athletes performed a short warm-up (15 min) consisting of 6 min of light jogging, 5 min of dynamic stretching, and 4 min of exercise at the participant’s discretion, followed by familiarization with the vertical jump protocol. Each subject performed three familiarization attempts, followed by three additional attempts for each jump condition (squat jump and countermovement jump), with a 30 s interval between them. To analyze the data, the height average (m) of the three valid jumps was calculated, and the relative power (W/kg) was determined for both CMJ and SJ.

In the SJ, the athlete assumed a static position with the knee angle at approximately 90°, attempting to maintain a vertical alignment of the trunk and with the hands positioned on the waist. At the assessor’s command, the athlete performed a maximum vertical jump from a single concentric action. In the CMJ, the athlete commenced from a static standing position with their hands on their waist and proceeded to perform a maximum vertical jump utilizing the stretch–shortening cycle. The assessor directed the subjects to flex their knees to an angle of approximately 90° in the eccentric phase and jump as high as possible, utilizing the elastic energy generated. In both tests, the subjects were prohibited from flexing their knees during the flight phase of the jumps [19,20,21].

2.5. Upper Limb Power Assessment

The aforementioned procedure was conducted in accordance with the established protocols for medicine ball throwing (MBT), as previously proposed in reference [22].

To conduct the test, the subject was instructed to remain seated with their back against the vertical backrest and their thighs resting horizontally. The three-kilogram medicine ball (Dynamax Inc^®, Dallas, TX, USA) was positioned at the height of the sternum (A). The throw was executed with both hands in a manner that did not involve any movement of the trunk over the support. In the event that the individual did not adhere to the established standards, the attempt was deemed invalid. The distance of the medicine ball throw was measured from point A to its initial contact with the ground (B). Each participant performed three throws, with a 30 s interval between each attempt. For the purposes of analysis, the mean of the three valid attempts was calculated [22], and the absolute (m) and relative distance (m/kg) were determined.

2.6. Statistical Analysis

The data were analyzed using an Excel spreadsheet (Windows^®) for subsequent calculation. The mean, standard deviation (SD), median, and interquartile range (IQR) were used to describe the numerical variables.

A Student’s t-test for independent samples was employed to ascertain the statistical significance of the observed differences between the groups with respect to the numerical variables under investigation. Prior to conducting the test, the assumptions underlying its application were evaluated using the Shapiro–Wilk normality test and Levene’s homogeneity test. The chosen significance level was set at 5%. The effect size (ES) was calculated afterward and interpreted according to Cohen’s criteria: <0.2 = trivial, 0.2–0.6 = small, 0.6–1.2 = moderate, 1.2–2.0 = large, 2.0–4.0 = very large, and 4.0 = extremely large [23].

The statistical analysis was performed using the R Core Team software, v4.1.2 [24].

3. Results

No statistically significant differences were identified. The observed effect size was trivial for the variables medicine ball throwing relative power (m/kg), CMJ (m), and SJ (m) and small for all other variables except age, which was moderate. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that the RG obtained higher percentage values than the NRG in all the variables analyzed, except for body fat % (Table 1 and Table 2).

4. Discussion

The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare muscle power and body composition of IBJJF-ranked and unranked athletes. The primary finding was that no significant differences were observed between the experimental groups. Nevertheless, percentage variations were noted with superior outcomes for the RG in comparison to the NRG across all variables, with the exception of body fat %.

In this context, athletes who have achieved a high ranking tend to be older, which may be related to greater experience. The moderate ES and the larger percentage difference (24.22%) found between the groups are consistent with this when looking at the Age variable. They also tend to have greater height, body mass, bone mineral density, percentage of body water, lean mass, absolute and relative power of the upper and lower limbs, and a lower percentage of body fat. These results become even more interesting when we consider that the athletes studied here had very similar training regimes and structures (frequency, volume, and environment).

Although not significant, RG had 14.43% and 13.11% more lean mass and BMR and 20.21% less fat than NRG. These results are in line with previous findings [7,25], which reported that a greater amount of lean mass is associated with improved performance in athletes from various sports disciplines. Moreover, other studies have also identified low body fat percentages (9–12%), with values comparable to those observed in our study [9,10,14], and without differences between novice and expert athletes or between elite and non-elite athletes [7].

In regard to upper limb muscle power, the findings of this study indicate an average distance of 4.87 m in the medicine ball throw for NRG, which is higher than the results reported by Andreato et al. [7] in non-advanced or non-elite athletes (3.8 m and 4.2 m, respectively). With regard to the upper limb muscle power of the RG, this was observed to be higher (5.3 m) than the results obtained in professional athletes (4.9 m) [26]. Nevertheless, no distinction was observed between RG and NRG when the data were analyzed in either absolute (m) or relative form (m/kg). Additionally, the smallest percentage difference was identified between the groups for the relative data (MBT RP = 0.66%).

The capacity to perform a jumping maneuver can serve as a differentiating factor among groups with disparate levels of conditioning and competitiveness within the context of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu [27]. The mean jump height was found to be 30 and 31 cm in the squat jump (SJ) and 35 and 36 cm in the countermovement jump (CMJ) for the NRG and the RG, respectively. These values are consistent with the reported range of 30 to 45 cm in the literature [7]. Other studies [9,14,26] demonstrated an average of around 40 cm for the CMJ in professional or non-professional athletes; however, they did not report values for relative power, a variable of paramount importance when comparing differences in body mass or categories. Nevertheless, no differences were observed between groups when the data were analyzed in absolute terms (height in meters) or in relative terms (W/kg). However, there were percentage differences in the relative power of the lower limbs in the SJ (8.45%) and CMJ (7.28%) tests.

It is known that better-ranked athletes in fighting sports tend to be in better physical condition [28]. Our results, however, allow us to weigh up this statement. Thus, the discussion about sporting success in BJJ reveals interesting nuances that transcend the condition of muscle power and body composition, as well as the old dilemma about the short duration of IBJJF fights compared to the old challenges and classic training methods, which incites deeper reflections on the relationship between power and performance in the current scenario of competitive BJJ.

Although variables such as power and body composition have traditionally been considered key indicators of athletic performance in various recent sporting contexts [14,26,28,29,30,31], our data suggests that there may be more to the direct application of power and body composition variables as the main predictors of performance in BJJ.

The comparative analysis of the data, including prominent athletes such as the top-ranked athlete and the current world champion, revealed no significant differences between ranked and unranked athletes. These findings do not diminish the significance of muscle power and body composition in the athletic domain. However, they suggest that their relationship with performance in BJJ is more intricate, underscoring the necessity for a more comprehensive assessment of these athletes, one that considers not only physical attributes but also technical, tactical, and psychological factors [30,32]. Moreover, the dearth of literature predicting relative performance for muscle power and body composition underscores the necessity for future research to investigate additional variables pertinent to BJJ performance.

Prior research has highlighted the significance of weight control strategies and the prevalence of the mesomorphic somatotype among elite Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) athletes [33,34]. However, our findings indicate that success in this sport may be attributable to a distinctive and multifaceted combination of variables that remain to be fully elucidated [35]. In this context, it is reasonable to list the possible differences between champions and non-champions. These include, but are not limited to, differences in experience and maturity, a higher technical and tactical level, and the psychological profile of a winner in competing athletes [36,37].

In light of the exploratory nature of this study, it is imperative to acknowledge the inherent limitations and the necessity of replicating and expanding the research. Further studies, with a larger sample size and additional variables, may provide valuable insights for a more comprehensive understanding of the determinants of success in BJJ, including in women. Nevertheless, this pilot study provides a foundation for future research, emphasizing the complexity of sporting performance in BJJ and underscoring the necessity for a more holistic approach to analyzing the variables that influence athletes’ success in this sport.

5. Conclusions

There were no significant differences between the lower and upper limb power and body composition of IBJJF-ranked and non-ranked athletes. This finding underscores the intricate nature of sports performance in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) and thus highlights the need to consider aspects other than those evaluated, such as technique, tactics, and psychological factors, which can play a pivotal role in the performance of these athletes.

Pratical Implications

The minimal differences between well-ranked and unranked athletes revealed by this study do not indicate that such differences are inconsequential. Rather, they underscore the necessity to consider additional factors, such as technique, tactics, and psychological elements, since jiu-jitsu is a notoriously difficult sport to master, and its practitioners must also maintain a high volume of specific training. Other disciplines could benefit from this approach, especially contemporary sports (which have not been explored scientifically enough), in order to identify and improve the determinants of optimal sporting performance. In this context, it would be advisable to organize and implement training sessions (workshops) for coaches, athletes, and other individuals involved in the jiu-jitsu community regarding the importance of body composition and muscular fitness, as well as other factors that determine sporting performance in the discipline.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, R.L.F.G.; methodology, A.N.B. and R.L.F.G.; formal analysis, R.L.F.G.; investigation, A.N.B. and R.L.F.G.; resources A.N.B. and R.L.F.G.; data curation, R.L.F.G.; writing—original draft preparation, A.N.B. and R.L.F.G.; writing—review and editing, A.N.B. and R.L.F.G.; visualization, A.N.B. and R.L.F.G.; supervision, R.L.F.G. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Institutional Review Board Statement

The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Sao Paulo (protocol number 0598/2023, date of approval 29 November 2023).

Informed Consent Statement

Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.

Data Availability Statement

The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article, further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Felipe Granado de Souza for his assistance with the statistical analysis of the data, the participating athletes, and the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Footnotes

Disclaimer/Publisher’s Note: The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content.

Tables

Table 1

Descriptive and comparative measures of the anthropometric and body composition variables studied in Ranked (RG = 3) and Unranked (NRG = 5) Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athletes.

Variable	Group	Mean	SD	Median	IQR	Delta %	p-Value	ES
Age (years)	NRG	22.00	3.08	22.00	2.00	24.22	0.115	−0.61
	RG	27.33	3.79	29.00	3.50
Height (m)	NRG	1.75	0.09	1.74	0.05	5.14	0.139	−0.50
	RG	1.84	0.06	1.85	0.06
Body Mass (kg)	NRG	82.38	16.77	83.40	8.30	7.22	0.493	−0.23
	RG	88.33	5.13	87.00	5.00
Body Fat (%)	NRG	12.12	2.86	11.90	2.60	−20.21	0.334	0.37
	RG	9.67	3.17	8.20	2.90
Body Water (%)	NRG	64.26	3.46	64.00	3.00	5.39	0.210	−0.46
	RG	67.73	3.17	68.10	3.15
Bone Mass (ua)	NRG	3.52	0.50	3.60	0.20	13.63	0.128	−0.51
	RG	4.00	0.26	4.10	0.25
Lean Mass (kg)	NRG	67.46	10.65	68.60	5.80	14.43	0.136	−0.50
	RG	77.20	5.27	77.70	5.25
BMR (Kcal)	NRG	2110.20	353.47	2124.00	184.00	13.11	0.180	−0.45
	RG	2387.00	155.56	2382.00	155.50

BMR, Basal Metabolic Rate.

Table 2

Descriptive and comparative measures of the muscle power variables studied in Ranked (RG = 3) and Unranked (NRG = 5) Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athletes.

Variable	Group	Mean	SD	Median	IQR	Delta %	p-Value	ES
MBT (m)	NRG	4.87	0.59	5.06	0.18	8.82	0.299	−0.37
	RG	5.30	0.46	5.45	0.44
MBT RP (m/Kg)	NRG	0.06	0.00	0.06	0.00	0.66	0.927	−0.02
	RG	0.06	0.01	0.06	0.01
SJ (m)	NRG	0.30	0.04	0.28	0.02	3.33	0.629	−0.16
	RG	0.31	0.02	0.30	0.02
SJ RP (W/Kg)	NRG	49.62	9.84	50.86	11.55	8.45	0.411	−0.28
	RG	54.20	4.72	51.95	4.30
CMJ (m)	NRG	0.35	0.03	0.34	0.03	2.85	0.949	−0.04
	RG	0.36	0.06	0.35	0.06
CMJ RP (W/Kg)	NRG	54.06	10.94	53.47	8.82	7.28	0.519	−0.22
	RG	58.31	6.62	61.75	5.90

MBT, Medicine Ball Throwing; RP, Relative Power; SJ, Squat Jump; CMJ, Counter Movement Jump.

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