Types of muscle fibers and MMA, BJJ training
There are three main types of muscle fibers. Each type has different abilities. For mixed martial arts, MMA for cutting certain muscle fibers is used more predominantly. By using proper training, a person will condition those muscle fibers better geared towards BJJ and MMA fights.
MMA is a sport that relies on explosive power to hit, kick, and to perform takedowns and submissions. The methods in which a person trains can go a long way in helping a person achieve their goals in these types of events. Even if a person is not a fighter or has a desire to train in any martial art, the ability to train properly will enhance one’s ability to do well.
Your muscle is made up of three types of muscle fibers; slow twitch (Type I), fast twitch (Type II), and there is a type that is a fast twitch type but has some limited endurance capacity (Type IIb). Each type of muscle fiber is trained differently than the other types.
Slow-twitch fibers have poor overall strength, however, they have excellent strength ability. These are the fibers that are primarily trained by performing high repetitions of exercises at slow speeds, such as running two miles.
Fast twitch fibers have almost no resistance capacity, but they are strong and fast and therefore important in speed and power. These are the types of muscle cells that are trained by lifting heavy weights for low reps (4-6 reps). Powerlifters when training are training this type of muscle fiber. Weightlifters can move a great deal of weight, but they may find it difficult to continuously exert themselves for several minutes due to fatigue.
Type IIb has strength and speed, but it also has better endurance capacity than Type II. However, they do not have the endurance capacity to the extent of Type I. Type IIb muscle fibers are the most important in a fight. If trained properly and sufficiently, they give the individual the ability to repeatedly move and hit hard and fast without becoming too fatigued. Having poorly conditioned Type IIb muscle fibers will leave a person dependent on Type I fibers that are too slow and weak, and dependent on Type II muscle fibers that will tire too quickly.
When training for an event that relies on a combination of speed, power, and endurance, it is important to train each type of muscle fiber. This is done through a carefully planned conditioning program designed for competition-oriented bjj mma exercises.
