A Comparative Study On The Effectiveness Of Sport-Specific And General Conditioning Training For Performance Parameters In Young Mixed Martial Arts Athletes

Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a combat discipline sport that demands athletes to perform an variety of high-intensity movements involving in striking, grappling, takedowns, and ground-based techniques. The ability to execute these actions effectively depends on several physical and neuromuscular characteristics, particularly rapid movement, adequate joint mobility, and efficient responses to visual or external stimuli. Physical conditioning is a essential part of MMA preparation that can be broadly categorized into general and sport-oriented approaches. General conditioning

Aims: to develop overall physical fitness, while sport-specific conditioning is designed around the movement patterns and performance requirements encountered during MMA activities. Since MMA involves repeated changes in movement, intensity, and technical demands, conditioning that closely reflects the characteristics of the sport may offer greater performance benefits. However, there is limited comparative evidence regarding the influence of these two conditioning approaches on specific performance abilities in young MMA athletes. Hence, the present study is designed to determine and compare the effects of sport-specific conditioning and general conditioning on selected performance parameters, namely speed, mobility, and reaction time, among young mixed martial arts athletes.