Cadet and Junior Performance Is Associated With Senior's World Championship and Olympics Achievement in Judo

Purpose: We determined whether cadet and junior Judo World Championship participation and medal achievement would predict senior performance at World Championship (WC) and Olympic Games (OG). Methods: We analyzed retrospectively a total of 7780 athletes who competed at the OG and WC in the cadet, junior, and senior between 2009 and 2021. Results: There was an increase in the probability of winning a medal in the senior category (WC and OG, and only WC) ranged from 4.3 to 4.5 for medal-winning cadets compared to non-medalists and this probability remained around 3.3-3.8 for medalists in the male and 5.3-5.4 for the female medalists in cadet WC. Moreover, the chance of winning a medal in the senior category (WC and OG) was 8.1-8.5 times greater for medalists when compared to non-medalists in the junior WC. In turn, the probability of winning a medal in the senior (WC) was 1.5-1.7 times greater for athletes who did not compete in the junior WC. In the OG, the probability of winning a medal was 3.5 greater times for medalists when compared to non-medalists at cadet and junior WC. Conclusion: Thus, being a cadet or junior WC medalist increases the probability of winning a senior WC or an Olympic medal.

Experience, Training Preferences, and Fighting Style Are Differentially Related to Measures of Body Composition, Strength, and Power in Male Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Athletes-A Pilot Study

To examine relationships between Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) descriptors (belt rank, experience, gi preference, and fighting style), resistance training (RT) experience, and measures of body composition, strength (maximal handgrip, 3-5-repetition maximum [RM] in barbell glute bridge [GB], prone bench row [PBR], and bench press [BP]), and velocity (GB, PBR, and BP at 7 kg and 30−60% 1-RM), 13 experienced (4.3 ± 3.4 years) BJJ athletes were recruited for this cross-sectional, pilot study. Significant (p < 0.05) Kendall’s tau and Bayesian relationships were seen between belt rank and body fat percentage (τ = −0.53, BF10 = 6.5), BJJ experience and body fat percentage (τ = −0.44 to −0.66, BF10 = 2.6−30.8) and GB velocity (τ = −0.45 to −0.46, BF10 = 2.8−3.1), RT experience and strength (τ = 0.44 to 0.73, BF10 = 2.6−75.1) and velocity (τ = −0.44 to 0.47, BF10 = 2.6−3.3), gi preference-training and relative PBR strength (τ = 0.70, BF10 = 51.9), gi preference-competition and height and lean mass (τ = −0.57 to 0.67, BF10 = 5.3−12.4) and BP velocity (τ = −0.52 to 0.67, BF10 = 3.5−14.0). The relevance of body composition and performance measures to sport-specific training and research interpretation are differentially affected by a BJJ athlete’s experience (BJJ, belt rank, RT), gi preferences, and fighting style.

Analysis of Successful Behaviors Leading to Groundwork Scoring Skills in Elite Judo Athletes

The present study aimed (1) to propose an approach of observational analysis of the preceding standing judo (tachi-waza (TW)) context to a groundwork (ne-waza (NW)) grappling score (NWGS), and (2) to analyze the outcomes of applying such a model in high-level judoists. We conducted an observational analysis of 176 NW scoring actions of 794 combats observed in Baku’s World Judo Championships of 2018. Women scored more NWGS, performing more corporal controls but less segmental controls compared with the men. Moreover, NWGS were scored predominately during the second and third minutes of combat, independently of the sex or the weight category. Most NWGS occurred after an asymmetrical lateral structure, without showing associations with a particular type of NWGS. The movement structure of the attacking action during TW leading to an NWGS was predominantly techniques without turn, followed closely by techniques with turn, and barely performed after supine position techniques. Data showed that NWGS occurred more frequently after a failed TW attack (68.6%) than after a scored TW attack (31.4%). The TW attacker achieved NWGS with a higher frequency (62%) than the TW defender (38%), who mainly took advantage of a failed TW attack (98.5% vs. 1.5%, after failed vs. scored TW, respectively). The grip configurations most frequently employed during TW were dorsal-sleeve and flap-sleeve; overall, frontal grips were predominant over dorsal grips. However, no specific TW grip was related to success or grip progression before an NWGS. Our results will help judo coaches understand the influence of these factors on judo performance and optimize the planning and execution of technical–tactical content.

Injury Patterns, Risk Factors, and Return to Sport in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: A Cross-sectional Survey of 1140 Athletes

Background

Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ) is a growing martial art that focuses on grappling techniques.

Purpose

To quantify the 3-year incidence of BJJ-related injuries and detect common injury patterns as well as risk factors among those practicing BJJ. It was hypothesized that there would be a high incidence of injuries, they would be caused by submissions in sparring situations, and they would occur predominantly at the extremities.

Study Design

Descriptive epidemiology study.

Methods

Active BJJ athletes were invited to take an English-language online survey developed by orthopaedic surgeons together with BJJ athletes and a sports scientist. Data were recorded regarding athlete demographics, sporting activity level, injuries within the past 3 years that caused at least a 2-week time loss, injury mechanisms, and return to sport.

Results

Overall, 1140 responses were received from 62 different countries; 88.9% of all athletes were male, and 63.9% were regular competitors. Within the investigated cohort, 1052 injuries were recorded in 784 athletes, for an injury incidence of 308 per 1000 athletes per year. The lower extremity (45.7%) and upper extremity (30.2%) were predominant sites of injury, with injuries to the knee (27.1%) being the most common. The most frequent knee injuries were meniscal injuries (n = 65), anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears (n = 36), and medial collateral ligament injuries (n = 36). ACL tears were especially associated with long time frames for return to sport. Most injuries occurred during sparring (77.6%) and were caused by submissions (29.7%) and takedowns (26.4%). Competing regularly (P = .003), older age (P < .001), and higher belt rank (P = .003) were significant risk factors for injury.

Conclusion

Injury incidence was high among BJJ athletes surveyed, with 2 out of 3 athletes reporting at least 1 injury within a 3-year period that caused a 2-week absence from training. Most injuries occurred during sparring, and we believe that a high potential for injury reduction lies in drawing awareness to common injury patterns and sites in athletes.