Sports Physiotherapists Take on MMA (Mixed Martial Arts)

Sports physiotherapist Gabriel practises in Auckland, New Zealand. He has a bachelor's degree in health science with a concentration in physiotherapy, a postgraduate certification in sports medicine, and a postgraduate degree in western acupuncture. He is the owner of Physio-Logic, a physiotherapy business with several locations in Auckland. Many athletes from a wide range of sports, including rugby, rugby league, motorcycle racing, triathlon, badminton, power lifting, strongman, jiu-jitsu, boxing, kickboxing, and mixed martial arts (MMA), are listed on his client list.

"Fighting is similar to playing chess, and you want to have a full set of pieces available."

As a fan of the sport, I have evolved from watching MMA with a desire for cruelty to admiring the perseverance displayed to analysing the chess game that is taking on. Let me describe how I got into the sport; I'm confident that many of you will see parallels with your own journey.

Let's face it, the most appealing aspect of fighting that any of you fans try to sell to friends you want to introduce to the sport is how cruel it is. Is that move legal? is a typical response following a first-fight exchange. I first learned about MMA by watching a boxing match between two well-known heavyweights of the day. If you thought this was difficult, you should check out MMA, was their main selling point. We had to wait for live events back then before going to the neighborhood bar. In my area (Auckland), Youtube and online videos were not available quickly enough back then.

My attitude toward the opening MMA matches I witnessed was casual. They began on their feet and gradually fell to the ground, and since I didn't comprehend it, it seemed dull. The first match that really grabbed my attention was Clay Guida vs. Benson Henderson. It was amazing to see two wild-haired men throw haymakers and attempt to choke each other out. I became more intrigued in the ground game's potential to make a bout entertaining as a result of the surprise of not getting a 10-count when either one was rocked and the repeated attempts to choke each other.

Like many competitors, I watched a few thrilling battles in awe and was pulled to the self-analysis question, "Can I do that?" At the time, I was a devoted follower of a crossfit-like form of exercise, and I was in reasonably good physical shape. I began to wonder if even a crossfitter could compete with a fighter's level of fitness after witnessing the pace and intensity of a typical five-minute round. The warriors are seen flinging punches and kicks, attempting takedown after takedown, and slogging through arduous cardio exercises while taking hits and striving to avoid being struck. I quickly came to the conclusion that I wasn't suited for the sport.

As I watch more and more fights, I notice that occasionally the same boxer who appeared to be in the best shape in a 5-round fight becomes worn out in just two rounds of a different fight. I learned from personal experience that even the fittest person on earth will use up half of their gas tank when they take a clean liver shot to the belly after asking numerous questions and upsetting everyone around me. That's when I understood that fighting is about more than just physical force and swinging. Each shot has the potential to either knock you unconscious or slow you down. Every blow doesn't have to be an attempt to knock you out by swinging for the fences. Trying to take someone down and playing defense on the ground are both bloody taxing! Injuries are a genuine concern during a fight, on top of all that madness!

As a result of their injuries sustained during the combat, some fighters are left without a fighting limb. Examples include the renowned Suga Sean O'Malley foot injury or Jon Jones' toe fracture during his match against Chael Sonnen. In the post-fight interviews, you can also learn about a fighter who was hurt in training but nevertheless competed. The success of each round that ultimately determines the outcome depends on each bodily part being available. That is when I had a profound realisation: Fighting is similar to playing chess, and you want to have a full lineup of pieces.Starting a fight unprepared or injured is similar to beginning a game of chess with missing pieces. During the fight, you will lose pieces, but you must figure out a means to make up for them so that you can win using the pieces you still have.