Physiological, Nutritional and Performance Profiles of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Athletes

Abstract

This study analysed the physiological, nutritional and performance profiles of athletes practicing Brazilian jiujitsu. To this end, 15 athletes that practiced Brazilian jiu-jitsu (aged: 28 ± 5 years; 8 brown belts and 7 black belts; training experience: 11 ± 4 years) underwent anthropometric measurements (body composition and somatotype), dietary evaluation (24 h recall) and physical fitness tests (movement time, dynamometer handgrip, kimono grip strength, vertical jump and sit-and-reach tests). The athletes had 12.7 ± 4.8% of body fat, 59.2 ± 5.0% of muscle mass and their somatotype was dominated by the mesomorphic component (5.3 ± 2.0), followed by endomorphic (3.7 ± 1.5) and ectomorphic (1.4 ± 0.9) components. Nutritional assessment suggested a diet consisting of 54 ± 7% of carbohydrates, 19 ± 4% of protein and 27 ± 6% of lipids. Movement time on the handgrip tests was 0.42 ± 0.05 s, for handgrip strength, 53 ± 7 kgf was found for the dominant hand and 50 ± 9 kgf for the non-dominant hand. For the countermovement jump, the jiu-jitsu athletes reached 41 ± 5 cm. Athletes remained 30 ± 14 s in the maximum static suspension test gripping a kimono, and reached 27 ± 8 cm in the sit-and-reach test. Overall the sample presented average levels of body fat, elevated muscle mass and a predominantly mesomorphic somatotype. Diet was generally poor, with low carbohydrate intake, high protein intake and adequate lipid intake. Maximum isometric handgrip strength was consistent with observations of other athletes in this sport discipline. However, the performance in the maximum static suspension test gripping a kimono was lower than in other Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes. Movement time was comparable and lower body muscle power was worse compared to athletes in similar sports. Additionally, flexibility was rated as poor.

Full text

Journal of Human Kinetics volume 53/2016, 261-271 DOI: 10.1515/hukin-2016-0029 261
Section III – Sports Training
1 - Department of Sport, School of Physical Education and Sport, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
2 - Santa Catarina State University, Sciences Center of Health and Sport, Florianópolis-SC, Brazil.
3 - Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Physiology and Biophisics, University of São Paulo, Brazil.
.
Authors submitted their contribution to the article to the editorial board.
Accepted for printing in the Journal of Human Kinetics vol. 53/2016 in September 2016.
Physiological, Nutritional and Performance Profiles
of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Athletes
by
Leonardo V Andreato1,2, Jonatas FS Santos1, João VDC Esteves3,
Valeria LG Panissa1, Ursula F Julio1, Emerson Franchini1
This study analysed the physiological, nutritional and performance profiles of athletes practicing Brazilian jiu-
jitsu. To this end, 15 athletes that practiced Brazilian jiu-jitsu (aged: 28 ± 5 years; 8 brown belts and 7 black belts;
training experience: 11 ± 4 years) underwent anthropometric measurements (body composition and somatotype),
dietary evaluation (24 h recall) and physical fitness tests (movement time, dynamometer handgrip, kimono grip
strength, vertical jump and sit-and-reach tests). The athletes had 12.7 ± 4.8% of body fat, 59.2 ± 5.0% of muscle mass
and their somatotype was dominated by the mesomorphic component (5.3 ± 2.0), followed by endomorphic (3.7 ± 1.5)
and ectomorphic (1.4 ± 0.9) components. Nutritional assessment suggested a diet consisting of 54 ± 7% of
carbohydrates, 19 ± 4% of protein and 27 ± 6% of lipids. Movement time on the handgrip tests was 0.42 ± 0.05 s, for
handgrip strength, 53 ± 7 kgf was found for the dominant hand and 50 ± 9 kgf for the non-dominant hand. For the
countermovement jump, the jiu-jitsu athletes reached 41 ± 5 cm. Athletes remained 30 ± 14 s in the maximum static
suspension test gripping a kimono, and reached 27 ± 8 cm in the sit-and-reach test. Overall the sample presented
average levels of body fat, elevated muscle mass and a predominantly mesomorphic somatotype. Diet was generally
poor, with low carbohydrate intake, high protein intake and adequate lipid intake. Maximum isometric handgrip
strength was consistent with observations of other athletes in this sport discipline. However, the performance in the
maximum static suspension test gripping a kimono was lower than in other Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes. Movement time
was comparable and lower body muscle power was worse compared to athletes in similar sports. Additionally, flexibility
was rated as poor.
Key words: combat sport, sports performance, physical fitness evaluation, anthropometrics.
Introduction
Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a grappling combat
sport in which athletes aim to immobilize and
finish the fight from the joint-locks (wrist, elbow,
knee and ankle locks), strangle and pressure
techniques. The first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World
Championship was held in 1996, and since then,
the number of practitioners and athletes has
considerably increased (IFBJJ, 2014). However,
little is known about the physiological and
nutritional aspects of Brazilian jiu-jitsu compared
to other grappling combat sports such as judo
(first World Championship in 1951 and an
Olympic demonstration sport in 1964) (Brousse
and Matsumoto, 1999) and wrestling (first Greco-
Roman World Championship in 1904 and an
Olympic sport since 1896) (Ray, 2007). Over the
last two decades, the sport has increased in
popularity, especially due to the success of

262 Physiological, nutritional and performance profiles of Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes
Journal of Human Kinetics - volume 53/2016 http://www.johk.pl
Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes in mixed martial arts
events.
It is thus becoming more important to
understand the characteristics of the sport and the
athletes. The increase in practitioners has been
mirrored by a growing number of studies focused
on Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Most of them have aimed to
describe morphological characteristics of athletes
(Andreato et al., 2012a), their functional (Silva et
al., 2014; Vidal-Andreato et al., 2011) or
physiological responses to exercise (Andreato et
al., 2012b; Coswig et al., 2013; Moreira et al., 2012;
Silva et al., 2013) and competition (Andreato et al.,
2013, 2014; Moreira et al., 2012). There have also
been studies comparing the profiles of Brazilian
jiu-jitsu athletes (Silva et al., 2012, 2014).
In competition athletes are categorised by
gender, age, body mass and the grade in the sport.
Duration of a fight between adult males varies
from 6 (blue belts) to 10 min (black belts) (IFBJJ,
2014). Intermittency is the main characteristic of
this type of combat. In regional Brazilian jiu-jitsu
matches approximately 120 s of fighting are
interspersed with 20 s pauses (Andreato et al.,
2013). Extensive research indicates that Brazilian
jiu-jitsu athletes tend to have low body fat, a
predominantly mesomorphic somatotype
(Andreato et al., 2012a; Del Vecchio et al., 2007)
and comparatively low maximal strength on tests
of the isometric handgrip, which is relevant to
performing at maximum strength (Andreato et al.,
2013; Vidal-Andreato et al., 2011). Additionally,
divergent results have been found concerning
flexibility ranging from average to above average
rating (Del Vecchio et al., 2007; Vidal-Andreato et
al., 2011).
However, there are gaps in the existing
body of evidence and understanding of the sport
is incomplete; for example there is no published
evidence on the dietary habits of Brazilian jiu-jitsu
athletes. This information is important
considering that for competition athletes are
divided into categories related to body mass and a
large proportion use weight reduction techniques
before competitions (Brito et al., 2012).
Additionally, researchers have mostly analyzed
just a few or isolated performance components.
Thus, this study aimed to conduct a
comprehensive analysis of the physiological,
nutritional and performance profiles of athletes
that practiced Brazilian jiu-jitsu. The hypothesis of
the present study was that nutritional intake and
performance in physical tests were significantly
related.
Material and Methods
Participants
The study included 15 adult male
Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes (age: 28 ± 5 years), with
11 ± 4 years of training experience (8 brown belts
and 7 black belts). This study was conducted 12
weeks after the main competitions. The athletes
were at the beginning of the transition phase, but
were not detrained.
The inclusion criteria were as follows:
rank of the brown belt or higher, to ensure a
similar experience between participants; training
frequency of at least three times a week with
respect to training specific to Brazilian jiu-jitsu,
which is generally in the form of 1 h 30 min
sessions and a history of training for at least three
consecutive months.
Athletes were excluded from the study if
they had injuries, were considerably overweight
(> 100 kg), were attempting to reduce body mass
or were using illegal (e.g. anabolic steroids) or
legal drugs (e.g. antibiotics and anti-inflammatory
medications). Athletes who used dietary
supplements were advised to keep their usage
constant during the study. The subjects were also
instructed to refrain from all forms of physical
activity for 24 h before data collection. After being
briefly informed about the procedures and
purposes of the study, they provided written
informed consent for participation. The study was
approved by the Ethics Research Committee of
the School of Physical Education and Sport of the
University of São Paulo.
Procedures
Body mass and height.
Body mass and height were measured
according to a previously described protocol
(Lohman et al., 1988) using a scale that was
accurate to 0.1 kg and a height stadiometer that
was accurate to 0.1 cm. Measurements of body
mass and height were used to determine the body
mass index (BMI) calculated as the ratio of body
mass to height2 (kg/m2).
Perimeters.
The perimeters of the forearm, thigh and
leg were obtained according to the Lohman et al.’s
(1988) protocol. The perimeter of the arm when

by Leonardo V Andreato et al. 263
© Editorial Committee of Journal of Human Kinetics
contracted was measured as the point of greatest
volume at the end of a maximal voluntary
contraction of the biceps. All measurements were
taken using a tape measure that was accurate to
0.1 cm. Bone diameters of the humeral and
femoral bicondyles were obtained using a caliper
with precision of 0.1 cm, following the Lohman et
al.’s (1988) procedure.
Skinfolds.
Skinfold thickness measurements (chest,
mid-axillary, triceps, subscapular, abdominal,
suprailiac and medial thigh) were taken in
triplicate using a Harpender plicometer with a
rotation system (the average value was used)
according to the Lohman et al.’s (1998) protocol.
Body density.
Body density (BD) was estimated from
skinfold thickness using the Jackson and Pollock’s
(1978) formula:
BD = 1.11200000 – 0.00043499 (∑7EDC) +
0.00000055 (∑7EDC)2 – 0.00028826 (Age)
where Σ7EDC is the sum of the thickness of seven
skinfolds (chest, mid-axillary, triceps,
subscapular, abdominal, suprailiac and thigh).
Body fat.
The Siri’s (1961) equation was used to
estimate body fat:
BF% = [(4.95/BD) – 4.50] x 100
where BF% is the percentage of body fat.
Muscle mass.
Muscle mass (MM) was estimated using
the Martin et al.’s (1990) equation:
MM (g) = H (0.0553 · CT2 + 0.0987 · PC2 + 0.0331 ·
PP2) – 2445
where H is height, CT is thigh circumference
corrected for skinfold thickness of the thigh, PF is
the forearm perimeter and PC is calf
circumference corrected for skinfold thickness in
the medial leg area; all measurements are in
inches. The perimeters of the thigh and calf minus
the values found by the value of π multiplied by
skinfold thickness were fixed.
Somatotype.
The determination of the athletes’
somatotype was based on the ten following
measurements according to the protocol described
by Carter and Heath (1990): body mass, body
height, skinfold measurement (triceps,
subscapular, supraspinal and medial calf), girth
(flexed arm, and calf) and bone diameters
(humeral and femoral bicondyles).
Nutritional Status
Food intake. Athletes completed a 24 h
food diary, during two non-consecutive days,
from which intake of macronutrients was
estimated according to the procedure described
by Degoutte et al. (2003). Calculations were made
using Nutrilife 8.1® software. Daily intake records
were compared with recommended nutritional
intake for athletic men (Martin, 2011).
Physical Performance
Battery of physical tests.
To assess reproducibility of physical
measurements, the athletes performed the test
battery twice, with a 5 min interval in between.
The reliability for each test was calculated using
the intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC),
standard error of measurement (SEM) and limits
of agreement (LOA, mean and the 95% confidence
interval). The results indicated elevated reliability
for the tests used, as follows: movement time –
ICC = 0.82, SEM = 0.03 s, LOA = 0.025 s (95%
confidence interval = -0.003 to 0.054 s); dominant
handgrip – ICC = 0.91, SEM = 3.8 kgf, LOA = 0.5
kgf (95% confidence interval = -2.0 to 3.0 kgf);
non-dominant handgrip – ICC = 0.91, SEM = 4.6
kgf, LOA = 1.0 kgf (95% confidence interval = -1.8
to 3.8 kgf ); vertical jump – ICC = 0.94, SEM = 2.0
cm, LOA = -0.4 cm (95% confidence interval = -1.5
to 0.7 cm); strength-endurance – ICC = 0.93, SEM =
7.0 s, LOA = 4.0 s (95% confidence interval = 0.3 to
7.8 s); flexibility – ICC = 0.98, SEM = 2.1 cm, LOA =
-0.6 cm (95% confidence interval = -1.6 to 0.4 cm).
Movement time.
The movement time was determined
using the interval between the acoustic signal and
the mechanical response (Kraemer et al., 2001).
The athlete was instructed to remain upright and
stable over a jump platform (Hidrofit®, Belo
Horizonte, Brazil) controlled by MultiSprint®
software (Hidrofit®, Belo Horizonte, Brazil). After
a sound stimulus, the athlete reacted as quickly as
possible performing a jump. Three attempts were
made, with the best value obtained recorded. A 1
min interval between attempts (Brown and Weir,
2003) was allowed.
Maximal isometric handgrip strength.
The test was performed with a Jamar®
dynamometer model J00105 (Lafayette
Instrument®, Lafayette, USA), which was adjusted
according to the size of the hand of each athlete.
The results are presented in kilogram-force (kgf).

264 Physiological, nutritional and performance profiles of Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes
Journal of Human Kinetics - volume 53/2016 http://www.johk.pl
Athletes performed the test standing with their
arms at the sides. In this position the athlete was
asked to grip as hard as possible for
approximately 3 s. The wrist, elbow and shoulder
had to be immobile during the test (Johnson and
Nelson, 1979). Three non-sequential trials were
performed with each hand, and the maximum
value was recorded. There was a 1 min rest
interval between attempts (Brown and Weir,
2003).
Maximum static suspension test gripping a kimono.
The athlete performed his grip in the
kimono, which was previously positioned on the
bar, with maximum flexion of the elbows, holding
that position as long as possible. This procedure
was described in a previous study (Franchini et
al., 2011). The time was manually obtained with
precision of seconds. Only one attempt was
allowed. We used solely the isometric version of
this test considering that Silva et al. (2014)
reported that the isometric kimono grip pull-up
test was able to discriminate isometric strength
endurance between four different levels of
Brazilian jiu-jitsu groups, while the dynamic
kimono grip pull-up test only discriminated
strength endurance with larger differences
concerning practice/competitive levels.
Countermovement jump.
The jump test was performed using the
countermovement technique. The results are
presented in centimeters (cm). This procedure was
performed on a contact mat (Hidrofit®, Belo
Horizonte, Brazil) controlled by MultiSprint®
software (Hidrofit®, Belo Horizonte, Brazil). The
athletes were standing, hands free, and jumped as
high as possible. During the aerial phase, the
athletes kept their knees extended (Cronin and
Hansen, 2005). Three attempts were made, with
the highest obtained value recorded for further
analysis. There was a 1 min rest interval between
attempts (Brown and Weir, 2003).
Flexibility.
Flexibility was measured using a sit-and-
reach test. The results are presented in centimeters
(cm). The participant sat with knees straight and
feet flat on the bench, then inclined his or her
trunk forwards as far as possible (Johnson and
Nelson, 1979). Three attempts were performed
and the maximum inclination was recorded.
There was a 1 min interval between attempts
(Brown and Weir, 2003).
Statistical Analysis
Data are presented as mean, standard
deviation, 95% the confidence interval (95% CI),
range (minimum and maximum) and the
percentage. Reliability for each test was calculated
using the intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC),
standard error of measurement (SEM) and limits
of agreement (LOA). Normality was assessed with
the use of the Shapiro-Wilk test and Pearson´s or
Spearman’s correlations coefficients were
calculated in order to examine the relationships
between variables. The level of significance was
set at 5%.
Table 1
Anthropometric characteristics of Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes (n=15)
Variable Mean SD 95% CI Range
Body mass (kg) 80.3 7.8 75.8 – 84.8 68.0 – 98.3
Body height (cm) 177.5 6.4 173.8 – 181.2 163.5 – 188.0
BMI (kg/m²) 25.6 2.9 23.9 – 27.2 19.4 – 31.7
Body fat (%) 12.7 4.8 9.9 – 15.5 7.6 – 25.1
Body fat (kg) 10.5 5.2 7.5 – 13.4 5.8 – 24.7
LBM (kg) 69.8 4.3 67.4 – 72.3 62.0 – 75.6
MM (kg) 47.5 5.8 44.1 – 50.9 40.4 – 60.9
MM (%) 59.2 5.0 56.3 – 60.1 54.7 – 73.3
Somatotype
Ectomorphy 1.4 0.9 0.9 – 2.0 0.0 – 3.6
Mesomorphy 5.3 2.0 4.1 – 6.4 1.3 – 9.9
Endomorphy 3.7 1.5 2.9 – 4.6 2.4 – 8.0
BMI = Body mass index; LBM = lean body mass; MM= muscle mass.
SD: standard deviation, 95% CI: 95% confidence interval.

by Leonardo V Andreato et al. 265
© Editorial Committee of Journal of Human Kinetics
Table 2
Food intake of Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes (n=15)
Variable Mean SD 95% CI Range Recommended
Dietary
Energy intake (kJ) 15.492 5100 12.668 – 18.316 7.917 – 29.339 -
Energy intake (kJ/kg/day) 194 66 159 - 232 95 - 361 -
Carbohydrate (g) 499 181 399 - 600 208 - 990 -
Carbohydrate (g/kg/day) 6.3 2.3 5.0 – 7.6 2.5 – 12.2 -
Carbohydrate (%) 54 7 50 - 58 41 - 64 60
Protein (g) 168 78 125 - 212 18 - 378 -
Protein (g/kg/day) 2.2 1.0 1.6 – 2.7 0.2 – 4.7 -
Protein (%) 19 4 17 - 21 15 – 30 15
Fat (g) 109 45 84 - 134 47 – 194 -
Fat (g/kg/day) 1.4 0.6 1.1 – 1.7 0.5 – 2.4 -
Fat (%) 27 6 23 - 30 18 – 43 <30
Saturated fat (g) 35 16 26 - 44 11 – 66 1/3 of total fat
Monounsaturated fat (g) 29 14 21 - 37 28 – 52 1/3 of total fat
Polyunsaturated fat (g) 25 14 17 – 39 20 - 56 1/3 of total fat
SD: standard deviation, 95% CI: 95% confidence interval.
Table 3
Physical performance of Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes (n=15).
Variable Mean SD 95% CI Range
Movement time (s) a 0.42 0.05 0.39 – 0.45 0.33 – 0.53
D-HG (kgf) 53 7 49 – 57 42 – 66
ND-HG (kgf) 50 9 45 – 54 36 - 62
CMJ (cm) 41 5 38 – 44 35 - 51
Grip endurance (s) 30 14 22 – 38 7 - 60
Sit and reach (cm) 27 8 23 - 32 9 - 40
a: n=13. D-HG: dominant handgrip, ND-HG: non-dominant handgrip,
CMJ: countermovement jump. SD: standard deviation, 95% CI: 95%
confidence interval.
Results
Table 1 shows anthropometric
characteristics of the Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes.
The athletes showed a normal fat percentage,
elevated muscle development and the
mesomorphic somatotype component as
predominant.
Table 2 shows the dietary intake of
Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes. There was wide
variation in energy consumption (7.917–29.339 kJ);
intake of carbohydrates was low, whereas protein
intake was high.
Table 3 presents variables related to the
physical performance of the athletes.
Significant correlations were found between
the following variables: isometric handgrip
strength and body mass (r = 0.54; p = 0.046),
absolute lean mass (r = 0.60; p = 0.022) and
absolute muscle mass (r = 0.56; p = 0.036);
suspension time in the maximum static

266 Physiological, nutritional and performance profiles of Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes
Journal of Human Kinetics - volume 53/2016 http://www.johk.pl
suspension gripping a kimono test and absolute
body fat (r = -0.55; p = 0.040), body fat percentage
(r = -0.59; p = 0.027), and endomorphy (r = -0.61; p
= 0.022). No significant correlation was found
between nutritional aspects and performance in
the physical tests.
Discussion
The aim of this study was to analyse the
physiological and nutritional profiles along with
the physical performance of Brazilian jiu-jitsu
athletes. The results indicate that Brazilian jiu-
jitsu athletes had a low percentage of body fat
(NIH, 1998), elevated muscle mass and the
predominance of the somatotype mesomorphic
component (Carter and Heath, 1990). It was also
noted that the athletes had a poor diet, with low
carbohydrate and high protein intake (Martin,
2001). Maximal isometric handgrip strength was
similar to that seen in other samples of Brazilian
jiu-jitsu athletes (Andreato et al., 2011, 2013; Silva
et al., 2014). However, the isometric strength-
endurance performance in the maximum static
suspension kimono grip test was lower than
previously reported in other Brazilian jiu-jitsu
athletes (Silva et al., 2012, 2014). Movement time
was comparable and the lower-body muscle
power was worse than that of athletes of similar
modalities (Franchini et al., 2011). Flexibility was,
however, rated as poor (ACSM, 2000; Heyward
and Gibson, 2014).
This study showed that Brazilian jiu-jitsu
athletes presented a low body fat percentage and
prevalence of the mesomorphic somatotype
component. Body fat content in our sample was
within the recommended range which is 5 to 18%
for men (NIH, 1998). Our findings are similar to
those of previous studies of Brazilian jiu-jitsu
athletes, which reported body fat content between
9 and 11% (Andreato et al., 2012a; Del Vecchio et
al., 2007). At these levels it is still possible for the
athletes to have good muscle development. The
athletes in this study had 59% lean muscle mass
and prevalence of the mesomorphic component,
followed by endomorph and ectomorph
somatotype components. A previous study
(Andreato et al., 2012a) described a lean mass
percentage (61%) in Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes as
close to that found in the present study. Indeed,
the superiority of the mesomorphic component
over the other components of the somatotype has
been featured among Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes
(Del Vecchio et al., 2007).
The mean BMI of Brazilian jiu-jitsu
athletes obtained in this study was similar to that
reported in a previous study (Andreato et al.,
2012a). Both values are in the range considered to
represent overweight (WHO, 1995); however, the
BMI is based solely on total body mass and
height, and disregards other factors. Taking into
account other variables which discriminate
between the different body components (Table 1),
we suggest that the BMI values obtained in this
study reflect a notable development of fat-free
mass.
This knowledge about the morphological
characteristics of Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes is
important, as the regulation of body mass is a
major concern in this sports discipline. This
concern is justified since competitors are
categorised by weight; there are nine categories of
weight (measured in a kimono): Rooster: < 54 kg;
Light Feather: < 64 kg; Feather: < 70 kg; Light: < 76
kg; Middle: < 82.3 kg; Medium Heavy: < 88.3 kg;
Heavy: < 94 kg; Super Heavy: < 100.5 kg; Ultra
Heavy: > 100.5 kg, in addition to the open division
(no weight division) (IFBJJ, 2014). It is therefore
common for athletes to reduce body mass before a
competition. Besides, a recent study showed that
50% of athletes at the national and international
level, and 62.5% of athletes at the regional level
reduced body mass to compete (Brito et al., 2012).
Preparation for competition thus involves
regulating body composition and knowledge
about nutritional intake is essential to this process.
In addition, the control of the body
composition is important considering that
previous studies have reported a negative
relationship between body fat and performance
during a Cooper test and technical actions during
a judo match (Franchini et al., 2005, 2007).
However, this relationship (body composition
and performance) has not been previously
reported in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Despite this,
previous studies did not find differences in body
fat between beginners (n = 7, 8.7 ± 3.8%) and
experienced (n = 7, 9.1 ± 3.0%) athletes (Coswig et
al., 2011) or elite (n = 7, 9.0 ± 2.6%) and non-elite (n
= 7, 9.1 ± 3.1%) athletes (Andreato et al., 2010).
Another important performance factor is
the diet of the athletes. It is well known that
unbalanced diets, especially those with a low

by Leonardo V Andreato et al. 267
© Editorial Committee of Journal of Human Kinetics
carbohydrate content, can impair performance,
since these diets reduce glycogen stores (Degoutte
et al., 2003). The recommended intake is
approximately 60% carbohydrates, 15% protein
and less than 30% fat (Martin, 2001). In this study
we found that Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes’
carbohydrate intake was below the recommended
level for male athletes (54 ± 7%), protein intake
was above the recommended level (19 ± 4%) and
fat intake was in line with recommendations (27 ±
6%).
We also observed that the wu-shu athletes
tended to have unbalanced diets that were
especially low in carbohydrates (Artioli et al.,
2009). This aspect deserves attention as, based on
blood lactate concentration (~ 10 mmol/L) after
the combat, it is suggested that Brazilian jiu-jitsu
exerts moderate activation of the glycolytic
pathway (Andreato et al., 2012b, 2013), which can
decrease during successive combats (Andreato et
al., 2015a). It has also been well documented that
low carbohydrate intake reduces muscle glycogen
stores, which has a negative impact on
performance at high intensity and/or over the
long term (Correia-Oliveira et al., 2013). We also
found that protein intake in our sample was
above the recommended daily level (Table 3)
(Lemon, 2000). However, no significant
correlation was found between energy intake and
physical performance in the tests used in the
present study. One limitation of our study is that
the athletes were not preparing for a specific
competition and this may have affected their diet
control, i.e., a less controlled and high-quality diet
should have been consumed in this period.
Another important limitation was the use of only
two non-consecutive days to assess the athletes’
diet.
It is important to describe and understand
physical performance variables as well as the
anthropometric and dietary characteristics of
athletes. Reaction time is a crucial factor in
situations that require rapid decisions, such as
blocking an attack or to apply a counter attack in
Brazilian jiu-jitsu. The athlete should be able to
react quickly with an attack or counter-attack. It
has been reported that in fights between Brazilian
jiu-jitsu athletes, mean reaction time to an
opponent’s move was 0.42 ± 0.05 s (Mori et al.,
2002). One would expect more experienced
athletes to react more quickly; however,
comparisons between groups differing in training
status have provided divergent results (Chung
and Ng, 2012), especially when the task was not
adopted to a specific mode. This value was similar
to that reported in a study of wrestlers (Kraemer
et al., 2001). We found only one study that had
evaluated this performance variable in Brazilian
jiu-jitsu athletes. Andrade et al. (2014) reported
mean reaction time of 0.24 ± 0.17 s, however, they
considered movement time (time to complete a
response to the stimulus) rather than response
time (time to initiate a response to the stimulus).
Handgrip strength and handgrip strength
endurance are important abilities for the athletes
perform the combat gripping the opponent's
kimono (e.g., gripping dispute, controlling the
opponent, applying techniques) (Vidal-Andreato
et al., 2011). In addition, expert Brazilian jiu-jitsu
athletes (with great experience, training status,
and a competition level) presented higher values
of isometric handgrip strength than a group of
novice Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighters (Diaz-Lara et al.,
2014). Moreover, previous studies showed that
athletes reported a higher perception of fatigue in
the forearm region after combats (Andreato et al.,
2013, 2015b; Franchini et al., 2005b).
For handgrip strength, previous studies
reported values between 40 and 52 kgf in
Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes (Andreato et al., 2013;
Silva et al., 2014; Vidal-Andreato et al., 2011).
Handgrip strength in our sample was consistent
with previous reports (Andreato et al., 2013; Silva
et al., 2014; Vidal-Andreato et al., 2011). We also
found that handgrip strength in the dominant and
non-dominant hands was similar; this is the first
study to have investigated this aspect of
functional symmetry in Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes.
Additionally, body mass, muscle mass and lean
body mass were positively correlated to handgrip
strength in the non-dominant hand, suggesting
that maximal strength is related to muscle
development.
The strength-endurance performance in
the maximum static suspension test gripping a
kimono, as Franchini et al. (2011) described, has
been already studied in Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes
(Silva et al., 2012, 2014). Superior results were
found in previous studies (Silva et al., 2012, 2014).
The results were higher when experienced
athletes were compared with the beginners (45 ±
36 vs. 10 ± 10 s, p = 0.04) at the time of suspension

268 Physiological, nutritional and performance profiles of Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes
Journal of Human Kinetics - volume 53/2016 http://www.johk.pl
(Silva et al., 2014). The suspension time in the
strength-endurance isometric test also
discriminated between elite and non-elite athletes
(56 ± 11 vs. 38 ± 11 s; p < 0.05) (Silva et al., 2012).
The lower-body muscle power is relevant
for the application of throwing techniques and in
some specific groundwork actions (e.g. sweeps,
guard pass, etc.). Furthermore, decisive actions
that determine the result of the combat are based
on explosive strength and power (Andreato et al.,
2013; Diaz-Lara et al., 2015). For this evaluation,
the vertical jump has been used in studies with
athletes in grappling combat sports such as judo
(Franchini et al., 2011). During the 2013 European
Open Jiu-Jitsu Championship, athletes showed
lower values in the countermovement jump (n=
26, 34 ± 5 cm) (Diaz-Lara et al., 2015). In addition,
expert Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes have more power
and explosive strength in their leg muscles than
novice athletes as they are able to generate higher
peak power and achieve higher height in a
countermovement jump (Diaz-Lara et al., 2014).
Judo athletes have higher vertical jump values
than those observed in the present study
(Franchini et al., 2011). We suggest that Brazilian
jiu-jitsu athletes have lower explosive action
requirement during the combats compared to
judo athletes, at least with respect to movements
involving the lower-body muscles, since throwing
techniques are rarely used in Brazilian jiu-jitsu
(Del Vecchio et al., 2007).
Flexibility is important for the execution
of specific movements and techniques (e.g.,
berimbolo, spider guard, defenses of guard pass)
during Brazilian jiu-jitsu combats (Souza et al.,
2005; Vidal-Andreato et al., 2011). Moreover,
high-level competitive wrestlers have shown
greater flexibility when compared with those with
a lower competitive level (Yoon, 2002).
The sit-and-reach test had been used in
Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes as a measure of
flexibility (Vidal-Andreato et al., 2011; Del
Vecchio et al., 2007). The average flexibility of the
athletes in the present study was poor, according
to normative tables that take into account age and
sex (low flexibility ranges, ACSM: 23–29 cm;
Heyward and Gibson: 25–33 cm) (ACSM, 2000;
Heyward and Gibson, 2014). Previous studies of
Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes reported better
flexibility (Del Vecchio et al., 2007; Vidal-
Andreato et al., 2011); mean values were between
35 and 38 cm, which is classified as moderate
flexibility (ACSM, 2000; Heyward and Gibson,
2014). However, regarding our results, this aspect
deserves attention for it can be detrimental to the
performance of the athletes; especially
considering that a previous study found
differences between beginner (n = 7, 28 ± 2 cm)
and experienced (n = 7, 35 ± 4 cm) athletes
(Coswig et al., 2011). An aspect that can help to
explain these results is the practice time, which
can also influence flexibility of Brazilian jiu-jitsu
athletes, since athletes with longer practice
showed greater thoracolumbar and hip flexibility
scores (Souza et al., 2005).
Following our analysis, positive
correlations were found between isometric
handgrip strength, body mass, absolute lean mass
and absolute muscle mass, while negative
correlations were found between suspension time
in the maximum static suspension test gripping a
kimono, absolute body fat, a body fat percentage
and endomorphy. These results deserve attention
as competitors are categorised by weight (IBJJF,
2014) and previous studies had shown that a
higher body fat percentage was negatively
correlated with performance in locomotion and
technical entrance activities (Franchini et al., 2005,
2007).
Conclusion
From the results of this study, it can be
concluded that the studied group of Brazilian jiu-
jitsu athletes had body fat levels similar to other
men in this age group, in addition to proper
development of muscle mass and a
predominantly mesomorphic component.
Moreover, the athletes had an unbalanced diet,
with low carbohydrate and high protein intake.
Concerning the physical performance, maximal
isometric handgrip strength was consistent with
that observed in other athletes in the sport.
However, strength-endurance evaluated using the
kimono grip strength test presented lower levels
compared with other athletes. Movement time
was comparable and lower-body muscle power
was lower than in other athletes of similar
competitive levels. Additionally, flexibility was
classified as poor.

by Leonardo V Andreato et al. 269
© Editorial Committee of Journal of Human Kinetics
Acknowledgments
This study was supported by a CNPq grant (process 471201/2012-0). EF is supported by a CNPq
grant (process 302242/2014-7)
References
American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). Guidelines for exercise testing and prescription. Baltimore:
Williams & Wilkins; 2000
Andrade A, Crocetta TB, Silva RB, Casagrande PO, Pruner L, Gallo SKAM, Viana MS, Abreu LC. Motivation,
reaction time and sociodemographic characteristics of Jiu-Jitsu beginner athletes. Rev. Bras. Cienc.
Mov., 2014; 22: 119-129
Andreato LV, Julio UF, Panissa VLG, Esteves JVDC, Hardt F, Franzói-De-Moraes SM, Souza CO, Franchini
E. Brazilian jiu-jitsu simulated competition. Part I: Metabolic, hormonal, cellular damage and heart
rate responses. J Strength Cond Res., 2015a; 29: 2538-2549
Andreato LV, Julio UF, Panissa VLG, Esteves JVDC, Hardt F, Franzói-De-Moraes SM, Souza CO, Franchini
E. Brazilian jiu-jitsu simulated competition Part II: Physical performance, time-motion, technical-
tactical analyses and perceptual responses. J Strength Cond Res., 2015b; 29: 2015-25
Andreato LV, Franchini E, Franzói de Moraes SM, Pastório JJ, Silva DF, Esteves JVDC, Branco BH, Romero
PV, Machado FA. Physiological and technical-tactical analysis in Brazilian jiu-jitsu competition. Asian J
Sports Med., 2013; 4: 137-143
Andreato LV, Franchini E, Franzói de Moraes SM, Esteves JVDC, Pastório JJ, Andreato TV, Gomes TLM,
Vieira JLL. Morphological profile of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu elite athletes. Rev. Bras Med Esporte, 2012a; 18:
47-51
Andreato LV, Franzói De Moraes SM, Esteves JVDC, Pereira RRA, Gomes TLM, Andreato TV, Franchini E.
Physiological responses and rate of perceived exertion in Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes. Kinesiology, 2012b;
44:173-81
Andreato LV, Esteves JVDC, Gomes TLM, Andreato TV, Alcantara BC, Almeida DL, Franzói De Moraes SM.
Morphological profile of Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes from different competitive level. Movimento &
Percepção, 2010; 11: 137-145
Artioli G, Iglesias R, Franchini E, Gualano B, Kashiwagura D, Solis M, Benatti F, Fuchs M, Lancha Junior A.
Rapid weight loss followed by recovery time does not affect judo-related performance. J Sports Sci.,
2010; 28: 21–32
Artioli GG, Gualano B, Franchini E, Batista RN, Polacow VO, Lancha AH Jr. Physiological, performance, and
nutritional profile of the Brazilian Olympic Wushu (kung-fu) team. J Strength Cond Res., 2009; 23: 20-5
Brito CJ, Roas AFCM, Brito ISS, Marins JCB, Córdova C, Franchini E. Methods of body mass reduction by
combat sport athletes. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab., 2012; 22: 89-97
Brousse M, Matsumoto D. Judo: a sport and a way of life. Seoul: International Judo Federation; 1999
Carter JEL, Heath BH. Somatotyping: development and applications. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press;
1990
Chung P, Ng G. Taekwondo training improves the neuromotor excitability and reaction of large and small
muscles. Phys Ther Sport., 2012; 13: 163-169
Correia-Oliveira CR, Bertuzzi R, Kiss MAPD, Lima-Silva AE. Strategies of dietary carbohydrate
manipulation and their effects on performance in cycling time trials. Sports Med., 2013; 43: 707-19
Coswig VS, Neves AHS, Del Vecchio FB. Biochemical, hormonal and hematological responses to Brazilian
jiu-jitsu matches. Rev. Bras. Cienc. Mov., 2013; 21: 19-30
Coswig V, Silva Neves AH, Del Vecchio FB. Physical characteristics and physical performance in Brazilian

270 Physiological, nutritional and performance profiles of Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes
Journal of Human Kinetics - volume 53/2016 http://www.johk.pl
jiu-jitsu: study with beginners and experienced in the sport. Lecturas: Educación física y deportes 2011;
16, Available at http://www.efdeportes.com/efd162/desempenho-motor-no-jiu-jitsu-brasileiro.htm;
accessed on 30.12.2014
Cronin JB, Hansen KT. Strength and power predictors of sports speed. J Strength Cond Res., 2005; 19: 349-357
Degoutte F, Jouanel P, Filaire E. Energy demands during a judo match and recovery. Br J Sports Med., 2003;
37: 245–249
Del Vecchio FB, Bianchi S, Hirata SM, Chacon-Mikahili MPT. Morphofunctional analysis of Brazilian jiu-jitsu
practitioners and study of the temporality and quantification of motor actions in the modality.
Movimento e Percepção, 2007; 7: 263-281
Diaz-Lara FJ, Coso J, García JM, Abián-Vicén J. Analysis of physiological determinants during an
international Brazilian Jiu-jitsu competition. Int J Perform Anal Sport, 2015; 15: 489-500
Franchini E, Matsushigue KA, Vecchio FB, Artioli GG. Physiological profiles of elite judo athletes. Sports
Med., 2011; 41: 147-166
Franchini E, Miarka B, Matheus L, Del Vecchio FB. Endurance in judogi grip strength tests: comparison
between elite and non-elite judo players. Arch Budo, 2011; 7: 1-4
Franchini E, Nunes AV, Moraes JM, Del Vecchio FB. Physical fitness and anthropometrical profile of the
Brazilian male judo team. J Physiol Anthropol, 2007; 26: 59-67
Franchini E, Takito MY, Kiss MAPDM, Sterkowicz S. Physical fitness and anthropometrical differences
between elite and non-elite judo players. Biol. Sport, 2005; 22: 315-328
Heyward VH, Gibson AL. Advanced fitness assessment and exercise prescription. 7 edition Champaigne: Human
Kinetics; 2014
International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF). Rules. Available at
http://ibjjf.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/20140507_RuleBookIBJJF_v3.pdf;
accessed on 30.12.2014
Jackson AS, Pollock ML. Generalized equations for predicting body density of men. Br J Nutr, 1978; 40: 497–
504
Kraemer WJ, Fry AC, Rubin MR, Triplett-Mcbride T, Gordon SE, Perry KL, Lynch JM, Volek JS, Meuffels DE,
Newton RU, Fleck SJ. Physiological and performance responses to tournament wrestling. Med Sci
Sports Exerc, 2001; 33: 1367-1378
Lemon PW. Beyond the zone: protein needs of active individuals. J Am Coll Nutr, 2000; 19: 513S-521S
Lohman TG, Roche AF, Martorell R. Anthropometric Standardization Reference Manual. Champaign, IL: Human
Kinetics; 1998
Martin AD, Spenst LF, Drinkwater DT, Clarys JP. Anthropometric estimation of muscle mass in men. Med
Sci Sports Exerc, 1990; 22: 729-733
Moreira A, Franchini E, de Freitas CG, de Arruda AF, de Moura NR, Caldas EC, Aoki MS. Salivary cortisol
and immunoglobulin A responses to simulated and official jiu-jitsu matches. J Strength Cond Res, 2012;
26: 2185-2191
Mori S, Ohtani Y, Imanaka K. Reaction times and anticipatory skills of karate athletes. Hum Mov Sci, 2002; 21:
213-230
National Institute of Health (NIH). Clinical guidelines on identification, evaluation and treatment of overweight and
obesity in adults. HHS, PHS; 1998
Ray D. Wrestling. Paris: Édition Revue EPS; 2007
Silva BVC, Marcolo Júnior M, Rogério FC, Dias IS, Simim MAM, Mota GR. Physical tests discriminate
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practioners? Rev. Bras. Cienc. Mov., 2014; 22: 91-96
Silva BVC, Marocolo Júnior M, Monteiro GGFS, Junior LOS, Simim MAM, Mendes EL, Mota GR. Blood

by Leonardo V Andreato et al. 271
© Editorial Committee of Journal of Human Kinetics
lactate response after Brazilian jiu-jitsu simulated matches. JEPonline 2013; 16: 63-67
Silva BVC, Júnior M, Simim MAM, Rezende FN, Franchini E, Mota GR. Reliability in kimono grip strength
tests and comparison between elite and non-elite Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu players. Arch. Budo, 2012; 8: 103-
107
Siri WE. Body composition from fluid spaces and density. In J. Brozek & A. Henschel (Eds.), Techniques for
measuring body composition (pp. 223–244). Washington: National Academy of Science; 1961
Souza I, Silva VS, Camões JC. Thoracolumbar and hip flexibility in jiu-jitsu athletes. Lecturas Educación Física
y Deportes, 2005; 10, Available at http://www.efdeportes.com/efd82/jiujitsu.htm; accessed on 30.12.2014
Szklo M, Nieto FJ. Epidemiology: beyond the basics. Gaithersburg, Md.: Aspen; 2000
Vidal-Andreato L, Franzói de Moraes SM, Lopes de Moraes Gomes T, Del Conti Esteves JV, Vidal Andreato
T, Franchini E. Estimated aerobic power, muscular strength and flexibility in elite Brazilian Jiu-jitsu
athletes. Science & Sports, 2011; 26: 329–337
World Health Organization (WHO). Physical Status: the use and interpretation of anthropometry. Geneva;
1995
Yoon J. Physiological profiles of elite senior wrestlers. Sports Med., 2002; 32: 225-33
Corresponding author:
Leonardo Vidal Andreato
Centro de Ciências da Saúde e do Esporte–CEFID, Rua Pascoal Simone, 358 - Coqueiros
POST CODE 88080-350
Phone:(48) 3321-8600 - Fax:(48) 3321-8607
Florianópolis – SC - Brazil
E-mail: vidal.leo@hotmail.com