There are three main types of muscle fibers. Each type has different abilities. For mixed martial arts, MMA is more predominantly used for certain short muscle fibers. Through the use of proper training, a person will condition the muscle fibers that are best suited for BJJ and MMA fighting.
MMA is a sport that relies on explosive power to punch, kick, and take down and submit. The methods in which a person trains can go a long way towards a person achieving 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 correctly will enhance the ability to do well.
Your muscles are 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 limited endurance capacity (Type IIb). Each type of muscle fiber is trained differently from the other types.
Slow twitch fibers have poor overall strength, however they have excellent endurance capabilities. These are the fibers that are primarily trained by doing high repetitions of exercises at slow speeds, such as running two miles.
Fast twitch fibers have almost no endurance capacity, but they are strong and fast and therefore important in speed and power. These are the types of muscle cells that are trained when lifting heavy weights with low repetitions (4-6 repetitions). Powerlifters when they train are training this type of muscle fiber. Weightlifters can move a large amount of weight, but they may have difficulty exerting themselves continuously for several minutes due to fatigue.
Type IIb has strength and speed, but also has better stamina 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 long enough, they give the individual the ability to move and punch hard and fast repeatedly without tiring too quickly. 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 tire too quickly.
When training for an event that relies on a combination of speed, power, and endurance, it’s important to train each type of muscle fiber. This is accomplished through a carefully planned conditioning program designed for competition oriented bjj mma drills.