Film Analysis for Performance Analysis in Martial Arts

In a more controlled kind of sport like pole vaulting or javelin (where elements essentially remain the same through each trial), it is possible to watch film and very specifically analyze mistakes and set performance goals.

In javelin for instance, there is a “best” form that will work in all throwing situations – an ideal method to responding to the situation… because the situation doesn’t change. You start from a certain number of meters away from the line, you’re holding a spear, and you have the chuck the thing super far. This is the case 100% of the time.

For this reason, it is respectively easy to break down film.

It is also very easy to set measurable performance and training goals. For 먹튀검증 instance, one could aim to throw for 22 meters instead of 20 meters. Or, one could practice a particular footwork drill that edits out the particular problem this person has when throwing for distance.

In combat sport performance, however, things are less simple – and film analysis becomes much more of an art.

You could film an MMA match and look at the % of punches landed, the number of take downs attempted, the number of submission attempts, which combination of strikes and take downs tended to work best, etc… This data would be useful for sure, but not as directly useful at the breakdown of the javelin throw.

Why? Because in an MMA fight, each fraction of a second is a relatively unique position, some of which you may have never been exactly in before – and there is rarely a surefire best technique for that situation because each round and opponent is different, and your unique set of skills and strengths is different from that of others.

Hence, a dynamic film analysis needs to be more thoughtfully used.

In my opinion with my own film analysis, and breaking down the film of others, MMA/BJJ film analysis should in fact track the numbers, because the numbers are undeniably useful. Knowing how many times you get taken down compared to how many times you take someone else down is useful. Knowing which of your punches generally does the most damage is also useful. Etc…

Having this data (especially based off of multiple training sessions or multiple competitions) is useful in determining Trends and Themes in your fighting dynamics.

It’s harder to make precise performance and training goals from MMA fights (unless you have a lot of them logged up and so have a lot of relevant feedback you can sift through, but this is an arduous process) than it is from a static sport like bowling.

Though you might not be able to make sweeping suggestions to improve overall performance (because each situation is different), you can look at individual technique and make adjustments (IE: keep your right hand up as you throw the jab to the body) – or look at big picture trends and plan to make adjustments on them.

Doing 12 javelin throws is much closer to an experimental study than doing 12 MMA fights. In javelin, nearly all of the variables are EXACTLY THE SAME, so comparison is simple and improvement is more easily detectable. In MMA, your skills set/style/abilities, your opponent’s skill set/style/abilities, and the particulars of how the match will pan out will ALWAYS VARY, and so correlations and improvements are much harder to decipher.