Can Science Measure the Real Force of MMA Fighters?

National Geographic is known for the way it opened up the world of science to all of us. Can it explain the power behind an MMA fighter’s punch? In their recent “Fight Science,” they aimed to do just that.

The scene looked intimidating: champion fighters from the different martial arts disciplines stood in a room waiting to deliver crushing blows for posterity. Part of the pressure was lifted when everyone realized they would be punishing crash test dummies. These expensive, sensor-laden drones are used to determine the safety and viability of automobiles, so why not some of the world’s deadliest weapons?

Once the fighters standing landing punches and kicks, it became clear that every blow delivered to an opponent is virtually bone crushing. A boxer’s punch – without windup – generated over 1,000 pounds of force. Roundhouse kicks and knees to the midsection went far beyond that marker and were analyzed as potentially life threatening.

After watching the first segment, it begins to sink in that opponents are lucky they are not standing still when these blows land. The element of defense doesn’t exist in these studies, reassuring anyone who steps into the ring to fight.

Nonetheless, powerful lessons are to be learned by measuring the intensity of a punch or kick. Fighting glove technology has embraced this idea and delivered the first gloves that calculate type, speed and impact of punches thrown. Every move you make in the gym is analyzed and posted in quantifiable units on your computer screen by the chip inside these gloves made by Elliott Fight Dynamics.

What that means for the fighter is no more wasted training sessions, as well as no excuses for an unclear set of goals. If you need to hit harder to topple an opponent, you won’t go into a fight blind. You’ll know exactly what you need to do, as you will during every session at the gym.

MMA Fighters and the Impact of EFD Glove Technology

If you caught the “Fight Science” special on the Nat Geo Channel, you saw what type of impact professional fighters have on their opponents. Placing sensors on crash test dummies, the scientists measured the power in every punch kick, elbow or knee shot delivered by the fighters. The results were both shocking and instructive.

Instead of judging by the result of a fight or the injuries sustained (the human element), these technicians focused on hard numbers and facts. It would take a direct blow to the head of an opponent who wasn’t expecting it to equal the same type of impact they achieved in this TV special. In a real fight, evasion and anticipation movements of great fighters have a lot to do with the outcome.

Nonetheless, consistently landing damaging blows is the goal of every fighter that steps into the ring. It is incredibly useful to know how hard these hits really are. Enter the EFD training glove, the first of its kind, built for measuring the impact and speed of every punch thrown, as well as the punch type.

Using these gloves, whose technology involves a microchip undetectable by the fighter, training sessions become open to instant, total analysis. How many jabs and hooks were thrown? What was the most powerful sequence? What was the hardest punch thrown? Did the fighter fizzle or increase in strength and efficiency?

The answers to these questions point to the essence of fight training. The EFD gloves can tell a fighter all of this information, immediately posting it on an enabled computer screen or smartphone. In many ways, it is “Fight Science” in miniature. While you will not have a team available for every training session, you can have a training partner in these gloves. It is bound to change the way every MMA fighter trains.

Sizing Up the Dos Santos Versus Overeem Fight

Hints had been dropped, rumors had been circulated and fight fans had waited expectantly, but it’s official: Dos Santos will defend his UFC championship for the first time against Alistair Overeem. Will this be the event of the year or just another brawl? It is shaping up to be something special.

UFC 146 Dos Santos v. Overeem will take place on May 26^th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Vegas. Let’s check how each fighter got here.

Overeem: Alistair Overeem took out former UFC champ Brock Lesnar with a TKO in the very first round of their UFC 141 fight in December 2011. He has won 12 in a row and is hungry to take out another champion in Dos Santos.

Dos Santos: The champ needed a mere 69 seconds to take the title away from Cain Velasquez. It made the event – the first of its kind on the Fox Network – a dramatic entry onto the national stage for Dos Santos. He is undefeated in UFC brawls and doesn’t seem to be slowing down by any stretch of the imagination.

Both fighters are riding impressive winning streaks. Both fighters are coming off wins that displayed clear domination of worthy adversaries. Something’s got to give in UFC 146, the heavyweight title fight.

Overeem, the Demolition Man, is a bit lighter than the champ and should use this added mobility to his advantage. He has found success most of all with his guillotine choke submission hold. Dos Santos will have to keep that in the back of his mind.

For Junior “El Cigano” Dos Santos, the Brazilian-born fighter is not going to want to give up the title easily after having just secured it. Look for an all-out early assault, the way he took Velasquez down in San Jose last November.

With no other heavyweight title bouts yet to be announced, Dos Santos vs. Overeem is the draw of 2012 so far.

Supreme Power vs. Ultimate Endurance in MMA Fighting Technique

Should the MMA warrior focus on the power of the punch or the ability to endure multiple rounds of assault? The debate over endurance versus strength (not to mention technique) continues to rage on among MMA fighters and their fans. What is the formula for an ultimate fighting machine?

If you have caught a recent UFC or Strikeforce bout, you know that we are not talking about Terminator or Rambo movies. These fighters bring an intensity to the ring never matched before in major professional sports. Watching an MMA title bout is not for the faint of heart. Ronda Rousey’s assault on the arm of Miesha Tate will attest to that.

MMA fighters stand to benefit from recent technology introduced by Elliott Fight Dynamics, a glove manufacturer specializing in training materials for fighters of all kinds. The EFD glove utilizes a patented microchip inside the glove that allows you to record the data of every punch thrown. As soon as you land a blow, you can see the type of punch throw, the speed (in mph) and the impact (in pounds of force) right on your computer screen.

Can you imagine knowing the power in every punch? Fighters can make every workout a study in efficiency and set concrete goals for every day they go to the gym using these gloves. Another feature can track the data of a workout. How many calories are you burning? What sort of force are you putting into your crunches and pushups? With this technology, the sculpted MMA fighters might head into the ring stronger and more intense than ever.

The debate will probably rage on for some time. It is clear that a combination of strength, technique and overall endurance is the key to any great fighter. The EFD glove could help you get better in every category.