# Immunological Responses to a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu High-Intensity Interval Training Session

PMID: 31915481
Journal: Journal of Human Kinetics
Published: 2019-11-30
Authors: Ide BN, Souza-Junior TP, McAnulty SR, de Faria MAC, Costa KA, Nunes LAS

## Question

What acute neuromuscular, blood, and salivary immunological responses occur after a BJJ-specific HIIT session?

## Summary

In 10 experienced male Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes, one supervised BJJ-specific HIIT session increased several blood and saliva immune/metabolic markers but did not reduce horizontal countermovement jump performance. All athletes completed the session without restrictions, interruptions, muscle pain, injuries, or discomfort.

## Population

- Experienced male Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes, purple to black belt.
- Sample size: 10
- Age: 28.1 +/- 6.6 years
- Sex: Male
- Fitness level: Trained BJJ athletes, training at least 4 times/week.
- Health status: No reported performance-affecting steroid, drug, medication, or supplement use.

## Methodology

- Acute pre-post exercise study
- Single BJJ HIIT session with immediate post-session measurements
- Brazilian jiu-jitsu dojo/laboratory data collection with black-belt teacher supervision

## Protocol

- BJJ guard-pass HIIT.
- Modality: Brazilian jiu-jitsu guard-pass exercise with matched opponents.
- Work intervals: 2 min.
- Recovery: 1 min rest.
- Sets or repetitions: 6 rounds.
- Intensity: Best attacks and defenses with verbal encouragement; trying to force submission.
- Session duration: About 27 min including warm-up; interval block about 17 min.
- Frequency: Single acute session.
- Program length: Single session.
- Progression: No progression.
- Pre-session baseline.
- Modality: No exercise comparator; same athletes before session.

## Outcomes

### HCMJ
Status: no clear change
HCMJ remained 2.20 m pre to post and did not significantly change.

p=0.67

### SAA
Status: improved
Salivary alpha-amylase increased 576% immediately post-session.

110 +/- 49 to 744 +/- 785 U/mL; p<0.001

### IgA
Status: improved
Salivary IgA secretion rate and concentration increased more than 100%.

Both p<0.001

### Blood cells
Status: improved
WBC, lymphocyte, and neutrophil counts increased after the session.

p<=0.05

### Safety
Status: no clear change
All athletes completed the session without reported pain, injury, discomfort, restrictions, or interruptions.

## Practical Insights

- A 6 x 2 min, 1 min rest sport-specific BJJ interval session was tolerated by experienced athletes.
- Immediate HCMJ may not capture all recovery needs after contact grappling, so immune/stress markers and subjective checks matter.
- Sport-specific HIIT protocols should preserve skill matching and expert supervision.

## Limitations

- Small sample of 10 men
- No control group
- Acute-only study
- No direct HR/RPE/lactate intensity measure reported
- Findings are specific to experienced BJJ athletes and guard-pass work

## Safety And Adherence

- All athletes completed the BJJ HIIT session without restrictions or interruptions.
- No athlete reported muscle pain, injuries, or discomfort associated with the exercise.
- The session was supervised by a black-belt BJJ teacher and used opponents of approximately the same weight class and technical level.

## Original Sources

- [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31915481/) (pubmed)
- [DOI](https://doi.org/10.2478/hukin-2019-0051) (doi)
- [PMC full text](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6942484/) (full text)

## Agent Guidance

Preserve the paper-level scope of this note. Do not generalize beyond the population, protocol, measured outcomes, and limitations above.