A new study published in the International Journal of Strength and Conditioning has found a significant relationship between the Jiu Jitsu Anaerobic Performance Test (JJAPT) and aerobic fitness markers in trained Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioners, suggesting the test may offer coaches and athletes a single sport-specific tool for evaluating overall performance capacity.
The study, conducted by researchers at Liberty University, examined 25 trained BJJ athletes across two separate test sessions held a minimum of 48 hours apart.
In one session, participants completed the Bruce graded exercise protocol on a treadmill to measure peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) and ventilatory threshold (VT). In the other session, they completed a JJAPT familiarization warm-up followed by the five-round test itself.
Using Pearson correlation analysis, the researchers found a significant moderate positive correlation between VO2peak and JJAPT performance (r = 0.40, p = 0.025). No significant relationship was found between the JJAPT and ventilatory threshold.
The moderate strength of the aerobic correlation aligns with what is understood about BJJ’s energy demands, where the sport disperses lower-intensity aerobic periods throughout matches that are otherwise dominated by high-intensity anaerobic efforts.
BJJ matches, governed by the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation, can last between 5 and 10 minutes, with effort-to-pause ratios reported as high as 13:1.
Unlike combat sports such as Judo or wrestling, which carry effort/pause ratios closer to 2:1, BJJ places considerable demand on both energy systems simultaneously. Competing at a tournament level typically requires an athlete to complete four to six matches or more, making aerobic recovery capacity a meaningful contributor to overall performance.
Prior research has shown VO2max values in BJJ athletes ranging from approximately 42 to 52 mL/kg/min.
The JJAPT was originally developed by Villar et al. in 2018 as a sport-specific anaerobic assessment. Subsequent research confirmed its reliability and ability to distinguish novice from advanced practitioners.
Previous studies demonstrated strong associations between later JJAPT rounds and blood lactate levels during BJJ competition, with correlation values of r = 0.83 and r = 0.82 in the fourth and fifth bouts respectively. What had not yet been established was any quantified connection between the test and aerobic fitness, which this study now provides.
The findings build on that foundation and point toward an application for the JJAPT. According to the authors, the test could be used to evaluate BJJ athletes and track performance improvements across both energy systems. It will give coaches and trainers a more ecologically valid alternative to general fitness assessments like the Wingate cycle ergometer test, which cannot replicate the movement patterns or effort-to-rest dynamics of an actual match.
