Page 138 - Safe Wrestling

Rok Vatovec, Marina Dobnik, and Matej Plevnik

of different combat disciplines. IPPON targets judo-specific loading pat-
terns through a brief, coach-led, progression-based format; IPW pro-
vides a broader and more modular framework intended for transfer
across grappling sports through a structured progression from gener-
al activation to partner-based drills; and MASS-12 addresses standing
and striking disciplines by emphasising lower-limb alignment, trunk-
pelvic control, and dynamic balance within a practical prehabilitation
framework.
Across all programmes, several common themes emerge. First, feasi-
bility is a central consideration: protocols are intentionally designed to
be time-efficient, coach-deliverable, and compatible with group-based
training, thereby increasing the likelihood of sustained long-term adop-
tion. Second, effective warm-ups in combat sports require both general
neuromuscular preparation and sport-representative elements, includ-
ing partner interaction where appropriate. Third, progression and move-
ment quality remain fundamental considerations; programmes are most
defensible when exercises are appropriately scaled to athlete level and
when coaches consistently reinforce safe alignment, controlled execu-
tion, and technically sound movement patterns, particularly under fa-
tigue or during contact-driven drills.
However, the current evidence base remains uneven across protocols.
Some programmes have undergone formal evaluation and demonstrate
favourable feasibility and acceptability, whereas others remain evidence-
informed proposals that still require well-powered prospective trials to
quantify their effects on injury outcomes. From an applied perspective,
the most defensible approach is therefore to interpret these protocols as
structured frameworks that can be implemented consistently, adapted
according to athlete level and training phase, and refined on the basis of
observed movement quality, injury patterns, and training-load demands.
Future research should prioritise controlled evaluations across differ-
ent combat-sport populations and training settings, with particular em-
phasis on implementation strategies that maximise adherence, coaching
fidelity, and long-term delivery quality.

References
Bacon, W., & Wilson, R. (2024). MASS-12: Evidence-based martial arts
striking sports injury prevention programme. Martial Arts Studies,
(15), 14–24.
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