The Psychological Impact on Fighter Physiology

            I just finished reading a very interesting article on the physiology of close combat by Dave Grossman.  Using some excerpts from his work I hope to leave you with the understanding of why training for competition (cardio, weights, skills) may not completely guarantee that you will not fall victim to fatigue during competition.  The psychological stress of combat has a huge influence on your physiology. 

            To give you a little background information; Dave Grossman who authored the article is also the author of a new book called On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society .  Both are long fascinating reads that goes into great detail investigating the psychology of killing in combat.  He sites interviews, published personal accounts and academic studies.  The book states that human beings have a powerful, innate resistance to the taking of life, and then examines the techniques developed by the military to overcome that aversion. His provocative study focuses in particular on the Vietnam War, revealing how the American soldier was “enabled to kill to a far greater degree than any other soldier in history.

            What was of great interest to me were the examples he gave of the physiological impact of close combat.  To fully comprehend the intensity of the stress of combat, we must keep in mind that the psychological stress from fear and arousal has a large effect on our physiology. The body’s physiological response is largely manifested in the sympathetic nervous system’s mobilization of resources and the parasympathetic nervous system “backlash” that occurs as a result of the demands placed upon it. The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) mobilizes and directs the body’s energy resources for action. It is the physiological equivalent of the body’s front-line soldiers who actually do the fighting in a military unit. The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for the body’s digestive and recuperative processes. It is the physiological equivalent of the body’s cooks, mechanics, and clerks who sustain a military unit over an extended period of time.

            Usually the body maintains itself in a state of homeostasis, which ensures that these two nervous systems maintain a balance between their demands upon the body’s resources. But during extremely stressful circumstances the “fight-or-flight” response kicks in and the SNS mobilizes all available energy for survival. This is the physiological equivalent of throwing the cooks, mechanics, and clerks into the battle. This process is can be very, very  intense.  A combatant must pay a physiological price for an enervating process so intense. The “price” that the body pays is an equally powerful “backlash”.  This parasympathetic backlash occurs as soon as the danger and the excitement is over, and it takes the form of an incredibly powerful weariness and sleepiness on the part of the soldier

            The SNS is activated when the brain perceives a threat to survival, resulting in a immediate discharge of stress hormones. This “mass discharge” is designed to prepare the body for fight-or-flight. The response is characterized by increasing arterial pressure and blood flow to large muscle mass (resulting in increased strength capabilities and enhanced gross motor skills–such as running from or charging into an opponent), vasoconstriction of minor blood vessels at the end of appendages (which serves to reduce bleeding from wounds), pupil dilation, cessation of digestive processes, and muscle tremors. The illustration below presents a schematic representation of the effects of hormone induced heart rate increase resulting from SNS activation.  

            The activation of the SNS is automatic and virtually uncontrollable. It is a reflex triggered by the perception of a threat. Once initiated, the SNS will dominate all voluntary and involuntary systems until the perceived threat has been eliminated or escaped, performance deteriorates, or the parasympathetic nervous system activates to reestablish homeostasis.

            The degree of SNS activation centers around the level of perceived threat. For example, low-level SNS activation may result from the anticipation of combat. This is especially common with police officers or soldiers minutes before they make a tactical assault into a potential deadly force environment. Under these conditions combatants will generally experience increases in heart rates and respiration, muscle tremors, and a psychological sense of anxiety.

            Once activated, the SNS causes immediate physiological changes, of which the most noticeable and easily monitored is increased heart rate. SNS activation will drive the heart rate from an average of 70 beats per minute (BPM) to more than 200 BPM in less than a second. As combat stress increases, heart rate and respiration will increase until catastrophic failure, or until the parasympathetic nervous system is triggered.

            A landmark research study that involved monitoring the heart rate responses of law enforcement officers in close conflict simulations using paintball-type simulation weapons. This research has consistently recorded heart rate increases to well over 200 beats per minute, with some peak heart rates of up to 300 beats per minute. These were simulations in which the combatants knew that their life was not in danger.

            I found this information to be relevant to those of you who are training for tournaments and MMA events.  Many of you who have competed have expressed to me how tired and fatigued you have felt during a match.  Even though you may be able roll, weight train, and sustain training performance at very high intensity levels you will most likely still experience fatigue faster when you’re competing.  The psychological stress influences the physiological response. 

            When developing training programs for my  MMA athletes I try to make the toughest workouts on the days of the week on the same day they compete.  This should help get your mind adjusted to the stress associated with competing on a specific day so your psychological stress will be reduced.  Jay and Mandy also employ a similar technique in team training by putting people in the middle of the mat with everyone else on the side watching and yelling.  Again another way for you to prepare yourself for the psychological stress involved.

            I hope this article helps you in your preparation for upcoming events.  Now go forth and conquer. 

For more info, contact:

Stanley Skolfield, ATC,CSCS

OA Performance Center/

Parisi Speed School Manager

15 Lund Road

Saco, ME  04072

(207) 710-5509

Fax (207) 282-8185

sskolfield@orthoassociates.com

www.orthoassociates.com/parisi