Article
In combat sports (boxing, karate, taekwondo), assessing physical performance using standard tests on a treadmill or stationary bike is not always accurate due to the non-specific nature of the test movements. Existing specialized striking tests generally do not record the dynamic characteristics of a strike, which makes it impossible to assess the mechanical work and power generated—and, consequently, the physiological cost of the exertion. Biomechanical studies, in turn, measure the mechanics of movement without assessing the body’s full physiological response. Thus, there is a clear lack of a comprehensive approach that combines the monitoring of mechanical impact parameters and physiological indicators to assess the speed-strength and aerobic performance of martial arts athletes.
The aim of the study was to develop and validate a physical exercise test based on striking actions to assess the speed-strength and aerobic performance of athletes using a specialized device to record the dynamic characteristics of the strike.
Methods and Study Design. Eighteen kudo athletes participated in the testing (age 15 ± 2 years, height 173.3 ± 4.8 cm, weight 70.7 ± 7.4 kg, qualification ranging from 1st class to Candidate Master of Sports). The protocol involved a stepwise-increasing workload with the force of straight punches to the punching bag increasing every 30 seconds until exhaustion. The force, number, and intensity of the punches were recorded using a Hit-range dynamometer. To determine the point at which impact force began to decrease, the time series was divided into segments, the median was calculated, and the points of change were identified using the CUSUM algorithm. Oxygen consumption was recorded using the Metalyzer 3B system: PC (L/min, mL/min/kg), time to reach the ventilatory threshold (VT), PC at VT, RER, respiratory depth, rate, and MOD, heart rate at VT and at the moment of reaching the maximum anaerobic capacity (MAC). Maximal anaerobic capacity was assessed on a Monark Ergomedic 891E Peak Bike manual ergometer using a protocol consisting of two 5-second tests with a 2-minute rest period and resistance set at 3.7% of body weight. Statistical analysis was performed using Python 3 (pandas, NumPy, SciPy, Matplotlib).
Results and Discussion. At the time of failure, peak cardiac output was 33.2 ± 7.7 mL/kg/min; the ventilatory peak was reached on average at 107.7 ± 12.2 seconds, with a cardiac output of 28.6 ± 5.2 mL/min/kg (86% of the peak value). Test duration correlated with peak CO (r = 0.72; p = 0.001) and exercise intensity (r = 0.63; p = 0.005), while impact force correlated with peak power in the MAM test (r = 0.71; p = 0.001). Seven of the 18 athletes (39%) exhibited a correct stepwise dynamic of striking force: a decline in force was recorded at 99.9 ± 35.5 s (97 ± 31.4 strikes), and the moment of reaching the peak value correlated strongly with the average interval between strikes (r = 0.87; p = 0.01).
Conclusion. The validated test, which involves a gradual increase in the force of strikes to a punching bag, allows for the simultaneous assessment of the dynamics of striking performance and the physiological response of athletes. The point at which the increase in striking force transitions to a decrease can be considered a potential marker of declining performance as fatigue accumulates. The correlations between test indicators and anaerobic power and respiratory parameters indicate the promise of this approach for a comprehensive assessment of specific speed-strength performance.
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