Comparing the seoi-nage skill of elite and non-elite judo athletes

Abstract

Seoi-nage performance requires a high level of skill and proficiency. The aim of this study was to compare the motor planning, regulation, and control skills of elite versus non-elite seoi-nage judo athletes. Twenty subjects (10 elites and 10 non-elite) performed the three-phase seoi-nage skills of unbalancing, positioning, and throwing while an optical motion capture 3D camera monitored their shoulder, pelvis, hip, and knee joint movements to calculate their force magnitude and direction. Elite athletes performed better than non-elite athletes in terms of the shoulder (247.4° vs. 208.3° in Event 4) and pelvic (235.4° vs. 194.4° in Event 4) rotation, tilt angle (15.13° vs. − 0.74° in Event 4) characteristics, as well as hip (136.1° vs. 125.0° in Event 4) and knee joint (124.0° vs. 120.8° in Event 3) flexion–extension angle. Compared to non-elite athletes, elite athletes also showed more controlled force and movement in all bodily areas. These results can help to guide the development of seoi-nage skills as judo athletes advance from the non-elite to the elite level.