Abstract
This study investigated the effect of area sizes (4 × 4, 6 × 6, and 8 × 8 m) and effort-pause ratios (free combat vs. 1:2) variation on the physiological and perceptive responses during taekwondo combats (Study 1). In a second study, the effects on physical performance of 8 weeks of small combat-based training added to regular taekwondo training were investigated (Study 2). In random order, 32 male taekwondo athletes performed six (i.e., two effort-to-pause ratios × three area sizes conditions) different 2-min taekwondo combats (Study 1). Thereafter (Study 2), they were randomly assigned to three experimental groups (4 × 4, 6 × 6, and 8 × 8 m) and an active control group (CG). Regarding Study 1, blood lactate concentration [La] before and after each combat, mean heart rate (HRmean) during each combat, and rating of perceived exertion (CR-10) immediately after each combat were assessed. Regarding Study 2, progressive specific taekwondo (PSTT) to estimate maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max), taekwondo-specific agility, and countermovement jump (CMJ) tests were administered before and after 8 weeks of training. Study 1 results showed that 4 × 4 m elicited lower HRmean values compared with 6 × 6 m (d = −0.42 [small], p = 0.030) and free combat induced higher values compared with the 1:2 ratio (d = 1.71 [large], p < 0.001). For [La]post, 4 × 4 m area size induced higher values than 6 × 6 m (d = 0.99 [moderate], p < 0.001) and 8 × 8 m (d = 0.89 [moderate], p < 0.001) and free combat induced higher values than 1:2 ratio (d = 0.69 [moderate], p < 0.001). Higher CR-10 scores were registered after free combat compared with 1:2 ratio (d = 0.44 [small], p = 0.007). For Study 2, VO2max increased after training [F (1, 56) =30.532, p < 0.001; post-hoc: d = 1.27 [large], p < 0.001] with higher values for 4 × 4 m compared with CG (d = 1.15 [moderate], p = 0.009). Agility performance improved after training [F (1, 56) = 4.419, p = 0.04; post-hoc: d = −0.46 [small], p = 0.04] and 4 × 4 m induced lower values in comparison with 6 × 6 m (d = −1.56 [large], p = 0.001) and CG (d = −0.77 [moderate], p = 0.049). No training type influenced CMJ performance. Smaller area size elicited contrasting results in terms of metabolic demand compared with larger sizes (i.e., lower HRmean but higher [La] and CR-10), whereas free combat induced variables' consistently higher values compared with imposed 1:2 ratio (Study 1). Taekwondo training is effective to improve VO2max and agility (Study 2), but small combat training modality should be investigated further.
Highlights
To improve taekwondo athletes’ fitness level, coaches regularly use a variety of conventional activities including basic techniques, technical combinations, poomsae, breaking techniques, self-defense techniques, step sparring, sparring drills, and free sparring that can be performed including additional materials such as elastics and pads (Bridge et al, 2007)
Bridge et al (2007) suggested that exercises based on combat drills and free combat are the most suitable activities for developing cardiovascular fitness for taekwondo competition when compared with the elastics’ use and technical combinations
The present study showed that VO2max estimated from progressive specific taekwondo test (PSTT) increased after the training period and that 4 × 4 m elicited higher values compared with control group (CG)
Summary
To improve taekwondo athletes’ fitness level, coaches regularly use a variety of conventional activities including basic techniques, technical combinations, poomsae (forms), breaking techniques, self-defense techniques, step sparring, sparring drills, and free sparring that can be performed including additional materials such as elastics and pads (Bridge et al, 2007) These different exercise modalities were reported to stress the cardiovascular system at different intensities (Bridge et al, 2007). When organizing sparring sessions, coaches can manipulate the combat area and/or the effort-topause ratio in an attempt to increase the athletes’ number of attacks (Ouergui et al, 2019) Taking into consideration these aspects, previous studies have investigated the physiological responses and perceived exertion in combat-based exercises in taekwondo (Bridge et al, 2009), kickboxing (Ouergui et al, 2017), and judo (Franchini et al, 2019). Effort-to-pause ratio should be addressed in such an exercise
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