The efficacy and safety of the training process in sumo through autogenic training for professional wrestlers

Abstract

Background and purpose of the study. Considering the high demands for physical and psychological preparedness in sumo, the implementation of comprehensive approaches to training becomes relevant. Such an approach ensures the improvement of sports results and the health maintenance of athletes. The study is aimed at analyzing the effectiveness of autogenic training in the educational and training process among experienced sumo wrestlers. Materials and Methods. The analysis is based on the observation of 10 experienced sumo wrestlers from the "Adrenaline" sports club in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Methods used to assess the psycho-emotional and physical state of athletes included the SAN test, heart rate measurement, the Stange and Genchi tests, reaction time measurement, and the Romberg test. Mastery of autogenic training techniques took place in a group over 5 weeks at the end of each training session. After the first week, a visualization technique was added to the autogenic training. For the analysis and visualization of the obtained data it was used the integrated development environment PyCharm Community Edition. The programming code was written in Python. The experiment was conducted in Kharkiv (Ukraine), which has been located in a war zone since February 2022. The requirements of the military administration for ensuring the safety of the experiment participants were observed. Results. Significant improvements were observed in the psycho-emotional state of athletes, including a reduction in anxiety levels by 6.5 points (p<0.01) and an improvement in reactionmetry indicators by 3.4 cm (p < 0.05). Improvements were also noted in the well-being, mood, and activity of athletes. At the end of the experiment, no significant changes were observed in heart rate and the Stange and Genchi tests. A noticeable improvement was shown in the Genchi test, although these changes did not reach statistical significance. The results of the reactionmetry significantly improved, confirming the effectiveness of the training in enhancing the athletes' reaction speed. Conclusions. The study confirmed that autogenic training is an effective means of improving not only the psycho-emotional state but also the physical readiness of sumo wrestlers. The implementation of such methods can contribute to increasing the safety and effectiveness of the educational and training process, as well as achieving higher sports results while maintaining the health of athletes.