Elite Judo Research Articles

Events and event records (scoring and penalties) across temporal units in elite judo contests: implications for tactical preparation

Events and event records (scoring and penalties) across temporal units in elite judo contests: implications for tactical preparation

Magnitude and Direction of Interlimb Asymmetry and the Association of Interlimb Asymmetry with Physical Performance in Judo Athletes with Visual Impairment.

For judo athletes with visual impairments and their coaches, understanding possible muscle adaptations can be challenging. As it is commonplace for these adaptations to include interlimb asymmetry, we analyzed the magnitude and direction of interlimb asymmetry in judo athletes with visual impairments and verified the association of this asymmetry with their unilateral physical performances. Participants were 18 elite judo athletes (10 male, 8 female) with visual impairments. These athletes performed three physical tests: countermovement jump (CMJ), medicine ball throw (MBT), and handgrip strength (HGS), while we conducted unilateral right and left side assessments using the interlimb asymmetry equation for each physical test. Our main results showed that the CMJ and MBT tests presented asymmetry values above 10%; with CMJ significantly higher than HGS (p = 0.050), and with inconsistencies across the three tests in the direction of interlimb asymmetry (k = -0.22-0.26). Unilateral CMJ (left limb) was negatively correlated with asymmetry (r = -0.51; p = 0.031), and unilateral MBT (right limb) was positively correlated with asymmetry (r = 0.52; p = 0.024). Based on these results, coaches should prioritize regular assessments of interlimb asymmetry using these specific tests. This data can guide the construction of training programs aimed at minimizing asymmetry and enhancing overall physical performance. Continuous monitoring and adjustment of training strategies based on asymmetry findings are crucial for optimizing muscle balance in judo athletes with visual impairments.

Endurance training for judo athletes: Improving anaerobic and aerobic capacity in the high altitude

Background Problems: Judo is a sport that requires aerobic and anaerobic abilities. This is because the scoring in judo matches is different from other martial arts, where athletes will look for absolute 'ippon' points in one match. Therefore, training is needed that can support increasing aerobic and anaerobic capacity in judo athletes. Endurance training at high altitudes is a training method that is believed to have benefits for athletes' aerobic and aerobic capacity. Research Objectives: The study aims to examine the effect of endurance training on increasing the anaerobic and aerobic capacity of judo athletes based on the Special Judo Fitness Test (SJFT), which is a specific test for the sport of judo that can describe anaerobic and aerobic fitness according to the needs of judo. Methods: This research was conducted in the Puncak area of West Java, which is included in the highlands. An experimental method was used in this research on twenty-four Indonesian elite judo athletes who are carrying out training camps to face the SEA Games in Vietnam in 2021. The t test using SPSS Version 24 was used for data analysis in this study. Findings and Results: The results showed that there was a significant increase in anaerobic and aerobic capacity at high altitudes in judo athletes, as seen from the SJFT. Conclusion: This study concluded that endurance training could increase the anaerobic and aerobic capacity of judo athletes in the highlands. Endurance training at high altitudes for judo athletes is highly recommended because it has been proven to have a significant effect on increasing anaerobic and aerobic capacity. We recommend that judo coaches carry out training at high altitudes because it has been proven to improve the aerobic and anaerobic abilities of judo athletes.

The penalties and scores by events, to predict victory and defeat according to when the contest ends in elite judo contests

The penalties and scores by events, to predict victory and defeat according to when the contest ends in elite judo contests

Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Male and Female Judo Athletes.

Changes in cardiac geometry develop after intense and prolonged training. Left ventricular enlargement, increased relative wall thickness, and growing mass of the left ventricle occur after strenuous exercise. Combat sports such as judo can lead to left ventricular hypertrophy. Previous studies have found that there are differences in left ventricular chamber size and thickness between the sexes, with female athletes having smaller wall diameters and less hypertrophy than male athletes. The research aims to examine heart muscle adaptations and remodeling of cardiac geometry among elite judo athletes and to evaluate differences between males and females. A cross-sectional study included a group of 19 (males n=10, females n=9) professional judokas between 20 and 30 years. Demographic and anthropometric data were collected. Cardiac geometry was determined by two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography. In terms of left ventricular mass and the left ventricular mass index significant differences were found between male and female judokas (233.44±68.75 g vs. 164.11±16.59 g, p=0.009), (105.16±24.89 vs. 84.66±15.06, p=0.044), respectively. A greater enlargement of the heart muscle is observed in male athletes compared to the female group. Left ventricle enlargement is likely to occur among elite-level judokas.

Hypoventilation training including maximal end-expiratory breath holding improves the ability to repeat high-intensity efforts in elite judo athletes.

To investigate the effects of a repeated-sprint training in hypoxia induced by voluntary hypoventilation at low lung volume (RSH-VHL) including end-expiratory breath holding (EEBH) of maximal duration. Over a 4-week period, twenty elite judo athletes (10 women and 10 men) were randomly split into two groups to perform 8 sessions of rowing repeated-sprint exercise either with RSH-VHL (each sprint with maximal EEBH) or with unrestricted breathing (RSN, 10-s sprints). Before (Pre-), 5days after (Post-1) and 12days after (Post-2) the last training session, participants completed a repeated-sprint ability (RSA) test on a rowing ergometer (8 × 25-s "all-out" repetitions interspersed with 25s of passive recovery). Power output (PO), oxygen uptake, perceptual-motor capacity (turning off a traffic light with a predetermined code), cerebral (Δ[Hbdiff]) and muscle (Δ[Hb/Mb]diff) oxygenation, cerebral total haemoglobin concentration (Δ[THb]) and muscle total haemoglobin/myoglobin concentration (Δ[THb/Mb]) were measured during each RSA repetition and/or recovery period. From Pre-to Post-1 and Post-2, maximal PO, mean PO (MPO) of the first half of the test (repetitions 1-4), oxygen uptake, end-repetition cerebral Δ[Hbdiff] and Δ[THb], end-repetition muscle Δ[Hb/Mb]diff and Δ[THb/Mb] and perceptual-motor capacity remained unchanged in both groups. Conversely, MPO of the second half of the test (repetitions 5-8) was higher at Post-1 than at Pre-in RSH-VHL only (p < 0.01), resulting in a lower percentage decrement score over the entire RSA test (20.4% ± 6.5% vs. 23.9% ± 7.0%, p = 0.01). Furthermore, MPO (5-8) was greater in RSH-VHL than in RSN at Post-1 (p = 0.04). These performance results were accompanied by an increase in muscle Δ[THb/Mb] (p < 0.01) and a concomitant decrease in cerebral Δ[THb] (p < 0.01) during the recovery periods of the RSA test at Post-1 in RSH-VHL. Four weeks of RSH-VHL including maximal EEBH improved the ability of elite judo athletes to repeat high-intensity efforts. The performance improvement, observed 5days but not 12days after training, may be due to enhanced muscle perfusion. The unchanged oxygen uptake and the decrease in cerebral regional blood volume observed at the same time suggest that a blood volume redistribution occurred after the RSH-VHL intervention to meet the increase in muscle perfusion.

The influence of EEG-biofeedback training and Beta waves in normoxia and normobaric hypoxia on the bench press in judo athletes

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of EEG -Biofeedback training in normoxic and normobaric hypoxic conditions on bench press improving in elite judo athletes. The study included 20 male elite judo athletes. Each athlete was a member of the Polish National Team and held either an International Master Class (MM) or National Master Class (M) – purposive selection. The research was carried out over two cycles that differed in the external conditions of EEG biofeedback trainings for both the control and experimental groups. The experimental group underwent training under simulated hypoxic conditions The training sessions for the experimental group were conducted at a simulated altitude of 3000m above sea level. Each cycle of the study comprised of 15 training sessions. The control group's study followed the same frequency, and duration of EEG biofeedback training sessions, and demonstrated an identical pattern to that of the experimental group, but in normoxia conditions. In the discussed cycle conducted in hypoxia, a clear upward dynamics of Beta wave values with a growing trend from session 14 was observed. In normoxia, the variability in the EG group had a significantly less dynamic course. In hypoxia, a clear upward dynamics of the achieved PP values with a growing trend from measurement 14 was observed. In normoxia, the discussed measurement cycle conducted in the CG group showed a lesser upward dynamics of achieved PP values with a growing trend from measurement 10. The overall conclusion from these analyses suggests that EEG biofeedback training in hypoxic conditions may have a beneficial impact on brain activity and improvement in muscle strength and power. These results may be of significant importance for sports training and rehabilitation, especially for individuals engaged in sports disciplines requiring physical exertion in low oxygen environments.

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

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.

Directions of attack and their effectiveness of male judo medalists at the Olympic competitions

Introduction: To perform a technical action, the elite judo athlete examines the direction of attack relative to the opponent's body position. This study aimed to analyze and compare the most frequent and effective attack directions carried out by male Olympic medalists. Materials and Methods: A sample of 112 male medalists performed 3,664 attacks in four Olympic tournaments (2004–2016). ANOVA (one factor) determined inter and intra-Olympic comparisons, followed by the post hoc Bonferroni test (p&lt; 0.05). Eta squared η2 and Cohen's d calculated the effect size, respectively. Results: Olympic medalists oriented their attacks principally in right forward (30.5±11.3%), left forward (29.9±10.5%), left backward (18.8±8.1%), and right backward (15.8±6.1%). The effectiveness of right forward (25.7±13.1%) and left forward (26.2±12.5%) dominates left backward (20.5±10.1%) and right backward (15.5±9.7%), respectively. In terms of frequencies and effectiveness, the contribution of secondary directions is negligible. Conclusions: Attacking in eight orientations made the defense vulnerable. Beside the uncertainty and unpredictability, they created more points of imbalance to overcome defensive issues.

Examining the effects of pre-competition rapid weight loss on hydration status and competition performance in elite judo athletes

The prevalence of rapid weight loss (RWL) among martial arts athletes including judo is very high. Many applied RWL strategies could be dangerous to health and even lead to death. Therefore, the International Judo Federation (IJF) introduced changes in the weigh-in rules, changing the official weigh-in for the day before the competition. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the new IJF rules on hydration status and weight loss strategies among professional judo athletes. Seventeen elite judo athletes participated in the study. Body mass and hydration status, were analyzed before the competition. Moreover, competition result and practice of RWL survey were collected. All subjects reached their weight category limits for the competition. RWL resulted in body mass changes (p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.79) and dehydration among participants (urine osmolality > 700 [mOsmol*kg]−1 and urine specific gravity > 1.020 [g*cm3]−1). However, urine osmolality (p > 0.05, ηp2 = 0.18), as well as urine specific gravity (p > 0.05, ηp2 = 0.16), at subsequent time points of measurement revealed no statistical differences. The prevalence of RWL was 100%, and only 17.6% of the athletes declared that they would compete in a different weight category if the competition would be conducted on the same day of the weigh-in. All judo athletes applied RWL procedures using traditional methods to achieve the required body mass (i.e., increased exercise, reduced fluid, and food intake). Dehydration state was not associated with competitive performance (p > 0.05).

Relationship between Maximum Oxygen Consumption and Lactate Metabolism with Situational Efficiency of Highly Selected Young Judoists

Judo is often referred to as an explosive sport, which requires great anaerobic strength and capacity, with a well-developed aerobic system. Attaining a high level of physical fitness, strength, and fatigue tolerance is essential for achieving success in competition. Fatigue leads to decreased muscle strength, prolonged reaction time, reduced agility, neuromuscular coordination, overall body speed, concentration, and agility. The intensity at which this phenomenon occurs is known as the lactate threshold. The primary objective of the planned research was to establish a link between maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), lactate metabolism, and the situational efficiency of selected young judoists. The sample consisted of 30 cadet and junior judo athletes from the national teams of Serbia (average age of 16.43±0.76 years, body height of 176.94±5.15 cm, and body weight of 69.71±10.64 kg). The research employed precisely standardized protocols and modern equipment to determine anthropometric characteristics, and the values of maximal oxygen consumption, lactate thresholds, and the index of a specific judo fitness test among the selected young judo athletes. Based on the obtained results, there was a moderate negative correlation between VO2max and the index of the special judo fitness test, as well as a low correlation between the first lactate threshold (PLAP) and the second lactate threshold (DLAP) with the index of the special judo fitness test (ISJFT). Additionally, a moderate negative correlation was found between VO2max and anthropometric parameters, while PLAP and DLAP exhibited low correlations with anthropometric parameters. The research results quantitatively illustrate the physiological adaptation of the top young judo athletes to the physical demands encountered during years of specific training. The proposed battery of tests can be utilized to assess the functional status of competitors more accurately and determine the competition profile for elite judo athletes.

엘리트 유도선수들의 성격 강점이 실패내성에 미치는 영향

본 연구의 목적은 엘리트 유도선수들이 지각하는 성격 강점과 실패를 극복하기 위해 효과적으로 평가되는 실패내성 수준을 알아보고, 실패내성에 영향을 미치는 성격 강점 요인을 알아보고자 하였다. 이를 위해 201명의 엘리트 유도선수를 표본으로 하여 성격 강점과 실패내성을 측정하였으며, 자료수집 절차에 따른 다변량분석, 상관관계분석, 다중회귀분석을 통해 결과를 산출하였다. 분석 결과 소속에 따른 성격 강점의 차이는 분석, 끈기, 절제 요인에서 고등학생 선수보다 실업팀과 국가대표 선수가 더 높았고, 심리조절 요인에서는 대학 선수가 더 높은 심리조절 강점을 보였다. 둘째, 소속에 따른 실패내성 차이를 분석한 결과, 실업팀과 국가대표 선수들은 실패 후 과제난이도와 실패 후 정서적 요인 측면에서 고등학교 선수들에 비해 실패내성 수준이 높게 나타났다. 셋째, 엘리트 유도선수들의 성격 강점이 실패내성에 미치는 영향을 살펴본 결과, 절제와 창의성 요인이 실패 후 과제난이도, 실패 후 행동에 성실, 창의, 절제, 끈기 순으로 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 마지막으로 실패 후 감정조절에 영향을 미치는 실패내성 요인은 성실, 창의, 자신감, 끈기였다. 따라서 본 연구의 분석 결과는 선행연구를 바탕으로 논의되었다.

The Role and Development of Strength for Elite Judo Athletes

ABSTRACT The Olympic combat sport of judo is characterized by high-intensity intermittent efforts to throw an opponent to the ground, pinning, or submitting them. High-level judo coaches have established neuromuscular performance as one of the key performance indicators in judo. This is likely because the judo athlete performs several neuromuscular challenges, including establishing grip dominance while engaging an opponent when standing, performing highly technical throws, and exerting dynamic and isometric contractions to control an opponent on the ground. As such, a stronger judo practitioner has an advantage over opponents with comparable technical ability. With that in mind, this review aims to examine the role different types of strength play in judo performance and provide training recommendations based on neuromuscular attributes for training elite judo athletes.

When and How a Judo Contest Ends: Analysis of Scores, Penalties, Rounds and Temporal Units in 2018, 2019 and 2021 World Championships

The main aim of this study was to analyse the relationship between how contests end (scores or penalties), the temporal units and the competition rounds regarding when the contest end in the 2018, 2019 and 2021 Judo World Championships. A total of 2340 contests involving 2244 elite judo athletes (1343 men and 901 women) were analysed. Pearson’s chi-squared (χ2) was implemented to analyse the association between variables, and the standardised residuals were used to analyse its interpretation; the strength of the associations was reported as Cramer’s V. Shapiro–Wilk and Kolmogorov–Smirnov were implemented to test the normality of the length of golden score (GS) sequences, and Kruskal–Wallis was applied for analysing GS sequences by championships. Mann–Whitney U was also implemented if a significant effect was detected. The level of significance was set at 0.05. The results were as follows: (1) Most contests ended before the accomplishment of the regular time (BRT), and they were won by ippon. (2) During BRT, the defeated accumulated more shido than the winner, while the opposite happened in contests finishing at the regular time (FRT). (3) Contests ending in the first and third minutes decreased, while contests ending in the second and fourth minutes increased; a longer length of the GS period was observed for women compared with men. (4) BRT contests were overrepresented in rounds 1 and 2, while extended time contests (EXT) in repechage, semi-final, bronze and final were overrepresented. (5) There were fewer waza-ari than expected during the preliminary rounds and more in the final rounds. The current study reveals cornerstone information that could be used to improve the training programs of elite judo athletes.

Variation characteristics of stress distribution in the subchondral bone of the knee joint of judo athletes with long-term stress changes.

To investigate the distribution of bone density in the subchondral bone tissue of the knee joint due to the mechanical stress load generated by judo, the bone tissue volume of different densities and the bone remodeling characteristics of the subchondral bone of the knee joint. CT imaging data of the knee joint were collected from 15 healthy individuals as controls and 15 elite judo athletes. Firstly, they were processed by the CTOAM technique, and secondly, the distribution pattern of high-density areas of the knee joint was localized using nine anatomical regions. In addition, three tomographic images were selected in the sagittal, coronal, and axial 2D image windows to observe the distribution of different densities of bone tissue. Finally, the percentage of bone tissue volume (%BTV) and bone remodeling trend of bone tissues with different densities were determined. In this study, high-density areas were found in the 4th, 5th, and 6th regions of the articular surface of the distal femur and the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th regions of the tibial plateau in judo athletes; the distribution of high-density areas on the articular surface of the distal femur in control subjects was similar with judo athletes, and high-density areas were mainly found in the 4th and 5th regions of the tibial plateau. The %BTV of low (401-500HU in the distal femur; 301-400 HU and 401-500HU in the tibial plateau), moderate, and high bone density was higher in judo athletes than in controls in the subchondral bone of the distal femur and tibial plateau (P< 0.05). The history of compressive stresses, struck stresses, soft tissue tension and pull, self-gravity and intra-articular stress loading generated by the lower limb exercise technique of judo leads to specific forms of stress distribution and bone tissue remodeling in the subchondral bone tissue within the distal femur and tibia plateau.

Prevalence and risk factors of poor subjective sleep quality in elite judo athletes.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s41105-023-00444-6.

Acute effects of oral sodium bicarbonate on blood marker levels in elite judo athletes

Introduction. The aim of this study was to establish if sodium bicarbonate affects the blood marker levels after a Special Judo Fitness Test in elite judo athletes. Material and Methods. Ten male judo athletes (age 20 ? 2.1 years; body height 180.18 ? 8.11 cm; body mass 85.24 ? 23.17 kg; body mass index 25.2 ? 3.4 kg/m2), judo masters (black belt holders) with at least 10 years of training and competition experience, agreed to participate in the current research. Results. The results showed a significant main effect of time (p &lt; 0.05) for the following variables: uric acid, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine transaminase, creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, phosphate, magnesium, calcium, sodium, potassium, and chloride. We found that creatine kinase, C-reactive protein, sodium and chloride were significantly different (p &lt; 0.05) in the sodium bicarbonate group compared to placebo group after the Special Judo Fitness Test. Conclusion. The main finding of the present study was that sodium bicarbonate (0.3 g/kg) improved recovery compared to placebo in elite judokas. Therefore, coaches should consider sodium bicarbonate to improve athlete recovery during combat.

INFLUENCE OF JUDO WOMANS AGE ON SELECTION AND PERFORMANCE IN THE TOKYO OLYMPIC GAMES 2020

Purpose: to analyse the results of the selection and performance of judo womans at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 depending on their age indicators. Material and methods. During the study of this direction of research the following methods were used: theoretical analysis and generalization of scientific and methodical literature, analysis of competition protocols of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, analysis of the world ranking of elite athletes according to the IJF. Linear regression analysis was used to represent the relative age as one of the indicators of measuring the success of elite judo womans. Results: The total number of female judo womans - 1444, in all weight categories, who participated in the selection for the TOG-2020 and 192 athletes who performed at the TOG-2020 were studied based on data from the official website of the International Judo Federation. After analysing the performances of 192 female athletes at the TOG-2020, it can be seen that the percentage of younger than average age judo womans was 59% (113 athletes), and older than average age judo womans - 41% (79 athletes). After a comparative analysis of the relatively younger average age of female athletes who passed the selection with those who passed it for the TOG-2020, it can be seen that the percentage of younger judo womans is only 9%, while the percentage of older judo womans relative to the average age of judo womans is 43%. This may be due to the fact that older relative to the average age female athletes can be much higher in the direction of cognitive development (decision-making, abstract thinking, creativity, acquisition of competitive experience and psychological factors) than younger relative to the average age female athletes, who mostly use this selection to gain competitive experience. Further analysis showed that younger female athletes who took part in the TOG-2020 are only 9% of all judo woman who passed the selection. While the number of older judo womans relative to the average age is 41% of all those who have been selected for the TOG-2020. Having a gap in age from 20 to 42 years, high-class female athletes who took part in the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 have a peak age of 28-31 years. Conclusions. Thus, older judo womans should spend less time to win than younger athletes. Gaining with age the experience necessary to participate in high-ranking competitions, it is necessary to take into account that the functional capabilities of athletes decrease with age.

Which Performance Tests Best Define the Special Judo Fitness Test Classification in Elite Judo Athletes?

The normative values of the Special Judo Fitness Test (SJFT) are used to evaluate judo athletes, and the question arises of which performance tests from crucial motor abilities best define the SJFT classification in elite judo athletes. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between elite judo athletes' physical performance and the evaluation using SJFT index norms. Nineteen judo athletes (11 females) (22.8 ± 2.5 years old) from the senior judo national team voluntarily participated in this study. Body composition, reaction time, balance, flexibility, agility, hand grip strength, 20 m sprint, vertical jump, SJFT, and Wingate tests were performed by athletes on four separate days at one-day intervals. Athletes were classified as regular and above (≥regular) or poor and below (≤poor) according to their SJFT index scores. Simple logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate this classification's consistency with performance test results. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals related to each possible factor and Wald test statistics were calculated. The SJFT index classification was associated with Wingate peak and mean power, vertical jump, and sprint performance results (p &lt; 0.05), whereas it was not associated with body fat percentage, agility, reaction time, hand grip strength, flexibility, and balance performances (p &gt; 0.05). SJFT index classificatory norms are mainly related to athletes' anaerobic power. Higher anaerobic power increases athletes' possibility of being classified as ≥regular.

Youth Judokas Competing in Higher Age Groups Leads to a Short-Term Success.

Coaches of youth judo athletes might be under the influence of some extraordinary elite judo athletes that have won elite competitions at a relatively young age and might put youth athletes under pressure to gain as much fighting experience as fast as possible. The present study aims to present a 5-year competition structure, volume and age competition categories (ACC) range in which youth judokas competed with 10-year dropout status. Data from 46 judokas were collected (M = 24; F = 22) for four categorisation classes (National-NC; Perspective-PC; International-IC; World class-WC). Competitive structure, volume, performance and number of ACC were collected from 2009 to 2013 for all age groups from scores and standings records of the National Federation. Youth judokas competed in 8 (±2) competitions per year and also competed in 3 (±1) ACC. Abroad competitions affect the fighting experience and competitive success (CS). CS showed positive correlations with the number of ACC in the year 2009 (p = 0.01), 2010 (p = 0.01) and 2011 (p = 0.04). The final observed years' CS 2012 (p = 0.009) and 2013 (p = 0.002) showed a negative association with the number of ACC. CS in the final observed year 2013 showed a positive association (p = 0.012) with the dropout status in 2018 and a negative one with the number of abroad competitions in 2013 (p = 0.029). In total, 52% dropout was noted in 10 years. This ''playing-up'' approach was shown to be successful in creating youth medalists. However, just in the short term, if implemented for too long, it starts to affect competition success negatively and increases youth athletes' dropout. Therefore, coaches should include more competitions abroad in competitors' primary age group, while training sessions could be done with higher age groups which would allow for gathering additional experience in a more controlled environment in their yearly periodisation.