Establishing a standardized fitness test battery for karate athletes
Date
2017-05-01
Authors
Anglos, Kalan
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Abstract
The purpose of this study was twofold: to determine the physical demands of the sport of karate and to establish a standardized field-based physical fitness test battery to assess karate athletes. The Physical Demands Analysis (PDA) consisted of a heart rate analysis, a movement analysis of karate techniques by an expert panel, and a review of the current literature. Five experienced karate athletes were monitored using acticals and heart rate monitors during simulated competition to help determine the physiological demands of karate. The results of all parts of the PDA were combined to inform the development of the physical fitness test battery for karate athletes, as well as rationalize the use of the individual tests included in the battery. The PDA identified the physical requirements for karate athletes to be: kicking and punching performance, flexibility, balance, agility, short burst high intensity fitness, and stamina. Therefore, a fitness test battery was developed using field-based tests that measures lower (vertical jump) and upper body (seated medicine ball put) power, hip flexibility (lateral split test), single leg balance (modified bass test), anaerobic capacity (modified 300 metre shuttle test), agility (T-Test), as well as aerobic performance (Leger 20m shuttle run test). While this study provides some evidence on the physiological profiling and fitness testing standards for karate athletes, the proposed physical fitness test battery provides a preliminary tool for the appropriate steps to analyze karate training and performance, establish normative data for athletes at all stages of development and experience and to determine karate fitness standards.
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Keywords
fitness, testing, athletes