The aim of the research is to evaluate the rapidity of reaction and action in karate techniques. We compared the speed of the techniques of the athletes of kata and kumite categories to confirm that the athletes who practise kumite are really more reactive than the others, as. We started the experimentation of the SOR test (reaction speed) which survey the actual rapidity of reaction in response to visual stimulus. Methods To perform the SOR test we used an ergotest which records the inputs coming from a photocell and a luminous starter, which allows to determine the reaction time for each technique. A piezoelectric footboard was placed nearby a punching bag to check the total time of the action, allowing to stop the chronometer of the ergotest when the athlete finishes his execution. The experimentation was conducted over a group of 20 male athletes who practice karate (age:18/30; height:170/192; weight: 60/94; degree: brown/black), divided into 2 similar groups: 10 katà and 10 kumitè competitors. We examined 4 techniques: 2 attack techniques with hands, kizami tsuki and gyaku tsuki (leading punch and reverse punch) and 2 attack techniques with foots, kizami mawashi geri and mawashi geri (front roundhouse kick and round kick). The objectivity was guaranteed by an accurate standardization of the protocol. The whole series of tests was repeated after two days to carry out the reliability study. It was also made a cross-comparison between the results of the group of the athletes performing kumitè and the group of athletes performing katà, in order to study the validity of the test and to check the ability to distinguish the athletes performing different disciplines. The reliability of such difference was studied through Anova methods. Results The reliability study (test-retest correlation) pointed out r values included between 0,80 and 0,91 (p<0.01) for both the groups and the 4 techniques analyzed. In the cross-comparison the group performing kumitè resulted significantly more rapid in responding to stimuli than the group performing katà, with high percentage differences (kizami tsuki = 31%, p<0,0001; gyaku tsuki = 32%, p<0,0001; kizami mawashi geri = 25%, p<0,01; mawashi geri = 27%, p<0,01). On the contrary, there wasn`t a significant difference between the 2 groups in the overall time of execution of the techniques, with percentages varying from 3 to 7%. Conclusions The results of the experimentation allow us to state that karate`s athletes performing kumitè speciality have a rapidity of reaction superior than those performing katà. Probably this is due to the fact that in katà responding rapidly to external stimuli is not so important as execution rapidity, as happens in almost every technical and combinatorial sport.
© Copyright 2009 14th annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science, Oslo/Norway, June 24-27, 2009, Book of Abstracts. Veröffentlicht von The Norwegian School of Sport Sciences. Alle Rechte vorbehalten. / Übersetzt mit https://www.DeepL.com/Translator