Can height categories replace weight categories in striking martial arts competitions? A pilot study

Effect of Ankle Proprioception Training on Preventing Ankle Injury of Martial Arts Athletes

Martial arts routines originated in China and are a traditional sport of the Chinese nation. They are one of the outstanding sports culture representatives in China since ancient times. Excessively difficult movements in some martial arts routines during competitions or training can cause athlete injuries. The purpose of this article is to study the effect of proprioceptive training of ankle joints on preventing ankle injuries in martial arts athletes. Can ankle strength training and ankle proprioceptive training combined with strength training improve the dynamic and static balance of football players? This article analyzes the mechanism and causes of martial arts athletes' injuries and proposes treatment methods for ankle injuries. In the experimental part of this article, 16 martial arts athletes (8 males and 8 females) were selected as research objects, and they were randomly divided into 4 male and female experimental groups and 4 control groups. The experimental group received ankle muscle strength training for 6 weeks, and the control group received ankle muscle strength training and ankle proprioception training. The experimental results prove that ankle proprioceptive training can improve the dynamic and static balance of martial arts athletes and can effectively prevent the occurrence of ankle injury. In this paper, the dynamic balance ability in the biped standing state with eyes closed was tested, and the reductions of the stability index in the front and back directions of the control group and the experimental group were 0.03 and 0.2, respectively. It can be seen that the stability training effect of the experimental group was obvious.

Effect of Repairing Tendon and Ligament Injury of Wushu Athletes by Medical Image

Medical imaging can be used as a medical aid for diagnosis and treatment, and color Doppler ultrasound can also be used in life science research as a scientific research method. Wushu is a traditional sport in China, which has a long history of development. Martial arts are a very good fitness project, but different from ordinary people, professional martial arts athletes are often accompanied by a variety of sports injuries, and tendon ligament injury is one of the most common injuries. At present, there are many treatment plans for tendon and ligament injury, but there are few researches on the repair effect of tendon and ligament injury. This paper will take this as the main research purpose for in-depth study. In view of the problem that ligament injury is not easy to observe, this paper will use GE Lightspeed 64 row spiral CT as the main observation tool and use the method of hospital image observation to compare and analyze the repair effect of tendon and ligament injury of Wushu athletes. In this experiment, 88 professional Wushu athletes were gathered as experimental samples. After preliminary screening, 110 cases of ligament injury were counted. After analyzing the abnormal changes of tissue or structure, Lysholm, and IKDC treatment effect score data, this paper believes that, for type I patients, only conservative treatment can achieve good results. However, in the more serious and complex type II patients, local fixation is used after the onset of the disease, and very serious patients can achieve good results through surgical treatment. Postoperative care is also important, which helps reduce complications. This experiment has achieved ideal results and has played a blank role in the research of the repair effect of tendon and ligament injury of Wushu athletes at home and abroad.

Patterns of weight cycling in youth Olympic combat sports: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Patterns of weight cycling in adult combat sports have been extensively studied, yet data on this matter in youth combat athletes is rather scarce.

METHODS

PubMed, EBSCOhost and Web of Science were used to retrieve relevant data. Eligible studies had to record the methods used to elicit rapid weight loss (RWL) and/or record the oscillations in bodyweight during the RWL phase. Only studies conducted in the context of an official competition were considered for inclusion in the present review.

RESULTS

RWL is highly prevalent in children and adolescent combat athletes, ranging from 25 to 94% depending on the type of combat sport, age and level of competition. These athletes regularly prompt RWL by increasing exercise frequency and intensity, decreasing fluid and food intake, training in impermeable suits and using sauna frequently. Overall, the magnitude of RWL was ranging from ~ 1% to 6.3 ± 3.7% with significant RWL variations within individual studies and individuals within those studies.

CONCLUSION

Acquired data indicated that RWL patterns in young combat athletes are similar to those found in their adult counterparts. Knowing that childhood and adolescence are critical periods for growth and development, RWL needs to be stringently regulated and ideally banned in this population.

Age and Maturity Effects on Morphological and Physical Performance Measures of Adolescent Judo Athletes

Studies assessing age and maturation effects on morphological and physical performance measures of young judokas are scarce. This study aimed to assess the independent and combined effects of chronological age and biological maturation on anthropometry and physical performance of 67 judokas aged 11-14. Participants’ anthropometric profiles were assessed, and physical performance tests were completed. Multivariate analyses of variance revealed an independent effect of age (anthropometry: F = 1.871; p < 0.05; Pillai’s trace = 0.545; η²_p = 0.272; physical performance: F = 2.876; p < 0.01; Pillai’s trace = 0.509; η²_p = 0.254) and maturity (anthropometry: F = 10.085; p < 0.01; Pillai’s trace = 0.669; η²_p = 0.669; physical performance: F = 11.700; p < 0.01; Pillai’s trace = 0.581; η²_p = 0.581). There was no significant combined effect of age and maturity. The maturation effect remained significant when controlled for age (anthropometry: F = 4.097; p < 0.01; Pillai’s trace = 0.481; η²_p = 0.481; physical performance: F = 3.859; p < 0.01; Pillai’s trace = 0.0.318; η²_p = 0.318). Inadolescent judokas, the maturation effect on growth and physical performance seems to be more relevant than the age effect, leading to the need to control this effect in training routines and competitive events. As in studies with youth soccer players and other youth athletes, bio-banding can be a strategy for controlling maturation in combat sports.

Multilevel Evaluation of Rapid Weight Loss in Wrestling and Taekwondo

The practice of strategies for rapid weight loss (RWL) involve diverse factors, such as individual expectations, social interactions, structural elements, etc., conforming to a "culture" of RWL, which must be evaluated and understood in a broad sense. Based on the need of a comprehensive evaluation of the use of RWL in practitioners of combat sports, an ad hoc questionnaire designed for this study, which includes the types and detailed descriptions of RWL strategies, that athletes currently use, the prevalence and frequency of use, the physiological and psychological consequences, the perception of the effect of RWL on their own performance and finally, the individuals who influence the adoption of this practice. One hundred and sixty combat athletes from wrestling and taekwondo disciplines, from Mexico, filled out this questionnaire. Data collected for their statistical analyses. Results revealed a RWL strategies prevalence of 96% across the participants. Our results revealed that 57% of those athletes using RWL lose more than 5% of their body mass. Across the athletes, the most commonly used RWL strategies and with higher intensity were increased exercise and training with plastic or thick clothes. The greater the relative weight loss, the greater the presence of physiological symptoms in athletes, such as rapid breathing and blood pressure. Athletes also mentioned mood states such as tiredness, sadness, confusion, fatigue and vigor, these last two positive and negative mood states are associated with the relative weight loss, respectively. Finally, the people who most influenced the adoption of RWL strategies were the coaches, parents and nutritionists. In conclusion, the questionnaire prepared for this study allowed us to obtain valuable information about the several factors, and their interactions, involved in the practice of RWL in combat athletes. This type of practice could increase health risks and decrease their performance. Therefore, here we state the importance of a comprehensive evaluation of RWL strategies that allows the development of psycho-educational and social-based interventions and programs for the promotion of proper weight maintenance, and prevention against RWL strategies, involving the individuals who influence the adoption of these practices and supporting it with the help of communication technologies.

ACSM Expert Consensus Statement on Weight Loss in Weight-Category Sports

ABSTRACT

Weight-category sports are defined by the requirement of a weigh-in before competition to provide performance equity and reduced injury risks by eliminating size discrepancies. Athletes in these sports try to gain a theoretical advantage by competing in weight divisions that are lower than their day-to-day body mass (BM), using a combination of chronic strategies (body-fat losses) and acute manipulations over a period of hours to days before weigh-in ("making weight"). Strategies to support safer practices include minimal competition weight classification based on preseason body composition, reductions in the period between weigh-in and competition, and prohibition of unhealthy weight loss techniques. At an individual level, expert guidance by a sports nutrition professional can help an athlete to establish a pragmatic and long-term approach to BM management, recognizing the nuances of their sport, to achieve favorable outcomes for both health and performance.

Differences in the Bodyweight, Hydration Levels, Lean Mass, and Fat Mass in Spanish Junior Elite Judokas

Combat sports have a great interest in society and among professional sports. They are an important group of sports in the Olympic Games, but the strategies carried out by athletes to reduce body weight for weighing day, is famously known, suffering the adverse physical and psychological effects of rapid weight loss. This could compromise not only the performance, but the health and development of young athletes. A total of 22 elite male judokas (18.05 ± 1.05 years old) were evaluated during four different competitions in one season; the variables of body weight, water levels, and lean and fat mass were measured by bioimpedance (BIA), (Tanita BC545N) during one season. Using the linear mixed model test, we found significant differences in bodyweight variable during the competitions 3-4. The water level variable showed significant differences in all competitions, except for 2-4. Body mass index was significantly different in all competitions, being higher in the later competitions, except between competitions 1-2 and 2-3. Judokas participate in weight loss methods for their weigh-in days. Furthermore, the age at which the athletes reduced their water levels are worrisome. These results could be used to create healthy programs, especially in elite judokas, in order to carry out strategies before, during, and after competitions with weight loss and controlled water levels increasing future performance and health.

Bio-Banding in Judo: The Mediation Role of Anthropometric Variables on the Maturation Effect

Young judo athletes are bio-banding based on age and body mass and compete in weight classes. The purposes of this study were to investigate the influences of maturation on physical performance in young judokas through controlling the chronological age and body mass, and to examine the mediating role of anthropometric variables. Sixty-seven judokas, aged 11.0–14.7, were measured for 11 anthropometric and seven physical performance variables. Pearson partial correlations were conducted to verify the relationship between the maturational indicator and the dependent variables. Mediation analyses were performed to identify the extent to which anthropometric variables mediate the relationship. The maturation effect remained on the aerobic capacity and handgrip strength (p < 0.05). Fat mass (b = 80.335, 95%CI 11.580–204.270) and fat-free mass (b = 108.256, 95%CI 39.508–207.606) totally mediated the effect on aerobic capacity. Fat mass (b = 0.023, 95%CI 0.004–0.057), fat-free mass (b = 0.029, 95%CI 0.011–0.058), stature (b = 0.031, 95%CI 0.008–0.061), arm span (b = 0.021, 95%CI 0.003–0.044), and inferior members length (b = 0.022, 95%CI 0.005–0.049) totally mediated the effect on handgrip strength. The effect of biological maturation is noticeable even after age and body mass control, being mediated by anthropometric variables related to body composition and size.