A thing about karate in physical culture.

This paper deals with karate activity in the areas of physical culture in the broad sense. It is a concise and clear approach to the topic, which aimed to conceptualise the inclusion of karate in areas of physical culture as a contemporarily attractive physical activity. Karate was described here as a combat sport, martial art, and self-defence system in the following areas of physical culture: physical education, physiotherapy, recreation, sports, and tourism. Reference here was made to physical activity focused on bunkai (circuit interpretation exercises), kata (circuit exercises), kihon (technical exercises), and kumite (combat exercises). It has been determined that practitioners' involvement in karate culture affects their level of sense of coherence. In addition, the conditioning for using karate in physical culture to the maintenance of health was mentioned. Here, reference was made to the perceptual perspective of the bodily and mental practice of karate for health. It has been established that this can be effective by adopting only the objectives of karate as martial art. Based on the above, it was concluded that practising karate is present in all areas of physical culture as combat sport, martial art, and self-defence system, but practising karate only as martial art provides opportunities for maintenance of health.

Sensitivity to rewards and punishments in karate athletes: an examination of the temperamental characteristics and profile of karate competitors according to the revised reinforcement sensitivity theory.

BACKGROUND: The revised Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (rRST) assumes the existence of three systems controlling motivation and behavior: the behavioral activation system (BAS), the behavioral inhibition system (BIS), and the fight-flight-freeze system (FFFS). This study aims to examine for the first time the features of BAS, BIS, and FFFS among karate players in comparison with athletes representing other sports disciplines (physical education students) and physically inactive people. The specific configuration of temperament traits and profiles characterizing karate players will also be found. METHODS: The cross-sectional study was performed among male karate athletes and control groups (physically active and inactive men). The study used the modified Reinforcement Sensitivity Questionnaire (rRSQ) to measure BAS, BIS, and FFFS. RESULTS: The ANOVA showed that both karate competitors KS and KK scored significantly higher in BAS than the sample of PI participants. In addition, KK athletes scored significantly lower in Freeze than in PI and KS groups. Research also suggests that KK athletes presented significantly lower overall scores in FFFS than PI individuals. Furthermore, the results of K-means cluster analysis indicated the existence of two distinct patterns of temperamental traits: (1) Cluster 1 suggests avoidance tendencies (high Flight and Freeze, and low BAS, BIS, and Fight levels); while (2) the Cluster 2 describes approach tendencies (high BIS, BAS and Fight scores, and low levels of Flight and Freeze). Significantly more KK athletes were included in Cluster 2 than in Cluster 1, compared to PI, PA, and KS samples. CONCLUSIONS: The research indicates that individuals engaged in karate, particularly those practicing Kyokushin karate, tend to exhibit a heightened sensitivity to rewards (high BAS). This finding holds significance for coaches and sports instructors, suggesting that motivating karate athletes through incentives is more effective, while the use of punishment should be minimized during training. Additionally, the study proposes that the practice of Kyokushin karate has the potential to significantly diminish the freezing response in threatening situations and enhance overall fear management by reducing levels of the Fight-Flight-Freeze System (FFFS). Consequently, the Kyokushin karate style may be considered more advantageous than the Karate Shotokan (KS) style in these aspects, despite both styles contributing to the improvement of BAS. Given that a higher BAS is linked to positive emotions, optimism, and happiness, karate training emerges as a form of health intervention, acting as a preventive measure against mental disorders and promoting overall well-being.

The effect of internal, external, and holistic focus of attention on standing long jump performance in novice and skilled karatekas.

An important application for training instructions is found in directing one's attentional focus. This direction can occur in different internal, external, or holistic forms. However, comparison between these three forms of instructions is a relatively recent development rarely reported at different skill levels or various sports including karate. Therefore, the present study attempts to investigate the effects of three forms of instructions on standing long jump performance in skilled and novice karatekas. The participants were 60 skilled and novice karatekas (all females; mean age: 21.32 ± 1.65) who completed 12 standing long jump trials under different focus conditions (3 trials for each condition: internal, external, holistic and control condition) in a counterbalanced order. Our findings suggested significant main effects, indicating that skilled karatekas outperformed the novices. The findings also showed that regardless of skill levels, the participants exhibited similar performance under external and holistic focus conditions while performance in both of these conditions was superior compared to performance under internal focus and control conditions. No difference was observed between the control and internal focus conditions. It seems that skilled and novice karatekas may benefit from holistic and external focus of attention instructions which enhance their motor performance. Thus, it is recommended that coaches should incorporate these two types of attentional focus instructions into their training sessions.

The validity of utilizing karate in youth safety education.

This article aims to present a new argument on the validity of utilizing karate in youth safety education. First, the important role of safety education and the need to seek new means of influencing young people is presented and the significant role of sport in this area. The field of Far Eastern combat sports was underlined here as being particularly important because they contain internal codes of moral conduct. Therefore, the new argument is to take the perspective of karate as a combat sport, martial art, and self defence system in one. Karate as a combat sport refers to fighting skills in the following directions: traditional, sport and Olympic; and in the following systems: semi contact, knockdown, full contact, mix fighting. Karate as a martial art has a health-promoting character and emphasises the psycho-physical development of practitioners and the recognition of ethical codes. And karate as a self defence system is concerned with proficiency in out-of-sport confrontations, but also in risk assessment. Karate has been found to be an effective means in educating young people to safety, but in order for it to be effective, it needs to be adopted in its entirety. Because the combat sport perspective activates youth in physical culture, the martial art perspective educates according to norms and rules; and the self defence system perspective teaches how to act in difficult situations.

Finding Stability-A Case Report on the Benefits of Adapted Kata Training for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

This study investigated the efficacy of an Adapted Kata Training Program (AKTP) in enhancing balance for a 10-year-old child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), employing a mixed-model approach for data collection. Over 12 weeks, the AKTP demonstrated significant improvements in the child's balance abilities, with an 11% increase in static balance, 8% in proprioceptive, 12% in horizontal, and 14% in vertical balance performance. These improvements persisted in a follow-up assessment after four weeks. Observations by the child's mother corroborated the above findings. Consequently, this research suggests the AKTP as a valuable non-pharmacological intervention to improve balance in children with ASD. However, further studies are necessary to validate these results and explore the impact on additional developmental domains, such as cognitive and motor skills.

The effect of 10 weeks of karate training on the development of motor skills in children who are new to karate.

This study investigated the effect of a 10-week karate training program on the motor skill development of 5-7-year-old children new to karate with two different test batteries. A total of 28 participants were included in the study: 18 in the Karate group and 10 in the control group. The karate group was subjected to a fundamental karate training (kihon) program consisting of 90-minute sessions four days a week for ten weeks in addition to physical education classes at their schools. In contrast, the control group did not participate in any sportive activities except physical education classes in their schools. Data were collected using the Eurofit test battery and the TGMD-2 test. In the pre-post test comparison of the anthropometric measurements of the karate group, no significant difference was found in the control group. In contrast, a significant difference was obtained in height, body mass index, and body fat percentage. In the post-test analysis of the two independent groups, there were statistically significant differences in favor of the karate group regarding height and body fat percentage (p < 0.005). In the pre-post analysis of the Eurofit test and the TGMD-2 for the karate group, all parameters showed statistically significant improvements (p < 0.001), while the control group showed no statistical difference. After comparing the karate and control groups, the Eurofit Test and TGMD-2 post-test results showed significantly higher scores (statistically significant differences) in all parameters for the karate group. In conclusion, the study shows that the 10-week karate training program positively affected the motor development of the participating children.

KARATECH: A Practice Support System Using an Accelerometer to Reduce the Preliminary Actions of Karate.

Kumite is a karate sparring competition in which two players face off and perform offensive and defensive techniques. Depending on the players, there may be preliminary actions (hereinafter referred to as "pre-actions"), such as pulling the arms or legs, lowering the shoulders, etc., just before a technique is performed. Since the presence of a pre-action allows the opponent to know the timing of the technique, it is important to reduce pre-actions in order to improve the kumite. However, it is difficult for beginners and intermediate players to accurately identify their pre-actions and to improve them through practice. Therefore, this study aims to construct a practice support system that enables beginners and intermediate players to understand their pre-actions. In this paper, we focus on the forefist punch, one of kumite's punching techniques. We propose a method to estimate the presence or absence of a pre-action based on the similarity between the acceleration data of an arbitrary forefist punch and a previously prepared dataset consisting of acceleration data of the forefist punch without a pre-action. We found that the proposed method can estimate the presence or absence of a pre-action in an arbitrary forefist punch with an accuracy of 86%. We also developed KARATECH as a system to support the practice of reducing pre-actions using the proposed method. KARATECH shows the presence or absence of pre-actions through videos and graphs. The evaluation results confirmed that the group using KARATECH had a lower pre-action rate.

Older Persons Participation in Hard Martial Arts: Opportunities to Improve Psychological Well-Being? A Scoping Review.

This study aims to explore the potential psychological and cognitive advantages for older individuals engaged in hard martial arts (HMA), through a comprehensive scoping review of literature up to 2023. Specifically, it examines the extent of changes in cognition, mental state, and quality of life among elderly participants of HMA. Inclusion criteria were studies conducted on healthy persons who were over 50 years of age. Only papers published in the English language were included. The search was undertaken in electronic databases and sources of grey literature. Thirteen papers with a total of 514 participants met the inclusion criteria. Improved cognition and decreased levels of anxiety and depression were emerging themes. Together, these factors contributed to the quality of life of participants. HMA was found to benefit cognitive abilities and psychological well-being, increasing quality of life more than traditional exercise alone. Findings suggested duration of training influenced change more than frequency. The limited number of studies exploring the effects of HMA on mental wellness and cognitive ability in older adults underscores the need for further research. The findings of this review suggest cognitive and quality of life improvements and reduced depression and anxiety in individuals engaging in HMA. This review serves as a foundation for soundly designed future research.

Capacidades Físicas y Composición Corporal de los Practicantes Recreativos de Tang Soo Do y de Karate: Una Revisión Sistemática / Physical Abilities and Body Composition of Recreational Practitioners of Tang Soo Do and Karate: A Systematic Review

El Tang Soo Do es un arte marcial versátil que destaca por el uso de la cadera para sus gestos técnicos. El karate es una de las artes marciales más atractivas alrededor del mundo. Tanto karate como Tang Soo Do comparten un estilo firme en sus técnicas y combate. Sin embargo, algunas de las formas en Tang Soo Do poseen un estilo suave similar al kung fu y al tai chi. Por ello, es interesante describir y comparar las capacidades físicas y la composición corporal de los practicantes de Tang Soo Do y karate a nivel recreativo. Para ello, se realizó una búsqueda en Medline® y Web of Science® durante enero de 2021. Se escogieron 10 estudios, organizando sus datos según composición corporal, fuerza muscular, resistencia muscular, flexibilidad y VO2max. Se encontraron 2 estudios en practicantes recreativos de Tang Soo Do y 8 en karate a nivel mundial, por lo que no existen suficientes estudios que permitan describir y comparar adecuadamente las capacidades físicas y la composición corporal entre sus practicantes a nivel recreativo; sin embargo, los resultados encontrados indican que es importante realizar más investigaciones que midan estas variables, con la finalidad de considerar en base a la evidencia alTang Soo Do como una importante opción para el bienestar físico y mental de sus practicantes. Las investigaciones futuras pueden evaluar estos datos en distintos grupos etarios, localización, tiempo de entrenamiento o tipos de competiciones según formas, combate o mixto. Además, se pueden realizar estudios comparativos en los practicantes de Tang Soo Do que permita a este arte marcial ser desde la evidencia una importante opción de práctica en colegios y universidades, así como un estilo de vida para sus practicantes.

SUMMARY: Tang Soo Do is a versatile martial art that stands out for the use of the hip for its technical gestures. Karate is one of the most attractive martial arts around the world. Both karate and Tang Soo Do share a firm style in their techniques and combat. However, some of the forms in Tang Soo Do possess a gentle style similar to Kung Fu and Tai Chi. Therefore, it is interesting to describe and compare the physical abilities and body composition of recreational Tang Soo Do and karate practitioners. A search was carried out in Medline® and Web of Science® during January 2021. Following the search 10 studies were chosen, organizing their data according to body composition, muscular strength, muscular resistance, flexibility and VO2max. Two studies were found on recreational Tang Soo Do practitioners and eight on karate worldwide, hence, there are not enough studies to adequately describe and compare physical abilities and body composition among recreational practitioners; However, the results found, indicate that it is important to conduct further research to measures these variables, in order to consider Tang Soo Do as an important option for the physical and mental well-being of its practitioners. Future research can evaluate these data can be evaluated in different age groups, location, training time or types of competitions according to forms, combat or mixed. In addition, comparative studies can be carried out on Tang Soo Do practitioners that allow this martial art to become an important option for practice in schools and universities, as well as a lifestyle for its practitioners.

Connections of bullying experienced by Kyokushin karate athletes with the psychological state: is "a Cure for Bullying" safe?

Although some authors propose practicing martial arts as a prevention against bullying, little is known about bullying among karate athletes and the consequences of negative behaviour for athletes' psychological state. This study aims to explore the effect of bullying on the psychological state of Kyokushin karate athletes. A total of 371 athletes were surveyed to measure bullying experiences and signs of stress, anxiety, and depression. It was determined that 75.5% of Kyokushin karate athletes had experienced unethical behaviour by their coaches or other athletes towards them at least once, and the scores on the signs of stress, anxiety, and depression correlated with damage in the fields of communication, social relations, and physical health. The results of binary logistic regression have shown that the qualifications of karate athletes and their participation in competitions influence the risk of being bullied. Organisations in which Kyokushin karate athletes do sports should devote more attention to preventing bullying among karate athletes themselves, especially when preparing for competitions as bullying can harm communication, social relations, and physical health.

Effects of extracurricular martial arts practice on the trait of anger among boys and girls aged 9-12 years old / Efectos de la práctica de artes marciales en el ámbito extraescolar sobre el rasgo de ira de niños y niñas entre 9 y 12 años

Nowadays, aggression in children is an alarming problem and there are more and more programs carried out with students in order to reduce violence and aggressive behaviour. Martial arts have been used, on occasions, in these programs due to the values of respect and self-control that give it. However, they have not always obtained the expected results. The purpose of this paper is to observe is martial arts like judo and karate are a successful method to decrease anger levels in children. To evaluate this, a quasi-experimental longitudinal study during a period of 6 months in which 82 children took part, divided in a control group and an experimental group (karate and judo). State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory for Children and Adolescents (STAXI-NA) was used. Meaningful differences were found only in some of the anger components, between anger-in expression pre-tests of the control and experimental group and between anger-out expression pre-tests and post-tests of the karate group. The results obtained in this study suggest that the martial arts training has no effect about global anger management in children students. Common aspects are pointed out in interventions that have decreased the levels of anger (traditional aspects, design of a specific program, subjects with behavior problems, school context) and it is shown with the results obtained, how a habitual intervention carried out in a context of sports clubs, in a normal population and without a specific program, have difficulties in reducing the anger of the participants (AU)

Hoy en día la agresión en los/as niños/as es un problema preocupante, donde se ha utilizado en algunos programas, las artes marciales para disminuir los niveles de violencia, debido a los valores de respeto y autocontrol que se le otorgan. Sin embargo, no siempre se ha obtenido los resultados esperados. El objetivo de este artículo es observar si las artes marciales, como el judo y el karate, son un método adecuado para disminuir los niveles de ira en los/as niños/as. Se realizó un estudio longitudinal cuasi-experimental durante un período de seis meses en el que participaron 82 niños/as, divididos en grupo control y experimental (kárate y judo). Fue utilizado el Inventario de Expresión de Ira Estado-Rasgo para Niños y Adolescentes (STAXI-NA). Se encontraron diferencias significativas sólo en algunos de los componentes de ira, en las pruebas previas de expresión de ira del grupo control y experimental, y en las pruebas previas y posteriores de expresión de ira del grupo de karate. Los resultados obtenidos en este estudio sugieren que el entrenamiento en artes marciales no tiene efecto sobre la gestión global de la ira en niños/as. Se señalan aspectos comunes en las intervenciones que han disminuido los niveles de ira (aspectos tradicionales, diseño de un programa específico, sujetos con problemas de conducta, contexto escolar) y se muestra con los resultados obtenidos, cómo una intervención habitual realizada en un contexto de club deportivo, en una población normal y sin un programa específico, tienen dificultades para reducir la ira de los participantes (AU)

The effect of game-based karate training on the learning of basic techniques and enjoyment of physical activity in children / O efeito do treinamento de karatê baseado em jogos no aprendizado de técnicas básicas e no prazer da atividade física em crianças

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of game-based karate training on learning basic karate skills and karate children's interest in physical activity. The statistical population of this research included all 6 to 8-year-old female karate players in Sowmeh Sara city, Iran and twenty subjects were randomly selected and divided into two experimental and control groups of 10. The experimental group practiced game-based karate training for eight weeks. The training program was designed based on the principles of the Fundamental stage of the Canadian model of long-term development of athletes (LTAD) for karate sport. Physical activity enjoyment scale in children was used to measure children's interest in physical activity and karate yellow belt test was used for measurement of learning basic karate tasks. ANCOVA test was used for data analysis using SPSS 24 software at a significance level of 0.05. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the learning of basic karate skills, but a significant effect was seen in the enjoyment of children in the experimental group for physical activity (sig<0.001). Therefore, game-based karate training can help children learn basic karate skills as much as the traditional method, and also increase their enjoyment in physical activity more effectively.

RESUMO O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar o efeito do treinamento de caratê baseado em jogos na aprendizagem de habilidades básicas de caratê e no interesse das crianças pelo esporte. A população estatística desta pesquisa incluiu todas as jogadoras de caratê do sexo feminino, com idades entre 6 e 8 anos, na cidade de Sowmeh Sara, Irã, e vinte participantes foram selecionados aleatoriamente e divididos em dois grupos experimentais e de controle, com 10 em cada grupo. O grupo experimental praticou o treinamento de caratê baseado em jogos por oito semanas. O programa de treinamento foi projetado com base nos princípios da fase fundamental do modelo canadense de desenvolvimento de longo prazo de atletas (LTAD) para o esporte de caratê. A Escala de Desfrute da Atividade Física em Crianças foi utilizada para medir o interesse das crianças na atividade física, e o teste da faixa amarela de caratê foi usado para medir a aprendizagem de tarefas básicas de caratê. O teste ANCOVA foi utilizado para a análise de dados, utilizando o software SPSS 24, com um nível de significância de 0,05. Os resultados mostraram que não houve diferença significativa na aprendizagem de habilidades básicas de caratê, mas um efeito significativo foi observado no desfrute das crianças no grupo experimental em relação à atividade física (sig<0,001). Portanto, pode-se concluir que o treinamento de caratê baseado em jogos pode ajudar as crianças a aprender habilidades básicas de caratê tanto quanto o método tradicional e também aumentar seu desfrute na atividade física de maneira mais eficaz.

Estrategia de superación para la prevención de lesiones deportivas

Introducción: Las lesiones deportivas generan una serie de complicaciones que limitan la vida útil del deportista. El deporte de alto rendimiento constituye una agresión al organismo, incrementando la frecuencia de aparición de lesiones. Sin embargo, se puede conseguir la disminución de estas mediante el trabajo fisioprofiláctico por parte de los entrenadores de cada deporte. Objetivo: Diseñar una estrategia de superación para mejorar del desempeño profesional de los entrenadores para la prevención de lesiones en el kárate-do. Materiales y métodos: El estudio se clasificó como de investigación-acción, de tipo cualitativo. Se realizó entre enero y septiembre de 2023, y se trabajó con 15 entrenadores de kárate-do. Se utilizaron métodos teóricos y empíricos. Resultados: Se diseñó una estrategia de superación en cuatro etapas: acercamiento y diagnóstico, planeación, implementación y evaluación. Conclusiones: La fundamentación de la estrategia de superación permite establecer relaciones esenciales que aportan a la teoría en esta área del conocimiento. La estructura de la estrategia propuesta está en correspondencia con los fundamentos asumidos y contribuye a orientar a los entrenadores de kárate-do para prevenir lesiones en este deporte.

Introduction: Sports injuries generate a series of complications that limit the useful life of the athlete. High-performance sports constitute an attack on the body, increasing the frequency of injure occurrence. However, a reduction in these can be achieved through physioprophylactic work by the coaches of each sport. Objective: To design an upgrading strategy to improve the professional performance of coaches for injury prevention in karate-do. Materials and methods: The study was classified as research-action, qualitative type. It was carried out between January and September 2023, and was performed with 15 karate-do trainers. Theoretical and empirical methods were used. Results: A four-stages upgrading strategy was designed: approach and diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation. Conclusions: The foundation of the upgrading strategy allows establishing essential relationships that contribute to the theory in this area of knowledge. The structure of the proposed strategy is in correspondence with the assumed fundamentals and contributes to guiding karate-do coaches to prevent injuries in this sport.

Personality Traits vs. Sports Classes of Polish Representatives in Junior Sports Acrobatics.

The aim of this paper was to determine the influence of adolescence, training discipline, and training regime on the personality formation of adolescent sports acrobats. Therefore, the purpose of this paper was to study the relationship between the personality traits and the sports classes of Polish junior sports acrobatics representatives. The respondents (N = 90) were juniors aged 18-19 and were divided into three samples: (1) n = 30 Polish representatives in sports acrobatics with a first or master sports class; (2) n = 30 kata athletes from Kyokushin karate and Shotokan karate as a reference sample from another sports discipline with gymnastic movement expression; (3) n = 30 high school students as a reference sample of non-athletic persons. The Big Five model was used, and the NEO-FFI personality questionnaire was used as a research tool. For the analyses of basic descriptive statistics, the Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney test were performed to determine statistical significance (α = 0.05). It was noted that all athletes (the first and second samples) had personality traits at the same levels: low neuroticism, high extraversion, moderate openness to experience and agreeableness, and high conscientiousness in relation to non-athletes. In contrast, there were differences among the subjects in personality traits, except for agreeableness. Among the sports acrobats, master-class athletes showed lower neuroticism, greater openness to experience, lower agreeableness, and greater conscientiousness in relation to first-class athletes. It was found that there were differences between the personality traits and sports classes of junior sports acrobatics representatives in Poland in the four Big Five dimensions. But in general, sports acrobats and karate athletes had personality traits at similar levels, and at the same time, different from non-training people.

An epidemiological study of martial arts injuries in patients presenting to US emergency rooms.

INTRODUCTION: With the advent of mixed martial arts (MMA) growing in popularity, there has been a described increase in its participation. The term MMA generally describes the hybridization of combat disciplines including but not limited to: karate, judo, jiu-jitsu, wrestling, taekwondo, boxing, kickboxing, and Muay Thai. With increased participation in MMA and martial arts, differing physical demands are placed on participants. Due to the physical nature of combat sports, there are injuries associated with participation. The purpose of this study is to report the incidence and characteristics of injuries seen from various martial art disciplines presenting to United States Emergency Rooms in order to educate participants and providers alike about risks assumed with participating in martial arts. METHODS: The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database was queried for martial arts-related injuries from 2009 to 2019. Cases were examined and data including patient age and gender, injury type and location, hospital disposition, and type of martial arts practiced were extracted. RESULTS: A total of 8,400 injuries were recorded, leading to a national estimate of 310,143 martial-arts related injuries over the 11 year period of 2009-2019 (95 % CI 239,063-381,223). The most common types of injuries were strains/sprains (n = 2664, 31.7 %), fractures (n = 1,575, 18.8 %), and contusions/abrasions (n = 1,698, 20.2 %). There were 260 dislocations, with shoulder dislocations being most common (n = 96, 36.9 %). Lower extremities were affected more frequently than upper extremities (n = 3566, 42.5 % versus n = 3026, 36.0 %), with the knee being the single most common location of injury (n = 811, 9.7 %). Males more commonly sustained fractures (19.7 % versus 17.4 %, p = 0.03) and dislocations (3.5 % versus 2.4 %, p = 0.01) when compared to females. Ankle injuries were more common in females than males (10.4 % versus 6.0 %, p < 0.001). Only 2.2 % of patients required admission to the hospital. Risk factors for admission included patients >35 years of age and male sex. CONCLUSION: Martial arts injuries are a significant source of musculoskeletal injuries among patients presenting to US emergency rooms. Lower extremity injuries are seen most frequently, with patients rarely requiring hospital admission. Using this information, both providers and participants may be better equipped to make educated decisions on injury prevention and treatment.

Headguard use in combat sports: position statement of the Association of Ringside Physicians.

Headguard use is appropriate during some combat sports activities where the risks of injury to the face and ears are elevated. Headguards are highly effective in reducing the incidence of facial lacerations in studies of amateur boxers and are just as effective in other striking sports. They should be used in scenarios - especially sparring prior to competitions - where avoidance of laceration and subsequent exposure to potential blood-borne pathogens is important. Headguards are appropriate where avoidance of auricular injury is deemed important; limited data show a marked reduction in incidence of auricular injury in wrestlers wearing headguards.Headguards should not be relied upon to reduce the risk of concussion or other traumatic brain injury. They have not been shown to prevent these types of injuries in combat sports or other sports, and human studies on the effect of headguards on concussive injury are lacking. While biomechanical studies suggest they reduce linear and rotational acceleration of the cranium, changes in athlete behavior to more risk-taking when wearing headguards may offset any risk reduction. In the absence of high-quality studies on headguard use, the Association of Ringside Physicians recommends that further research be conducted to clarify the role of headguards in all combat sports, at all ages of participation. Furthermore, in the absence of data on gender differences, policies should be standardized for men and women.

Flexible Pressure Sensors for Integration into Karate Body Protector.

The increasing interest in karate has also attracted the attention of researchers, especially in combining the equipment used by practitioners with technology to prevent injuries, improve technical skills and provide appropriate scoring. Contrary to the sport of taekwondo, the development of a smart body protector in the sport of karate is still a niche field to be researched. This study focused on developing piezoresistive, textile-based pressure sensors using piezoresistive film, conductive fabric as well as different bonding materials and methods. Primarily, small-scale sensors were produced using ultrasonic welding, hot press welding and oven curing. These were characterized using a universal testing machine and specific conditioning and data-acquisition hardware combined with custom processing software. Large-scale sensors were then manufactured to be placed inside the karate body protector and characterized using cyclic testing. The conditioning circuit allows flexible gain adjustment, and it was possible to obtain a stable signal with an output of up to 0.03 V/N, an adequate signal for the tested force range. The transfer function shows some drift over the cycles, in addition to the expected hysteresis and slight nonlinearity, which can be compensated for. Finally, the configuration with the best results was tested in real practice tests; during these tests the body protector was placed on a dummy as well as on a person. The results showed that the piezoresistive textile-based pressure sensor produced is able to detect and quantify the impact of even light punches, providing an unobtrusive means for performance monitoring and score calculation for competitive practice of this sport.

Effect of 6-week karate (kihon) and basic movement exercise on balance performance in visually impaired individuals.

Today, the participation of visually impaired individuals in sports activities is essential. Because the ability to move independently starts to develop with a delay in visually impaired individuals, physical activity is necessary to compensate for developmental delay, eliminate the problem of independent movement in social life by reducing obstacle perception problems, develop self-confidence, and provide regular muscle activation and motivation to move. The study investigated the effect of 6 weeks of karate (kihon) and basic movement training on balance performance in individuals with congenital visual impairment. Fifteen visually impaired individuals aged between 10 and 14 participated in the study, and three groups were formed: experiment 1, experiment 2, and the control group. After the pre-tests were taken, the experimental groups received karate and basic movement training in addition to physical education classes for 6 weeks, while the control group received only physical education classes. When the study results were examined, there were highly significant differences between the pre- and post-test values of the groups receiving karate and basic movement training. At the same time, no progress was observed in the control group. In the post-test comparison of the karate and control groups, positive significance was found in the values of the karate group. In the same way, in the post-test comparison of the basic movement training group and the control group, positive progress was made in the basic movement training group. The post-test comparison of the basic movement training and karate groups was the same. As a result, it was concluded that basic movement training and karate exercises applied for 6 weeks positively affected the balance development in visually impaired individuals aged 10-14 years. No difference was found between the exercise protocols regarding effectiveness, and no improvement was observed in individuals who did not participate in any exercise.

Impact of morphological characteristics and motor skills when performing gyaku tsuki / Impacto de las características morfológicas y de las destrezas motoras al realizar gyaku tsuki / Impacto das características morfológicas e das habilidades motoras ao realizar gyaku tsuki

ABSTRACT Objective The aim of this study was to determine the influence of morphology on karate characteristics and basic motor skills for the criterion variable counter-punch (gyako zuki) in boys, after a two-year training program. Methods A system of 25 variables (12 morphological, 12 motor, and one situational (gyako zuki)) was applied in a sample of 82 karatists, aged 10 to 14 years. Data were processed using regression analysis. Results Body weight had a statistically significant influence on the criterion variable in the initial measurement, as well as on the triceps and back skinfolds in the final measurement. In the motor space, semi-squat endurance had a significant impact on both initial and final measurements. In the reduced system, triple jump, half-squat endurance, and long jump impacted the initial measurement, while the 30-second torso lift, hyperextension on the bench, and semi-squat endurance impacted the final measurement. Conclusion From the data obtained, it can be concluded that the counter-punch (gyako zuki) performance results were better in participants with higher body weight, longer arms, less subcutaneous upper arm and back fat, greater static and explosive power in the lower limbs, and greater hamstring and spine flexibility. Evidence Level II; Therapeutic Studies - Investigating the results.

RESUMEN Objetivo El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar la influencia de las características morfológicas y de las habilidades motoras básicas en la variable criterio contraataque con la mano (gyako tsuki) en niños practicantes de kárate durante un programa de entrenamiento de dos años. Métodos Se aplicaron un total de 25 variables (12 morfológicas, 12 motoras y una situacional [gyako zuki]) a una muestra de 82 practicantes de kárate con edades entre 10 y 14 años. Los datos se procesaron mediante análisis de regresión. Resultados El peso corporal tuvo una influencia estadísticamente significativa en la variable criterio durante la medición inicial, así como en los pliegues cutáneos del tríceps y del dorso en la medición final. En el espacio motor, la resistencia en la media sentadilla tuvo un impacto significativo en las mediciones iniciales y finales. En el sistema reducido, el triple salto, la resistencia en la media sentadilla y el salto de longitud tuvieron impacto en la medición inicial, mientras que la elevación del tronco en 30 segundos, la hiperextensión en mesa y la resistencia en la media sentadilla tuvieron impacto en la medición final. Conclusiones A partir de los datos obtenidos, se puede concluir que los resultados de desempeño de la contraataque con la mano (gyako zuki) fueron mejores en los individuos con mayor peso corporal, brazos más largos, menos grasa subcutánea en el brazo y la espalda, más potencia estática y explosiva en los miembros inferiores y mayor flexibilidad en los isquiotibiales y la columna vertebral . Nivel de Evidencia II; Estudios terapéuticos - Investigación de resultados.

RESUMO Objetivo O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar a influência das características morfológicas e habilidades motoras básicas na variável critério contra-golpe com a mão (gyako zuki) em meninos lutadores de karatê depois de um programa de treinamento de dois anos. Métodos Em uma amostra de 82 lutadores de karatê com idades entre 10 a 14 anos, foi aplicado um sistema de 25 variáveis (12 morfológicas, 12 motoras e uma situacional [gyako zuki]). Os dados foram processados por meio de análise de regressão. Resultados O peso corporal teve influência estatisticamente significativa sobre a variável critério na medição inicial, assim como nas dobras cutâneas triciptais e dorsais na medição final. No espaço motor, a resistência no meio agachamento teve impacto significativo nas medidas iniciais e finais. No sistema reduzido, salto triplo, resistência no meio agachamento e salto em distância tiveram impacto na medição inicial, enquanto elevação de tronco em 30 segundos, hiperextensão em mesa e resistência no meio agachamento tiveram impacto sobre a medição final. Conclusões A partir dos dados obtidos, pode-se concluir que os resultados de desempenho do contra-golpe com a mão (gyako zuki) foram melhores nos indivíduos com maior peso corporal, com braços mais longos, menos gordura subcutânea no braço e nas costas, maior poder estático e explosivo nos membros inferiores e maior flexibilidade nos músculos isquiotibiais e na coluna vertebral. Nível de Evidência II; Estudos Terapêuticos - Investigação de Resultados.

Examining karate and football perceptions and their links with athlete engagement and quality of life.

The importance of perceptions as determinants of people's behavior has been well-established, but little is known about athletes' perceptions of their sport and the links of these perceptions with other correlates. In this study, we compared karate (n = 51) and football (n = 49) athletes' perceived benefits and aggressiveness risks from their sports and examined whether these perceptions predicted athletes' engagement and quality of life (QoL). Participants completed perception measures of karate and football, and engagement and QoL measures. Results showed that karateka perceived more benefits and fewer risks in karate than football, but footballers generally perceived equal benefits and risks in both sports. Both athlete groups perceived similar physical and psychological benefits in their own sport, but deemed physical benefits as prominent outcomes in the other sport. Notably, karateka's perceived benefits about karate predicted engagement directly and QoL indirectly via vigor. Overall, karate athletes' perceptions seemed to be relevant to experiencing fulfillment in training and general well-being.