Kinesiology, Vol. 37 No. 1., 2005.
Original scientific paper
Empirical basis for predicting success in combat sports and self-defence
Roman Maciej Kalina
Andrzej Chodala
Stanislaw Dadelo
Wladyslaw Jagiello
Pavel Nastula
Wojciech Niedomagala
Abstract
The aim of the study was to find out whether being superior to the opponent with respect to physical fitness would be a prerequisite for success in a hand-to-hand struggle, and whether it would apply to those who had no experience in such contests, as well as to those who had been trained for at least a year. The so-called International Fitness Test was used to assess the level of fitness, and the combat performance was determined by using two types of contests: according to a modified sumo formula (in a vertical position) or according to the judo formula (in a horizontal position). All contests were conducted in the round-robin system. It was found that physical fitness superiority over an opponent was no prerequisite for success in a hand-to-hand struggle. Owing to the methodological and organisational simplicity of the test contests in sumo, as well as to a very high correlation between the results of sumo and judo (ne waza, in a horizontal position) contests (r = 0.892), the sumo contests may serve as a specific tool for measuring competence in hand-to-hand struggles.
Keywords
combat sports; self-defence; fitness; hand-to-hand struggle
Hrčak ID:
4139
URI
Publication date:
1.7.2005.
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