Abstract - Results of Testing of Athletes in Martial Arts Using the Star Excursion Balance Test Method (on the Example of Women’s Boxing, Kyokushinkai Karate, Fencing and WKF Karate)
Background. In the world scientific literature there is a lack of information regarding the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) studies in combat sports. In our opinion, this technique can be successfully used not only for medical and rehabilitation purposes, but also for pedagogical and sports purposes.
Problem and Aim. The hypothesis of this work is based on the assumption that engaging in a certain type of combat sports has its specific imprint on the performance of the Star Excursion Balance Test by combat sports athletes. The purpose of this study was to investigate SEBT indicators in qualified female athletes in various types of martial arts and to identify differences between them.
Material and Methods. The research was conducted at the Lviv State University of Physical Culture named after Ivan Bobersky, Ukraine in November-December 2023. Female university students aged 18-22 participated in the study: 10 representatives from Kyokushinkai karate, 6 from boxing, 8 from fencing (epee), 7 from WKF karate. Research methods: analysis of literary sources and materials from the Internet; anthropometry; SEBT; methods of mathematical statistics.
Results. The hypothesis of this work is confirmed by the results of the conducted research, which indicates that engaging in a certain type of combat sports has its specific imprint (profile) on the SEBT indicators. The results of the correlations of SEBT indicators in boxing and fencing representatives indirectly indicate the asymmetric impact of these single combats on the arms and legs of a person body. The SEBT results of Kyokushinkai karate representatives indicate the symmetry and uniform development of left and right parts of the body. The indicators of the WKF karate representatives occupy an intermediate place in this comparison: the peculiarities of their SEBT indicators show that along with symmetrical manifestations, asymmetric ones are also observed under the influence of competitive activity in the left-sided combat stance.
Conclusions. The results of this work can be useful to coaches and athletes when determining directions for improving the training process of their martial arts, by borrowing training methods from other sports to obtain the necessary indicators. This study shows the ratio of the upper and lower limbs of female athletes in various types of martial arts, so it can become the basis for further, more in-depth studies.