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Journal of Martial Arts Anthropology

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Abstract - Physical fitness of taekwon-do trainees and its conditioning

The main aim of conducted research was to work out a specific profile of taekwon-do trainees that will take into consideration age, sex, somatic build, and selected motoric abilities. The participants of 16th Taekwon-do Summer Camp were examined (n=31). The examinees performed the following tests: 50-metre run, Cooper's test, long jump from the spot, squats from lying within 30 sec. The tests were carried out to assess the basic level of motoric abilities and their interdependence between the somatic build and the level of training. The examinees were divided into two groups in order to make the assessment more objective. The age and the sex of examinees were main factors of the division. The results of individual examinees were standardized to form the standard deviation of the reference group. The results were shown in a graphic form as multicharacteristic profiles. The particular results were converted into points according to up-to-date standards for both Polish children and young people. The points were given according to height not to the calendar age, what takes into consideration the changeability of growing-up processes and their influence on the assessment of physical fitness.
Searching for interdependence between physical fitness and various other factors among examinees the highest level of correlation has been found between the age and the jumping (r=0.88). The level of technical and tactical training decided on physical fitness to the lowest degree (r=0.13) but there was a high interdependence (r=0.56) between the level of training and the endurance of abdominal muscles.
On the basis of the conducted research the following conclusions have been formulated:
- the age and the sex of taekwon-do trainees affects their physical fitness,
- physiological requirements of taekwon-do suggest higher use of means that shape speed and strength abilities,
- what distinguishes taekwon-do trainees is the high level of strength as far as abdominal muscles are concerned,
- creating multicharacteristic profiles on the basis of mean standardized values for individual groups of trainees helps to plan training work that can be based on reliable data,
- individuals whose physical fitness was the lowest had definitely higher BMI than average,
- simple tests, that are possible to carry out in the natural conditions of a gym or a playground, give a lot of valuable information about changes and dynamics of reactions on workload applied.