IDO MOVEMENT FOR CULTURE

A lot of observation and research – including large number of different tests on fencers of different age and experience, aimed at finding out the most important factors determining the efficacy of training and level of competition results – were conducted at the Fencing Department, Academy of Physical Education, Katowice, Poland.
The author, fencing coach and director of Fencing Department, researched the influence of physical fitness, psychomotor abilities (perception, various qualities of attention, speed and accuracy of reaction-decision taking etc.), co-ordination abilities, personality dimensions (including traits of temperament), motivation and arousal etc. on fencers results in competitions, and describes them shortly.
He describes and discusses in more detail the influence of various qualities of physical fitness and psychomotor abilities on fencers results in different stages of training.
Sixty fencers were divided into four groups according to their age and length of time of cultivating fencing: 1) fencers of 13 years of age and younger, 2) 14–17 years of age, 3) 18–20 years of age, and 4) above 20 years of age.

The numerous and versatile kinds of tests included assessment of:
1. all-round physical fitness
2. semi-specific and specific fitness, as well as elementary technical skills,
3. chosen psychomotor abilities – psychological processes strictly connected and associated with motor activities (perception, attention, visual-motor co-ordination, speed and accuracy of reaction, etc.).

The results of numerous tests indicate that:
1. The coefficient of correlation between all-round fitness and fencer’s results in competitions diminishes markedly with the age and training experience of fencers – from 0.81 in the youngest group through 0.68; 0.39; to 0.29 in the senior group. It means that the all-round fitness is important only in very young age and first stage of training – it improves functional and adaptive possibilities of very young athletes and forms the base for further development. Later – the importance of general fitness markedly diminishes. Among the seniors the all-round fitness practically has no influence on their results in competition. It may, however, provide active rest, psychological relaxation, it may counteract traumas and speed up recovery processes after heavy efforts. Generally one may say that its value and significance is vary often greatly overrated.
2. The correlation between all-round fitness on one sida and semi-specific fitness and most technical skills on the other hand – gradually diminishes: The correlation coefficient gradually gets smaller: 0.87; 0.79; 0.66; 0.39. It shows again that the significance of all-round physical fitness in the later stages of training is generally greatly overrated.
3. The correlation between specific fitness (semi-specific fitness, specific fitness and elementary technical skills) and the results in competitions diminishes slightly and is always – in all stages of training and in all competitors stages – very significant and important (0.95; 0.84; 0.80; 0.75).

The correlation between fencers psychomotor abilities (attention, perception, speed and accuracy if reaction etc.) and efficacy (competition results) increases from 0.62 among the youngest group to 0.75 among senior group (above 20 years of age). It means that in all stages of training and with fencers of different ages the coach should pay a lot of attention towards development of psychomotor abilities. The more, correct and fast execution of a fencing action is not enough – the fencer should know how and when to apply a given, correctly chosen action (motor adaptability).

In fencing the principles of specificity and individual approach are extremely important. One should choose exercises which develop the skills and abilities directly or indirectly useful in competitions. Also the fencing coach must try to assess and ensure among his pupils the positive transfer of skills: from fencing lesson to training bouts and from training bouts to competition.

Table. Coefficient of correlation between all-round fitness and specific fitness (yx), between specific fitness and competition results (xz), between all-round fitness and competition results (yz) and between psychomotor abilities and competition results (az)