Search

Abstract To assess the effects of warm-up music and low dose (3 mg·kg−1) of caffeine (CAF) on female taekwondo athlete’s activity profile and psychophysiological responses during simulated combat. In a double-blinded, randomized, crossover study, 16 female athletes participated in simulated combats under one control and 5 experimental conditions [i.e., CAF alone (CAF), placebo alone (PL), CAF with music (CAF + M), PL with music (PL + M), and no supplement with music (M)]. After warming-up, athletes rated their felt arousal (FAS). Mean (HRmean) and peak (HRpeak) heart rate values were determined for each combat. After fighting, athletes rated their perceived exertion (RPE), feeling scale (FS), FAS, and physical enjoyment (PACES). Time-motion and technical-tactical variables were analyzed. CAF + M induced shorter skip and pause time, while attack time increased compared to other conditions (p

The ergogenecity of caffeine (CAF) and pre-exercise music have been studied extensively in male and mixed-gender groups, but there is limited information on their synergistic effects in females. This study assessed the effects of combining a low dose of CAF with warm-up music on taekwondo specific performance, perceived exertion (RPE), and psychological aspects in female athletes. In a double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover study, 16 female taekwondo athletes (M ± SD; age: 17.69 ± 0.60 years) performed the taekwondo-specific agility test (TSAT), 10 s frequency speed of kick test (FSKT-10s) and its multiple version (FSKT-mult) under the following conditions: 1) no supplement with music (NS+M); 2) no supplement without music (control); 3) CAF without music (CAF+NM), 4) placebo without music (PL+NM), 5) CAF with music (CAF+M), 6) PL with music (PL+M). After each test, athletes rated their RPE, feeling scale (FS), felt arousal scale (FAS) and physical enjoyment (PACES). CAF+M induced better physical performance than other conditions on the FSKT-10s, FSKT-mult, and more desirable psychophysiological responses including RPE post_TSAT, RPE post_FSKT-10s, PACES post_FSKT-10s, FS, FAS post_warm-up, FAS post_FSKT-10s and FAS post_FSKT-mult (all p < 0.05). Except for PL+M, CAF+M also elicited more desirable responses than other conditions for FAS post_TSAT (p < 0.05). Furthermore, CAF+M and CAF+NM conditions enhanced TSAT, PACES post_TSAT, RPE post_FSKT-mult greater than the other conditions (p < 0.05). Preceding warm-up music stimulus with a low dose of CAF may be a more efficient strategy to enhance physical performance and affective valence in female taekwondo athletes compared with using either strategy in isolation.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of acute caffeine supplementation on physical performance and perceived exertion during taekwondo-specific tasks in male and female athletes with varying expertise. In a double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover study design, 52 young athletes from elite (n = 32; 16 males and 16 females) and sub-elite competitive level (n = 20; 10 males and 10 females) participated. Athletes performed taekwondo-specific tasks including the taekwondo-specific agility test (TSAT), 10 s frequency speed of kick test (FSKT-10 s) and multi-bout FSKT (FSKT-multi) under the following conditions: (1) Caffeine (CAF; 3 mg kg−1), placebo (PLA), and no supplement control (CON). Session rating of perceived exertion (s-RPE) was determined after the tests. Findings show that regardless of condition, males performed better than females (p

IntroductionThis study assesses the acute effects of combining a plyometric-based conditioning activity (CA) with different musical stimuli during warm-up on taekwondo (TKD) performance and related psychological aspects.MethodsIn a randomized cross-over study design, 16 male TKD athletes (age: 19.94 ± 1.12 years) performed the TKD-specific agility test (TSAT), frequency speed of kick test (FSKT-10s) and its multiple version (FSKT-mult) under 7 experimental and one control condition. For the experimental conditions, participants experienced varying combinations of music selection process [self-selected (SSM) vs. pre-selected (PSM)], and music tempo [fast (F) vs. slow (S)], within preferred (PG) and non-preferred (NPG) music genre; all in the presence of a plyometric based-CA. Athletes were instructed to rate their perceived exertion (RPE) after each test and their felt arousal (FAS), feeling scale (FS), and motivation after testing completion.ResultsFindings showed that combining a plyometric-based CA with SSMPG at both fast and slow tempo improved TSAT, FSK-10s, FSKT-mult, FAS, motivation, and RPE post-TSAT greater than the other conditions (all p < 0.05). Additionally, FSSMPG combined with CA improved FS, and RPE after both FSKT-10s and FSKT-mult better than the other conditions (all p < 0.05).ConclusionIn conclusion, listening to fast self-selected music from a preferred genre in combination with a plyometric-based CA during warm-up setups an individualized warm-up strategy and serves to improve the subsequent specific performances and the related psychological aspects in TKD athletes.

This systematic review summarized the studies that examined the pre-task music effects on performance aspects and quantitatively analyzed their outcomes. A systematic search for controlled studies investigating the acute effects of pre-task music on physical performance, cognitive aspects and associated psycho-physiological responses was performed through Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science and Cochrane Library databases up to 17 May 2023, with thirty studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Data was analyzed using the robust multilevel meta-analysis model of standardized mean difference “SMD” with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) and prediction intervals (PI) were reported. Pre-task music induced improvements of completion time (SMD = −0.24; 95% CI = −0.46 to −0.01; PI = −0.82 to 0.35; p = 0.04), relative mean power (RMP) (SMD = 0.38; 95% CI = 0.16 to 0.60; PI = −0.36 to 1.12; p = 0.003) and fatigue (SMD = −0.20; 95% CI = −0.32 to −0.09; PI = −0.36 to −0.05; p = 0.01), moderate effects on relative peak power (RPP) (SMD = 0.53; 95% CI = 0.21 to 0.85; PI = −0.42 to 1.48; p = 0.005), and high effect on feeling scale (FS) (SMD = 2.42; 95% CI = 0.52 to 4.31; PI = −11.43 to 16.26; p = 0.03). Greater benefits were recorded in jumping performance in males than females (p = 0.01), and for active than trained subjects for completion time (p = 0.02), RPP (p = 0.02) and RMP (p = 0.03). Larger benefits were obtained for FS post-warming up than after testing (p = 0.04). Self-selected music induced greater effects than pseudo- and pre-selected for performance decrement index (p = 0.05) and FS (p = 0.02). It could be concluded that pre-task music improved psychological responses and fatigue-related symptoms associated with exercise performance enhancement.

Introduction: The present study assessed the effects of conditioning activities, using different effort-to-pause ratios and rest intervals, on taekwondo physical performance.Methods: Twenty-one athletes (13 males and 8 females) (Mean ± SD; age = 20.4 ± 1.4 years) performed a control (CC) and twelve experimental conditions. Each condition contained a standard warm-up (i.e., CC: running at 9 km/h for 10 min) and conditioning activities comprising plyometrics P) or repeated high-intensity techniques (RT) using 1:6, 1:9 and self-selected rest (SSR) ratios, and two rest intervals (3 and 7 min). Athletes then performed a battery of fitness tests: countermovement jump (CMJ), taekwondo specific agility (TSAT), 10s and multiple frequency speed kick test (FSKT-10s and FSKT-mult, respectively).Results: All of the preloads provided higher performance outputs compared to the control trial (all p < 0.05). For CMJ, 1:6 ratio with 3 min induced lower values with RT compared to P (p = 0.037) and 1:9 ratio using 3 min induced higher values with RT compared to P (p = 0.027). Additionally, 1:6 ratio using 7 min induced higher values with RT compared to P (p = 0.016). For FSKT-10, 3 min using 1:6 induced higher values with P compared to RT, while RT induced higher values with 7 min using 1:6 ratio compared to P (both p < 0.001). Moreover, 3 min using 1:9 ratio induced higher values with P compared to RT (p = 0.034), while RT induced higher values with 1:9 ratio using 7 min compared to P (p < 0.001). Finally, 3 min using SSR ratio induced higher values with RT compared to P (p = 0.034).Conclusion: Plyometrics and RT activities improved performance with plyometrics requiring shorter rest interval to induce potentiation effects compared to RT, which required longer interval.

The ergogenic effect of pre-selected warm-up music with the tempo and loudness variations on the performance of combat sports’ athletes as well as the difference between sexes is not well established. The present study aimed to assess the effects of listening to music with different tempos and loudness during warm-up on perceived exertion, physical enjoyment and physical performances in young taekwondo athletes. In a randomized study design, 20 taekwondo athletes (10 males, mean ± SD: age: 17.5 ± 0.7 years, taekwondo experience: ≥ 6 year) performed the taekwondo specific agility test (TSAT) and the 10s and multiple frequency speed of kick test (FSKT-10s and FSKT-mult) after warming-up with or without music. The music was played at high (140 beats·min-1) or very high (200 beats·min-1) tempo combined with low (60 dB) or high (80 dB) loudness, resulting in four experimental and control conditions. The ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and physical activity enjoyment scale (PACES) were assessed after each condition. After normality, homogeneity and sphericity checks, two-way (or multivariate) analysis of variance and Bonferrroni (or Friedman’s and Wilcoxon’s test) post-hoc test were operated when necessary. For TSAT, 140 beats·min-1+80 dB induced better performance compared with 200 beats·min-1+80 dB, 200 beats·min-1+60 dB, control and the 140 beats·min-1+60 dB conditions. For FSKT-10s, 140 beats·min-1+80 dB condition induced higher performance compared with 200 beats·min-1+60 dB, 200 beats·min-1+80 dB, 140 beats·min-1+60 dB and the control conditions. For FSKT-mult, 140 beats·min-1+80 dB induced higher number of techniques compared with 200 beats·min-1+60 dB, 140 beats·min-1+60 dB, control and the 200 beats·min-1+80 dB conditions. Moreover, 140 beats·min-1+80 dB induced lower decrement index (DI) compared with the other conditions and lower DI in 140 beats·min-1+60 dB compared with 200 beats·min-1+80 dB and control conditions. Moreover, 140 beats·min-1+80 dB resulted in greater PACES scores compared with 200 beats·min-1+80 dB and control conditions. Better performance was found for males compared with females in TSAT, FSKT-10s and FSKT-mult (i.e., techniques’ number), as well as lower DI and higher RPE post-FSKT-10s. Pre-selected warm-up music played at 140 beats·min-1 and 80 dB is an efficient strategy to enhance physical activity enjoyment and specific performances in taekwondo.

Abstract Background To handle the competition demands, sparring drills are used for specific technical–tactical training as well as physical–physiological conditioning in combat sports. While the effects of different area sizes and number of within-round sparring partners on physiological and perceptive responses in combats sports were examined in previous studies, technical and tactical aspects were not investigated. This study investigated the effect of different within-round sparring partners number (i.e., at a time; 1 vs. 1, 1 vs. 2, and 1 vs. 4) and area sizes (2 m × 2 m, 4 m × 4 m, and 6 m × 6 m) variation on the technical–tactical aspects of small combat games in kickboxing. Method Twenty male kickboxers (mean ± standard deviation, age: 20.3 ± 0.9 years), regularly competing in regional and national events randomly performed nine different kickboxing combats, lasting 2 min each. All combats were video recorded and analyzed using the software Dartfish. Results Results showed that the total number of punches was significantly higher in 1 versus 4 compared with 1 versus 1 (p = 0.011, d = 0.83). Further, the total number of kicks was significantly higher in 1 versus 4 compared with 1 versus 1 and 1 versus 2 (p