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To win a taekwondo competition, more points must be scored, and the key to scoring points is to improve the motor performance of the kick. However, the relationship between core stability and the effectiveness of athletic performance, particularly in executing the wing kick, remains ambiguous, impeding coaches and athletes in their efforts to improve athletic performance. A total of 26 male participants (height: 167.21 ± 7.29 cm; weight: 62.07 ± 8.03 kg; age: 24.69 ± 2.53 years) participated, and they have been practicing Taekwondo for more than 10 years. Kinematic and kinetic data were collected using 13 infrared cameras at 120 Hz, muscle activity data were collected using epidermal electromyography, and participants’ core stability level were measured using the Sahrmann Core Stability Test (SCST) for correlation with other variables. Core stability levels showed a strong negative correlation with execution time (r = −0.7144, p < 0.001) of the aerial phase of the wing kick as did angular momentum in most lower limb segments (thigh X axis, r = −0.6435, p < 0.001, shank X axis, r = −0.62008, p < 0.001, foot X axis, r = −0.7033, p < 0.001). Bilateral rectus abdominis (RA) showed strong correlations with muscle activation (left rectus abdominis (LRA) of left foot take off-left knee max extension (LTO-LKMF) phase, r = 0.5351, p < 0.001, right rectus abdominis (RRA) of LTO-LKMF phase, r = −0.5628, p < 0.001), and high levels of core stability were associated with better core-muscle coupling. We conclude that incorporating core stability training into taekwondo training has the potential to improve wing kick performance.

Introduction: Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic sports. Although studies indicate that explored flat feet improved running performance, research on foot types and their impact on swimming is scarce and unexplored. This study investigates the difference between flutter kicking speed among competitive swimmers with flat and standard feet. Materials and Methods: A total of 78 competitive swimmers in the age range of 13 to 19 years were recruited from Pusat Akuatik Darul Ehsan swimming training using a purposive sampling method and a cross-sectional study design. Based on their navicular drop test scores, the participants were categorized as flat-footed (group A) and normal-footed (group B). An independent t-test was applied to compare the kicking speeds between flat-footed and normalfooted swimmers. The swimmers in group A and group B were instructed to perform a standard 50-m kicking front crawl performance with the upper limb placed over the sliding board individually in a swimming pool, and their reaching time was recorded using a stopwatch. Results: The results indicated flat-foot swimmers' front crawl kicking performance was faster than normal-foot swimmers' (P=0.03) with a medium effect size (d=0.50). Conclusion: This study concludes that flat-footed competitive swimmers have an advantage in reaching 50 m in less time than normal-footed swimmers. Conclusion: This study concludes that flat-footed competitive swimmers have an advantage in reaching 50 m in less time than normal-footed swimmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical performance is a key factor in most of the actions that determine success in soccer competitions. The present meta-analysis aimed to determine whether, and to what extent different conditioning programmes implemented in addition to regular soccer training are able to enhance the performance of high-velocity soccer-related tasks. Study groups were categorised according to type of performance measurement: (A) vertical jump ability, (B) linear sprint performance, (C), change of direction with ball, (D) change of direction without ball, (E) repeated sprint ability, and (F) kicking performance. Subgroup analyses were done with reference to the type of conditioning programme applied: (A) resistance training, (B) plyometric, (C) sprint and/or change of direction, and (D) combined methods. The standardised mean differences (SMD) along with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated using the Review Manager 5.3 software. The application of a conditioning programme was associated with a significant improvement in vertical jump ability (SMD = 0.64 [95% CI: 0.50–0.77]), linear sprint (SMD = −0.79 [95% CI: −0.61 to −0.96]), change of direction with ball (SMD = −0.78 [95% CI: −0.42 to −1.15]), change of direction without ball (SMD = −0.83 [95% CI: −0.61 to −1.05]), repeated sprint ability (SMD = −0.51 [95% CI: −0.19 to −0.84]), and kicking performance (SMD = 0.78 [95% CI: 0.34–1.22]). No clear differences among the different conditioning programmes were observed. The implementation of a conditioning programme in addition to regular soccer training enhances the performance of high-velocity soccer-related tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The double side kick is a frequently used technique in pointfighting on which most offensive kicking techniques are based on. The aim of the study was to identify parameters, e.g., trunk and leg positions, durations and velocities that affect successful technique execution. 44 fighters, male and female, including European and World champions, participated in the research. The participants performed double side kicks to a punching bag with the target at chest level. 10 international experts scored (1–10 points; interrater correlation ICC (3,1): 0.952) videos of the best individual trial for quality of technique execution. Based on the average of the scores participants were categorised into 2 equally sized groups. For kinematic data acquisition, a Vicon 3D-motion capturing system was used. The normalised knee height of the kick leg (KHK), normalised absolute distance to the frontal shoulder (DKS) at the end of both chambering phases, the horizontal velocity during both chambering phases (KEV), the durations of all 6 functional phases and total duration, were analysed. KHK1, KHK2, DKS1 and DKS2, total duration as well as 4 out of 6 phase durations and KEV1 showed significant differences between groups in two-sided t-test or Mann–Whitney U-test for not normally distributed variables. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Kicking is one of the most important skills in soccer and the ability to achieve maximal kicking velocity with both legs leads to an advantage for the soccer player. This study examined the relationship between kicking ball velocity with both legs using anthropometric measurements and vertical jumps (a squat jump (SJ); a countermovement jump without (CMJ) and with the arm swing (CMJA) and a reactive jump (RJ)). Anthropometric measurements did not correlate with kicking ball velocity. Vertical jumps correlated significantly with kicking ball velocity using the dominant leg only (r = .47, r = .58, r = .44, r = .51, for SJ, CMJ, CMJA and RJ, respectively). Maximal kicking velocity with the dominant leg was significantly higher than with the non-dominant leg (t = 18.04, p < 0.001). Our results suggest that vertical jumps may be an optimal test to assess neuromuscular skills involved in kicking at maximal speed. Lack of the relationship between vertical jumps and kicking velocity with the non-dominant leg may reflect a difficulty to exhibit the neuromuscular skills during dominant leg kicking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to generate a high ball speed in soccer, the inter-segmental coordination of the kicking leg is critical. The purpose of this study was to quantify the coordination between the thigh and shank movement in the sagittal plane during instep kicks. Eleven female soccer players were video recorded using a high-speed (80 Hz) video camera during penalty kicks. Hip, knee and ankle joint centers of the right leg were digitized, and the movement was analyzed using Dartfish TeamPro (6.0). The thigh and shank segment angles were generated, and the coordination was quantified using the cross-correlation and the vector coding method. Four coordination patterns were defined based on coupling angles: in-phase, anti-phase, thigh-phase and shank-phase. The time spent in each coordination pattern was analyzed. The cross-correlation coefficient was positive for all the participants, indicating that the two segments rotated with similar patterns. Based on the vector coding method, we observed dominant coordination patterns of shank-phase and in-phase during the backswing and forward swing phase, respectively. We hope the outcomes of our study could provide a better understanding of soccer kicking coordination and benefit training young soccer players. Future studies may use the methodology and outcomes in the present study to investigate the coordination of different levels of players to better understand the process of skill acquisition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to examine the acute effects of graded physiological strain on soccer kicking performance.Methods: Twenty-eight semi-professional soccer players completed both experimental and control procedure. The experimental protocol incorporated repeated shooting trials combined with a progressive discontinuous maximal shuttle-run intervention. The initial running velocity was 8 km/h and increasing for 1 km/h every 3 min until exhaustion. The control protocol comprised only eight subsequent shooting trials. The soccer-specific kicking accuracy (KA; average distance from the ball-entry point to the goal center), kicking velocity (KV), and kicking quality (KQ; kicking accuracy divided by the time elapsed from hitting the ball to the point of entry) were evaluated via reproducible and valid test over five individually determined exercise intensity zones.Results: Compared with baseline or exercise at intensities below the second lactate threshold (LT2), physiological exertion above the LT2 (blood lactate > 4 mmol/L) resulted in meaningful decrease in KA (11-13%; p < 0.05), KV (3-4%; p < 0.05), and overall KQ (13-15%; p < 0.01). The light and moderate-intensity exercise below the LT2 had no significant effect on soccer kicking performance.Conclusions: The results suggest that high-intensity physiological exertion above the player's LT2 impairs soccer kicking performance. In contrast, light to moderate physiological stress appears to be neither harmful nor beneficial for kicking performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on research conducted to determine the effect a 12 week lower limb plyometric training program had on body composition, explosive strength and kicking speed in female soccer players. Researchers evaluated 20 players. They found that a 12 week plyometric program can improve explosive strength in female soccer players and that these improvements can be transferred to soccer kick performance in terms of ball speed.

An abstract of the article "Relationship between kicking and sprinting performance," by Goran Sporiš,Vlatko Vučetić and Marjan Jerković is presented.

Kicking is one of the most important skills in soccer and the ability to achieve ma ximal kicking velocity with both legs leads to an advantage for the soccer player. This study examined the relationship be tween kicking ball velocity with both legs using anthropometric measurements and vertical jumps (a squat jump (SJ); a countermovement jump without (CMJ) and with the arm swing (CMJA) and a reactive jump (RJ)). Anthropome tric measurements did not correlate with kicking ball velocity. Vertical jumps correlated significantly with kicking ball velocity using the dominant leg only (r = .47, r = .58, r = .44, r = .51, for SJ, CMJ, CMJA and RJ, respectively) . Maximal kicking velocity with the dominant leg was significantly higher than with the non-dominant leg (t = 18.0 4, p < 0.001). Our results suggest that vertical jumps may be an optimal test to assess neuromuscular skills involved in kicking at maximal speed. Lack of the relationship between vertical jumps and kicking velocity with the non-dominant leg may reflect a difficulty to exhibit the neuromuscular skills during dominant leg kicking.