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Physiological and Anthropometric Profile of Portuguese Professional Kickboxers

Introduction

Scientific research in combat sports is an emergent area. In the last two decades, professional combat sports have grown tremendously, both with the creation of the K1 circuit, as well as the MMA boon originated by the UFC. To predict sports performance, technique and tactic are essential, as well as physical and psychological traits. Whereas technique and tactic are not easily measurable, one can measure physiological and strength variables, as fundamental elements of success in sport. Thus, the motivation for this work arises from the necessity to create a profile for the elite Kickboxer, since it has not yet been studied.

Methodology

In this study, 13 professional Portuguese Kickboxers (11 male athletes and 2 female athletes, ages 28.92 ± 5.30, height 1.74 ± 0.074 and weight 73.92 ± 11.344), were measured for height, body composition (with skinfolds and bio-impedance), leg power (with the counter-movement jump), arm power (with a counter-movement plyometric push-up), flexibility (using the Modified Sit & Reach test for lower limbs, and the Shoulder Mobility test for upper limbs), and maximal oxygen consumption, VO2máx (using a maximum treadmill test, with 1 minute stages).

Results

Gil Silva1, 3, 4, Leonardo Cunha2, 3, 5, Tatiana Perdigão1, 4, João Brito1, 6

1 Escola Superior de Desporto de Rio Maior 2 Faculdade de Motricidade Humana

3 Departamento de Formação e Investigação Científica da FPKMT 4 {gil.aires, professoratatycp}@gmail.com

5 lcunha@fmh.utl.pt 6 jbrito@esdrm.pt

•Resultados

Conclusion

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This study presented for the first time, some values for future reference, for Portuguese Kickboxers, as presented in table 1. Previous study by Zabukovec (1995) reported values for Full-contact Kickboxers (kicks above the waist, only), but no reference values for Kickboxers from all the disciplines, such as Low-Kick (kicks below the waist), K1 (knees and some clinch allowed) and Muay Thai (knees, elbows and unrestricted clinch allowed). All Kickboxers in this study practiced the 4 disciplines, with the exception of 1 male Kickboxer, who was exclusive to Full-Contact discipline (as in Zabukovec’s study). Results indicate Kickboxers have similar body fat to Kung-fu athletes, lower values than Mixed Martial Artists but greater than Wrestlers. Their VO2máx was higher than all the others, indicating the extreme preparation necessary for professional fighting. Kickboxers were less flexible than Kung-Fu athletes, but more flexible than Judokas, Wrestlers and Mixed Martial Artists. Kickboxers showed the biggest power values, followed by Wrestlers, Mixed Martial Artists and finally, Kung-Fu athletes.

Variables Kickboxing MMA Judo Wrestling Kung Fu

Age (years) 28.92 ± 5.30 25.5 ± 5.70

Height (cm) 173.8 ± 0.07 174.8 ± 5.3 176.2 ± 8.9

Body mass (kg) 73.9 ± 11.34 77.4 ± 11.4 90.6 ± 23.8

Body Fat

Percentage (%) 9.72 ± 5.7 11.7 ± 4.0 11.4 ± 8.4 7.6 ± 3.4 9.5 ± 6.3

Sit and Reach (cm) 39.69 ± 9.4 30.3 ± 10.6 30.8 ± 5.8 45.5 ± 6.1

Vertical Jump (cm) 79.0 ± 10.0 57.60 ± 7.3 60.0 ± 10.0 37.7 ± 8.4

VO2max

(ml/kg/min) 57.99 ± 10.3 55.5 ± 7.3 48.3 ± 8.1 54.6 ± 2.0

Results Total (n = 13)

Subject Characteristics

Age (years)

Height (cm)

Body Mass (kg)

Body Fat - SF (%)

Body Fat - BI (%)

28.92 ± 5.30

173.8 ± 0.07

73.92 ± 11.34

9.72 ± 5.70

13.27 ± 5.69

Strenght & Power Tests

CMJ Flight Time (ms)

CMJ Height (m)

CMPU Flight Time (ms)

CMPU Height (m)

0.52 ± 0.03

0.79 ± 0.10

0.41 ± 0.14

0.25 ± 0.21

Aerobic Test VO2máx (ml.min-1.kg-1)

Máx Lactate

57.99 ± 10.33

12.62 ± 1.69

Flexibility Tests Sit & Reach (cm)

Shoulder Mobility (cm)

39.69 ± 9.40

1.81 ± 10.18

Table 1 – Synthesis of results (mean ± SD)

Table 2 – Comparative table of several Martial Arts and Combat Sports (mean ± SD)