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Strength Correlates of Kicking Force in Young Taekwondo-in

Willy Pieter and Luigi T. Bercades Department of Physical Education, University of Asia and the Pacific, Pasig City, Philippines

Purpose: To assess the isokinetic strength determinants of kicking force in taekwondo. Basic procedures: Subjects were male (n = 41, 14.51 1.56 years, 163.56 10.08 cm, 53.42 13.09 kg) and female (n = 29, 14.58 1.65 years, 159.86 6.92 cm, 51.46 8.04 kg) American junior taekwondo-in. Isokinetic strength was assessed during leg extension and flexion at 180o/s, 240o/s and 300o/s as well as hip flexion and extension at 240o/s and 300o/s. Force was measured with a force sensor mounted on a striking pad and interfaced with a computer. Multiple regression analysis within gender was used to assess the contribution of leg and hip strength to force of the roundhouse kick. Main findings: Isokinetic strength explained 57.4% (SE = 7.86. p = 0.001) of the variance in kicking force. In particular, hip flexion at 240o/s (b = 0.47, SE = 0.16, 95% CI = 0.15-0.80, p = 0.006) and at 300o/s (b = -0.36, SE = 0.16, 95% CI = -0.68 - -0.04, p=0.030) contributed to kicking force in the boys. In the girls, isokinetic strength did not contribute to kicking force (R2 = 0.39, SEE = 14.72, p = 0.381). Conclusions: Within the measurement limitations of the suggested relationship between isokinetic strength and kicking force, the results seem to confirm the importance of core stability in kicking force in the boys. In the girls, the difference between the way isokinetic strength was measured and the actual execution of the roundhouse kick may have been prohibitive.

Key words: Isokinetic, strength, force, kick

Pieter, W. and Bercades, L. T. (2009), Strength correlates of kicking force in young taekwondo-in, The 2nd International Symposium for Taekwondo Studies, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, October 12-13.

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