Journal article
A biomechanical analysis of the roundhouse kicking technique of expert practitioners: A comparison between the martial arts disciplines of Muay Thai, Karate, and Taekwondo
PLoS One, Vol.12(8), e0182645
2017
PMCID: PMC5571909
PMID: 28841670
Abstract
The purpose of this study was first, to determine whether there were differences in the roundhouse kicking leg kinematics performed by highly skilled Muay Thai, Karate and Taekwondo practitioners (n = 8 per group). Next, analysis aimed to identify the kinematic determinants of effective roundhouse kicking performance. Three-dimensional (3D) lower limb kinematics were recorded using a nine camera infra-red motion capture system (500 Hz) during three maximal roundhouse kicks. Impact forces were recorded using a strain gauge (1000 Hz) attached to a kicking pad positioned at the height of each participant's mastoid process. Results showed that linear foot velocity at impact was moderately correlated with relative impact force (r = 0.66, P = 0.001). Discipline specific analyses of the temporal data indicated that the Muay Thai group had a shorter execution time (1.02±0.15 s) than Taekwondo (1.54±0.52 s, P = 0.028). Analysis of lower limb kinematic data indicated that both Karate (-947±94 deg/s, P = 0.010) and Taekwondo (-943±106 deg/s, P = 0.011) practitioners had faster knee extension velocities than the Muay Thai group (-706±200 deg/s). Conversely, the Muay Thai practitioners (1.24±0.15 m/s) had greater vertical centre of mass movement than both Karate (0.78±0.24 m/s, P = 0.001) and Taekwondo groups (0.93±0.19 m/s, P = 0.02). Our findings show that several fundamental movement patterns were common to the roundhouse kicking techniques across the Muay Thai, Karate, and Taekwondo disciplines. Effective roundhouse kicking performance was characterized by rapid pelvic axial rotation, hip abduction, hip flexion and knee extension velocities, combined with rapid movements of the COM towards the target.
Details
- Title
- A biomechanical analysis of the roundhouse kicking technique of expert practitioners: A comparison between the martial arts disciplines of Muay Thai, Karate, and Taekwondo
- Authors
- Colin Gavagan (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health and Sport Sciences - LegacyMark Sayers (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health and Sport Sciences - Legacy
- Publication details
- PLoS One, Vol.12(8), e0182645; 15
- Publisher
- Public Library of Science
- Date published
- 2017
- DOI
- 10.1371/journal.pone.0182645
- ISSN
- 1932-6203
- PMID
- 28841670; PMC5571909
- Copyright note
- Copyright © 2017 Gavagan, Sayers. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited: Gavagan CJ, Sayers MGL (2017) A biomechanical analysis of the roundhouse kicking technique of expert practitioners: A comparison between the martial arts disciplines of Muay Thai, Karate, and Taekwondo. PLoS ONE 12(8): e0182645. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0182645
- Organisation Unit
- School of Health - High Performance Sport; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Health and Sport Sciences - Legacy; School of Health - Sports & Exercise Science; School of Health - Anatomy; School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Legacy
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99450457402621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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