Aleksandra Stachoń

The changes in body build and strength in female after a 4-month combined judo and strength training program

In judo great significance is attached to the development of strength, which is crucial for performing offensive and defensive actions during fights. Another aspect of strength training is improvement of body build and general physical health of female athletes. The present study aims to estimate the changes of strength and body composition in non-elite female judoists from academic sports clubs after a combined judo and strength training program. The study examined changes in body build and muscle strength in 20 female judoists participating in judo training and additional adaptive strength training. The anthropometric, physical and motoric measurements were performed twice at four months interval, before and after a combined training program. After the completion of the training program, significant increases of about 10 kg in back muscle strength and of about 2 kg in hand grip strength were noted. No increases in muscle mass and body girths were observed; however, fat mass decreased for about 0.6 kg, which was additionally confirmed by skinfolds thickness measurements. Body mass and BMI remained unchanged. The analysis using Sheldon’s somatotypes revealed a tendency towards lower endomorphy among the studied judoists after four months training period. The results of the present study indicate that even experienced but non-elite academic female judoists could improve their back muscle strength, handgrip strength, and body composition by completing the proposed strength training program along with judo training.

Morphological optimization of female combat sports athletes as seen by the anthropologists

Abstract Body build and proportions are key determinants of athletic success. The effects of the athlete selection process and discipline-specific training are differentiated body dimensions. The aim of the study was to examine the physical characteristics of female combat athletes. The results of anthropometric measurements of 154 females aged 21.2±1.79 years competing in judo, jiu-jitsu, karate, taekwondo, and fencing for 7.5±3.43 years. Significant differences were observed between the judo and karate, taekwondo and fencing practitioners in chest, hip, arm and forearm girths. More variance was observed in body proportions. Fencers had the slimmest body shape, a more massive body size in the judokas. Longer upper extremities relative to lower extremity length were found in the jiu-jitsu group. Relative to body height, a larger torso and greater girths were observed in the judokas compared with the fencing, karate, and taekwondo practitioners. The groups did not differ in the level of endomorphy. Mesomorphy was highest in judokas and the lowest in fencers, although ectomorphy was most dominant in the latter group. Females practitioners of combat sports exhibit differences in physical characteristics as an effect of optimizing body type and build via the training and athlete selection process of a given discipline. The anthropometric measures could play a role in talent identification programmes for martial arts and help the trainers to optimize the motoric effectiveness of athletes.

A comparative analysis of male judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners based on motor performance and body build

While jiu-jitsu and judo are martial arts that traditionally place an emphasis on mental and spiritual development, a direct fight constitutes their essential element. Today they are largely practiced within the realm of combat sports. Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a Brazilian sport that originated by adapting techniques from traditional Japanese jujutsu [1]. Focus has shifted in these fighting disciplines to the recruitment and selection of athletes and deciding which anthropometric, mechanical, and physiological factors are the most important for competitive success [2-8]. It was proved, that among the others, physical fitness with great muscular strength is important factor of success in combat sports [4,9,10]. Other studies have reported that performance and competitive success in combat sports are influenced by body size and other anthropometric variables [2,4,5,11]. These aspects are intertwined with combat sport training, which also introduces changes in the physical fitness and some elements of body build of its practitioners [12,13]. Franchini et al. [2,14] concluded that in the group of the best athletes, the morphological variables do not discriminate performance, but the higher percent body fat is negatively correlated with performance, especially in activities with body mass locomotion. Jiu-jitsu and judo both have a lot of elements of fight technique in vertical and horizontal positions, however, in Bra zi lian ju-jitsu there are more elements of technique which are not permissible in judo. In judo bouts competitors struggle in vertical (tachi-waza) and horizontal (ne-waza) positions. The fight ends when one judoka (tori) performs the throw (on the large part of back, with power and control) and the referee announces ippon [15]. The amount of time of the fight in tachiwaza and ne-waza depends on the rules [16]. In ju-jitsu bouts there are 3 phases: fight in distance (striking), fight with grip (throws) and fight in horizontal position – ne-waza [17]. Bra zilian jiu-jitsu is considered a predominantly aerobic sport [18] with significantly higher proportion of an effort/ pause (ratio of ap proximately 10:1) when compared to judo which have presented an effort-pause ratio of approximately 2:1 [19]. Brazilian jiu-jitsu has more longer combat phases than judo [18].

The Imaging and Evaluation of Body Posture Defects in Hearing Impaired Children

Abstract The paper presents the use of a diagnostics device Posturometer-S applied to examine body posture in hearing impaired children. 46 subjects from the Maria Grzegorzewska School and Education Centre for Hard-of-Hearing Children in Wrocław were examined. The research was conducted through the use of a Posturometer-S, which is an electronic, non-invasive measuring device attached to a computer. It enables not only the imaging and evaluation of frontal and sagittal curves of the spine, but also spinal mobility. Previous research has indicated that incorrect body posture was more often observed in hearing impaired children than in healthy ones. Hence, constant control over body posture in children with hearing loss seems vital. Correct body posture has a great influence on functioning of the entire body. The results obtained by using the Posturometer-S and anthropological measurements helped to determine the types of body posture and postural defects in the examined subjects. The apparatus used in research enabled to determine the occurrence of kyphotic, lordotic and balanced body postures, the results as follows: incorrect kyphotic postures - 10,9% of the subjects, incorrect lordotic postures - 6,4% and incorrect balanced postures - 10,9% of the examined subjects. Correct body postures were observed in 67,4% of the examined children. The most frequent body posture abnormalities were: thoracic scoliosis (19,6%) and shoulder asymmetry (26,1%). Due to the screening tests, some children were referred for further diagnostic evaluation and physiotherapy.