2014, Volume 10
Comparison of aggressiveness levels in combat sports and martial arts male athletes to non-practising peers
Cezary Kuśnierz1, Wojciech J Cynarski2, Artur Litwiniuk3
1Physical Education and Physiotherapy Department, Opole University of Technology, Opole, Poland
2Physical Education Department, Rzeszow University, Rzeszow, Poland
3Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Jozef Pilsudski University of Physical Education Warsaw, Biala Podlaska, Poland
Author for correspondence: Cezary Kuśnierz; Physical Education and Physiotherapy Department, Opole University of Technology, Opole, Poland; email: ckusnierz[at]op.pl
Full text
Abstract
Background and Study Aim: Combat sports and martial arts are very popular among young people and adults. Some researchers indicate numerous advantages that come from training, including reduced level of aggressiveness or improved emotional self-control. Other authors present disparate results. The aim of this study was the level of aggressiveness among people practising combat sports and martial arts, compared to their peers, who are not involved in training.
Material and Methods: The research involved 150 males (for 50 participants from each type of the training) practising capoeira, boxing and ju-jitsu. Moreover, a group of 150 non-practising secondary school and university students with the Physical Education major was also examined. In the research, the aggression questionnaire by A.H. Buss, M. Perry was used.
Results: Achieved results show differences in aggressiveness levels among the group involved in training. The highest aggressiveness level was recorded in the group practising boxing, whereas the lowest was observed in the group of ju-jitsu athletes. The generation of contemporary Polish boxers is characterized by higher level of the aggressiveness than the earlier generation. The highest level of aggressiveness was expressed in the form of verbal aggression. The overall aggressiveness result should be considered as the most significant one and its highest level was recorded in the control group.
Conclusions: Combat sports and martial arts training gives the possibility to diffuse emotions and relieve tension, which may result in decreasing the level of aggressiveness. Research participants of the control group, being deprived of such possibility, were characterized by the highest aggressiveness level among the researched groups. The aggressiveness level can be conditioned by the specificity of the training, but first of all by the coach qualifications.
Key words: aggressiveness, anger, athletic training, emotion regulation, hostility