2023, Volume 19
Profiles of the ability to optimally use the limbs muscle strength of combat sports athletes, racket sports athletes and drummer as validation of the accuracy of the recommended methods of measuring this phenomenon
Artur Litwiniuk1, Tomasz Waldziński2, Ewa Waldzińska2, Juris Grants3, Bartłomiej Gąsienica-Walczak4
1Faculty of Physical Education and Health, Biala Podlaska, University of Physical Education J. Pilsudski, Warsaw, Poland, Biala Podlaska, Poland
2Faculty of Health Sciences, Lomza State University of Applied Science, Lomza, Poland, Lomza, Poland
3Latvian Academy of Sport Education, Riga, Latvia , Riga, Latvia
4Institute of Health Sciences, Podhale State Higher Vocational School in Nowy Targ, Poland , Nowy Targ, Poland
Author for correspondence: Bartłomiej Gąsienica-Walczak; Institute of Health Sciences, Podhale State Higher Vocational School in Nowy Targ, Poland , Nowy Targ, Poland; email: bartlomiej.gasienica@ppuz.edu.pl
Full text
Abstract
Background and Study Aim: The phenomenon of ability to optimally use the muscle strength (AOUMS) has not been explored in either human motor science or other specialized sports science. The aim of this study is to find out whether athletes and musician, who differ in many ways, but whose essence of motor activity is the use of the upper and lower extremities, differ in their individual AOUMS profile.
Material and Methods: The eldest of the research subjects (age 59 years; 161 cm; 64 kg) is a combat sports and martial arts practitioner and coach (aikido, boxing, judo, karate kyokushin, taekwondo ITF), with total 37 years of experience; younger research subjects are: a tennis player and coach (49 years; 172 cm; 79 kg) 34 years of experience; karate athlete (22 years; 186 cm; 87.5 kg) 9 years of experience; box athlete (21 years; 175 cm; 78 kg) 4.5 years of experience; table tennis player (20 years; 178 cm; 80.5 kg) 10 years of experience; drummer (19 years; 203 cm; 120 kg) almost 3 years of percussion play experience. The methods used were those recommended by Kalina (2021): ‘diagnostic exercise systems.’ Diagnosing of upper limbs AOUMS (quasi-apparatus version): baseball throw (dominant hand first) in a relatively isolated posture (heels, buttocks and back pressed against the wall), alternatively with eyes open and covered with goggles. Diagnosis of lower limb AOUMS (non-apparatus version): long jump from standing posture. Identical patterns of force use in diagnosing upper and lower limbs were used (the first exercise with eyes open, the second exercise eyes covered) and then alternated: 50%, 25%, 75%, 50% , 35%, 85%. The series of six exercises ended with three trials with eyes open, each at 100% (the farthest throw/jump was the frame of reference for measuring the conformity of each score to the model expressed in %). The subjects had no prior knowledge of the methods.
Results: The young table tennis player showed the most accurate use of force (according to the model) - lower extremities: five times errors less than 3% and only once 7.14% (total 15.51%). A much older tennis expert twice less than 3.5%, four times from 6.56 to 12.34% (total 43.5%). The hand profiles of dominant racket sports players are similarly varied: table tennis player five errors less than 4 (once 8.83% with eyes open; total of 18.78%); tennis expert twice less than 5%, four times from 14.57 to 22.03% (total 80.79%). The sum of combat sports expert errors was: legs 32%:, dominant hand 37.5%, while drummer: legs 54.36%:, dominant hand 72.72%.
Conclusions: Individual AOUMS profiles varied significantly with a clear representation of either the favourable impact of years of practice (young table tennis player and combat sports expert results) or the low effectiveness when trained too briefly (drummer profile). Innovative methods of measuring the AOUMS phenomenon meet the criteria of relevance of the tools according to the purpose they are intended to serve. Although ‘diagnostic exercise systems’ are not tests that could be subjected to a standardization procedure, however, used, according to the author’s assumption, in a flexible manner, they can be widely applied in sports, military training, physical education or rehabilitation (a very good example of adapted physical activity).
Key words: validity procedure, ranking positions, non-apparatus, motor skills