EFFECT OF POSTACTIVATION POTENTIATION INDUCED BY ELASTIC RESISTANCE ON KINEMATICS AND PERFORMANCE IN A ROUNDHOUSE KICK OF TRAINED MARTIAL ARTS PRACTITIONERS

摘要

The aim of this study was to examine whether kicking with elastic resistance during warm-up could initiate postactivation potentiation (PAP), and thereby positively influence kinematics and performance on subsequent explosive roundhouse kicking. Five women and 11 men (n = 16) with a background in kickboxing (n = 10) or taekwondo (n = 6) performed 2 warm-up strategies with 3 subsequent test kicks 5-8 minutes after a PAP-inducing exercise. Kicking performance, defined as roundhouse kicking velocity with the foot, was measured using 3D motion capture (500 Hz) with a 15 marker lower-body 3D model. In addition, electromyography of the prime movers-vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and rectus femoris muscles-was measured to confirm the presence of PAP. Kicking velocity of the foot increased by 3.3% after performing a warming-up strategy including kicking with elastic resistance (p = 0.009, eta(2) = 0.32). Increases were also recorded in muscle activity in vastus medialis (35.2%, p = 0.05, eta(2) = 0.18) and rectus femoris (43.9%, p = 0.04, eta(2) = 0.20). These findings indicate that performing a warm-up strategy including kicking with elastic resistance can have a positive effect on kicking performance in a roundhouse kick.