Comparison of indicators of dynamic balance by the methodology STAR EXCURSION BALANCE TEST of athletes engaged in WKF karate, fencing and hopak hand-to-hand combat

Abstract

Purpose: to compare the Star Excursion Balance Test performance of male representatives of karate, fencing, and hopak hand-to-hand combat. Material and methods. The study was conducted at the Ivan Bobersky Lviv State University of Physical Culture at the Department of Fencing, Boxing and National Martial Arts in the period November-December 2023. Qualified male athletes aged 18-22 in the number of 31 participated in the collection of experimental material, including there were 10 representatives of karate according to the WKF version, 12 representatives of fencing, 9 representatives of hopak hand-to-hand combat. Research methods: analysis of literary sources and materials from the Internet; pedagogical research; measurement of basic anthropometric indicators of athletes (height, body weight, length of arms and legs); measurement of Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT); methods of mathematical statistics. A comparison of the anthropometric indicators of karate fighters, fencers and hopak hand-to-hand combatants did not reveal any statistically significant differences between them. At the same time, swordsmen have slightly longer legs (98,4 cm) at the same height than hopak (96,3 cm) and karate (95,6 cm). Karate fighters with a relatively smaller height (177,2 cm) have relatively longer arms (78,8 cm) than swordsmen (179,5 cm and 75,9 cm, respectively) and representatives of hopak hand-to-hand combat (179,4 cm and 78,8 cm respectively). On average, the shortest arms in this study were found in fencers. In fencers, significantly better (Р<0,05) SEBT indicators of legs were found, compared to similar results of representatives of hand-to-hand combat hopak (positions 1, 2 of the left, and 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 of both legs) and karate (positions 1, 2, 4 of the left, and 5, 6, 7 of both legs). This can be explained by the specifics of training in this type of single combat. Fencers with relatively shorter arms demonstrate the same, and in some positions, relatively better SEBT results of the belt of the upper limbs, compared to representatives of karate (positions 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8 - left, 2, 4, 7, 8 - right) and hopak arm wrestling (positions 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 – left, 2, 3, 4, 7 – right). Karate fighters have a slight advantage in SEBT indicators of the upper belt (positions 1, 2, 3, 4, 8 - left) and lower limbs (positions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 - both legs), compared to the results of hopak hand-to-hand combatants, with somewhat smaller anthropometric indicators. Conclusions. The results of the work showed better indicators of SEBT in fencers, compared to representatives of karate version of WKF and hopak hand-to-hand combat. This is especially observed in SEBT indicators of the lower extremities. This fact is explained by the specificity of many years of training in fencing, where the result depends precisely on the development of the athletes' lower limbs. At the same time, SEBT indicators of the upper limbs in fencers do not have the same bright manifestation. Karate fighters have some advantage in the SEBT indicators of the upper and lower limb belt, compared to the SEBT indicators of hopak hand-to-hand combatants. Given the above, we can conclude that long-term training in a particular type of martial arts has its own imprint on anthropometric and SEBT indicators.