Whole-Body Vibration (WBV) as a Conditioning Activity for Roundhouse Kick (mawashi geri) Performance in Karate

TL;DR

This study found that whole-body vibration may slightly improve the speed of a karate roundhouse kick but does not significantly affect force or other performance metrics.

Contribution

The study is the first to investigate the acute effects of WBV on the performance of the mawashi geri in karate athletes.

Findings

WBV reduced the attack phase time of the mawashi geri compared to no WBV.

No significant differences were found in impact force or other kinetic variables between WBV and no WBV conditions.

WBV may have a positive effect on attack time, but further research is needed.

Abstract

Karate athletes strategically use lower-limb techniques in combat, with the roundhouse kick (mawashi geri) being highly effective in kumite. To quickly improve the technical performance before training or competitions, conditioning activities (CAs) are often utilized. Recently, Whole-Body Vibration (WBV) has emerged as a potential conditioning activity (CA). This study aimed to analyze the acute effects of WBV as a CA on the performance of the mawashi geri. The sample included sixteen male karate athletes. The study had a familiarization and two experimental sessions: one with WBV and the other without (NWBV), conducted randomly and counterbalanced, each preceded and followed by a mawashi geri assessment on a force platform. During the CA intervention, the participants performed four sets of isometric half-squats on a vibration platform at a frequency of 26 Hz and an amplitude of 4 mm in the WBV condition, while the platform was off in the NWBV condition. A significant reduction in the mawashi geri attack phase time was observed under the WBV condition [pre: 0.31 ± 0.03 s; post: 0.30 ± 0.03 s] compared to the NWBV condition [pre: 0.31 ± 0.04 s; post: 0.32 ± 0.03 s] (p = 0.02). However, no differences were noted regarding the impact force or other kinetic variables between the conditions. Therefore, WBV did not increase the performance of the kinetic and kinematic variables of the mawashi geri in karate athletes, but it is possible that there is a positive effect on attack time, suggesting that further studies with different vibration protocol configurations would be beneficial.

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