Studies of kicking of three targets – does sex differentiate the velocity of the taekwondo front kick?

Abstract

Background: Material and methods: Results: Conclusions: ‪The aim of the research was to obtain knowledge concerning the impact of selected external determinants (kick target) and internal determinants (sex) on the movement kinematics during the performance of a front kick by taekwon-do practitioners. ‪The analysis was performed on 8 men (18.3 ±1.7 years old) and 6 women (19.8 ±3.8 years old) practising taekwon-do. During research they performed front kicks into the air, at a table tennis ball hanging on a line and a training target (shield). A laboratory was used for analysis of the movement. ‪The mean maximum velocity of a kick into the air was registered (10.78 ±1.32 m/s for men and 8.51 ±1.50 m/s for women), at the target (9.98 ±1.40 m/s for men; 8.28 ±1.59 m/s for women) and at a ball (9.63 ±0.94 m/s for men; 7.73 ±2.01 m/s for women). ‪The change of external conditions in the three examined cases has an impact on the front kick kinematics. Significant differences between the maximum movement velocities during the kicks performed in the case of women and men were found.