Relational assessment of motor skills in childhood judokas

Abstract

This study examined the relationships between critical motor performance criteria such as anaerobic power, flexibility, and 20-meter sprint speed among 18 judokas aged 8-12 (11 boys, 7 girls). The aim was to better understand the role of gender in motor performance in judo and to gain insights for developing gender-specific training programs. Participants underwent various motor performance tests (anaerobic power, flexibility, and 20-meter speed). In the study, the SPSS 23 software package was used to determine the demographic characteristics of the participants, such as age, height, weight, and body mass index, with mean and standard deviation values. The normality of the data distribution was assessed using the Shapiro-Wilk test, and the Pearson correlation test was used to evaluate the relationship between motor performance data (p<0.05).The findings indicated that there was no significant relationship between anaerobic power and flexibility in male and female judokas. However, there was a moderately negative relationship between 20-meter sprint speed and anaerobic power in both genders. These results suggest that in male judokas, anaerobic power is somewhat linked to flexibility, but this connection is not observed in female judokas. Additionally, it was found that anaerobic power affects 20-meter sprint speed in both genders, with athletes possessing higher anaerobic power being able to run faster. The findings of this study highlight the significant role of gender in motor performance in judo and emphasize the need for designing training programs specific to gender. Further research could enhance the accuracy and generalizability of these findings. Consequently, the development of gender-specific training and performance assessment strategies in judo could contribute to fully realizing the potential of athletes.