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Mechanical and muscular coordination patterns during a high-level fencing assault
Gaël Guilhem1, Caroline Giroux, Antoine Couturier
11French National Institute of Sport (INSEP), Research Department, Laboratory Sport, Expertise and Performance, Paris, FRANCE; and 2CETAPS UPRES EA 3832, Faculty of Sports Sciences, University of Rouen, Mont Saint Aignan, FRANCE.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
|January 21, 2014
Summary
Elite saber fencers rely on rear extensor muscles for fencing speed. This study highlights their crucial role in performance, suggesting targeted training for these muscles.
Area of Science:
- Sports Biomechanics
- Human Movement Science
- Fencing Performance Analysis
Background:
- Understanding lower limb muscle coordination is vital for optimizing athletic performance in fencing.
- The marché-fente is a key fencing gesture requiring complex muscle activation patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate lower limb muscle coordination during the marché-fente in elite saber fencers.
- To correlate muscle activation with mechanical effectiveness and performance.
Main Methods:
- Maximal strength testing of lower limb muscles (plantarflexors, dorsiflexors, hip/knee flexors/extensors) in elite female saber fencers.
- Electromyography (EMG) of 15 lower limb muscles during the marché-fente gesture, synchronized with force plate data.
- Analysis of muscle activation patterns across four distinct assault phases and correlation with strength and velocity.
Main Results:
- Rear hip and knee extensors, along with plantarflexors, are primarily active during propulsive phases.
- Front hip and knee extensors are crucial for decelerating the body during the final eccentric phase.
- Rear extensor strength significantly correlates with maximal anteroposterior velocity and performance in propulsive phases.
Conclusions:
- Rear extensor muscles play a critical role in achieving high fencing speed.
- These findings inform the development of specific training and rehabilitation programs for elite fencers.
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