Energy-System Contributions to Simulated Judo Matches

Area of Science:

• Sports Physiology
• Exercise Metabolism

Background:

• Judo demands significant energy from multiple physiological systems.
• Understanding the contribution of each energy system is crucial for optimizing training and performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the relative contributions of the oxidative, glycolytic, and ATP-PCr energy systems during simulated judo matches of varying durations.

Main Methods:

• Twelve judo athletes completed simulated matches of 1-5 minutes.
• Energy system contributions were estimated using oxygen uptake, lactate levels, and excess post-exercise oxygen consumption.
• Statistical analysis involved mixed-effects models and Bonferroni post-hoc tests.

Main Results:

• The oxidative system was the primary energy provider (70%), significantly outperforming the glycolytic (8%) and ATP-PCr (21%) systems.
• ATP-PCr contribution was higher than glycolytic up to 3 minutes.
• Oxidative contribution increased from 50% to 81% during matches, while ATP-PCr decreased from 40% to 12%.

Conclusions:

• The oxidative system predominantly fuels judo matches from the first minute onwards.
• Anaerobic systems play a lesser, though still significant, role, particularly in shorter durations.