High-intensity interval training and athletic performance in Taekwondo athletes

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Exercise Physiology
• Combat Sports Training

Background:

• Taekwondo performance relies on anaerobic capacity and explosive power.
• Optimizing training protocols is crucial for athletic development in Taekwondo.
• High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a potential method to enhance performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on Taekwondo athletes.
• To compare the effects of HIIT versus high-intensity continuous running (HICR) on athletic performance.

Main Methods:

• Thirty-three collegiate Taekwondo athletes were randomized into HIIT or HICR groups.
• Both groups underwent 11 training sessions over 4 weeks.
• Performance was assessed using anaerobic power tests, aerobic capacity tests (VO2max), and physical fitness tests (vertical jump, agility T-test, sit-ups).

Main Results:

• The HIIT group demonstrated significant improvements in anaerobic peak power, relative peak power, and mean power compared to the HICR group.
• HIIT led to a greater increase in aerobic capacity (8.8%) versus HICR (1.7%).
• The HIIT group showed improvements in vertical jump, while both groups improved in agility and sit-ups.

Conclusions:

• Eleven sessions of HIIT effectively enhanced anaerobic capacity crucial for Taekwondo performance.
• HIIT is a valuable training strategy for improving key performance indicators in collegiate Taekwondo athletes.
• Findings can inform pre-competition training program design, emphasizing training intensity's role in anaerobic development.