Different Training Methods Cause Similar Muscle Damage in Youth Judo Athletes

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Exercise Physiology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Muscle damage is common in judo training and competition.
• Previous studies lacked focus on specific causes of muscle damage from different judo training methods.
• Biochemical markers are crucial for assessing muscle damage.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate differences in biochemical markers of muscle damage between standing and groundwork judo training in youth athletes.
• To identify specific training-related muscle damage indicators in adolescent judokas.

Main Methods:

• Twelve high-level male judo athletes were divided into standing (SP) and groundwork (GP) combat practice groups.
• Participants underwent four 4-minute combat bouts with 1-minute rests.
• Blood samples were collected pre- and post-training to measure creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT).

Main Results:

• Significant increases in AST, LDH, and CK were observed in both SP and GP groups post-training compared to baseline.
• No significant differences in muscle damage markers were found between the standing and groundwork training groups.
• Both training methods induced comparable levels of muscle damage.

Conclusions:

• Standing and groundwork randori (sparring) result in similar muscle damage in adolescent judo athletes.
• The study highlights that both training styles contribute equally to acute muscle damage markers.
• Further research is recommended to examine long-term effects of these training-induced damage mechanisms.