Effects of Participating in Martial Arts in Children: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: The application of various martial arts programs can greatly contribute to improving the of physical fitness of preschool and school children. The purpose of this review paper was to determine the effects and influence that martial arts program intervention has on children’s physical fitness, which includes motor skills and the aerobic and anaerobic abilities of children. Method: We searched the following electronic scientific databases for articles published in English from January 2006 to April 2021 to gather data for this review paper: Google Scholar, Pub Med, and Web of Science. Results: After the search was completed, 162 studies were identified, of which 16 studies were selected and were systematically reviewed and analyzed. Eight studies included karate programs, four studies included judo programs, two studies contained aikido programs, and two studies contained taekwondo programs. The total number of participants was 1615 (experimental group = 914, control group = 701). Based on the main findings, karate, judo, taekwondo, and aikido programs showed positive effects on the physical fitness of the experimental group of children. According to the results, the effects of these programs showed statistically significant improvements between the initial and final measurements of most of the examined experimental groups. Conclusion: We concluded that martial arts programs were helpful for improving the physical fitness of preschool and school children, especially for parameters such as cardiorespiratory fitness, speed, agility, strength, flexibility, coordination, and balance.

Physical fitness and somatic structure in adolescent taekwondo athletes and untrained peers

“…Despite the lack of a significant relationship, in most of the traits compared in each of the four groups divided by age and gender, it was observed that in at least 3 of the 5 tests, the participants who were martial art practitioners obtained higher results compared to the control group. The results of a number of studies conducted by researchers show the positive impact of participation in sports by people of different ages on their fitness levels relative to physically inactive peers [10,24,38]. Depending on their expertise, taekwondo athletes have different levels of motor aptitudes.…”

Martial arts training, competition and sports nutrition: A future beneficial alliance

“…As the movement exploded, there was an awareness that martial arts had fitness benefits [9,10], spurring participants who would never likely fight but would participate in training for the perceived benefits. The physiological, neurological, emotional, and cognitive results of training are also factors that lead to improved performance [11][12][13][14]. Martial arts is a synergy of body, mind, and spirit, so the challenge for martial artists is a four-prong test: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.…”

The Acute and Long-Term Effects of Olympic Karate Kata Training on Structural and Functional Changes in the Body Posture of Polish National Team Athletes

“…Therefore, it seems justified to perform additional research with the participation of athletes of combat sports such as WKF karate, which is frequently recommended as a physical activity that is a golden mean for correction of postural disturbances and improvement of postural control [9,18,19]. Therefore, the aim of this study was (1) to assess the acute (after kata training) and long-term (years of kata training) effects of kata training on body posture (spinal curvatures, pelvic tilt) and ROM, and (2) to evaluate the prevalence and location of musculoskeletal pain in elite karate athletes. It was hypothesized that kata training induces acute changes in the depth of the anteroposterior spinal curvatures, pelvic tilt, and ROM.…”

“…Among different forms of physical activity, martial arts are known to be a universal sport that stimulates all three groups of motor abilities in preschool and school children [ 1 ], i.e., (i) strength and conditioning abilities (strength, endurance), (ii) complex abilities (speed, agility), and (iii) coordination abilities [ 2 ]. It also impacts positively on socio-psychological responses and mental health [ 1 ]. Even though many combat sports can be listed under the term ‘martial arts’, karate is considered to be one of the most popular combat activities worldwide, both in children and adults [ 3 ].…”