Why do female and male taekwondo athletes win the bout? An analysis based on the Olympic weight category and the result of the bout

Abstract

<p>Combat sports such as taekwondo, where athletes compete against an opponent require control of technique and tactics, as well as knowing the optimal performance of opponents to win the bout. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to analyse the Olympic competitors (London Olympic Games), according to the weight category (fly, feather, light and heavy) and according to the performance in their fighting (winner vs. loser) in each gender. An observational methodology was used, following a nomothetic, follow-up and multidimensional design of 302 individual performances. The statistical analysis used an ANOVA and T Student test for comparing frequencies. The results obtained indicate significant differences between weight categories, that is, lighter competitors performed more actions than heavier ones. Female heavier competitors performed more defensive actions (blocks and cuts) than lighter competitors. Regarding their performance, winners performed more anticipated, 1 and 3-point actions than losers who performed more indirect and spinning actions with back leg. Therefore, there is a different technical-tactical behaviour between taekwondo athletes depending on the categories and the result of the combat, suggesting to emulate winners, performing more anticipated actions to both trunk and head, as well as training the most used technical-tactical actions according to the athletes’ competition weight category.</p>

Analysis of Different Key Behavioral Patterns to Score in Elite Taekwondoists According to the Weight Category and Gender

“…The use of posterior and indirect actions by FTW and LW competitors, prior to and after scoring, supports their tactical repertoire mastery to continue the tactical schema initiated by their opponents. As taekwondo is a combat sport where actions can be enchained by competitors (De la Fuente García and Castejón, 2016; Menescardi et al, 2020c), and where mastering offensive and defensive actions remain essential.…”

“…Despite the influence of these factors on taekwondo bout success, there are few comparative studies regarding the performance of athletes based on their weight category (Falcó et al, 2012;Menescardi et al, 2012Menescardi et al, , 2020c. These studies revealed different behavioral patterns according to the weight category of the athletes with lower weight categories performing more actions than heavier ones.…”

“…In order to provide more precise information to coaches it is important to analyze the competitors' behavioral patterns (technical and tactical) based on their competition weight category (Falcó et al, 2012;Menescardi et al, 2012Menescardi et al, , 2020c. For that reason, the aim of the present study was to analyze the behavioral patterns used to score points in an Olympic Games tournament according to the gender and weight category (fin, feather, light and heavy) of the athletes.…”

“…In this sense, attacks were mostly used to score in college championships (Falco et al, 2014 ; Menescardi et al, 2015 ) and Olympic games until the 2004 Olympic Games (Kazemi et al, 2006 , 2009 ), while this trend was reversed in the next three Olympic tournaments (2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games). Here counterattacks were the predominant tactic used to score, which can be seen as a way of neutralizing the opponent's attack by breaking the rhythm of the combat (Kazemi et al, 2010 ; Cular et al, 2011 ; Menescardi et al, 2019b , 2020b , c ). Several counterattacking patterns were found, the predominant approach was the use of simultaneous and posterior counterattacks while anticipation was the least counterattacking type used (Menescardi et al, 2019b ).…”

“…These studies revealed different behavioral patterns according to the weight category of the athletes with lower weight categories performing more actions than heavier ones. The bout outcome is also related to the tactics applied (Menescardi et al, 2020c ), where fly and feather female winners performed more anticipated and posterior counterattacks than heavies who performed more cuts and posterior counterattacks than light weight category. For lighter categories the anticipation is related to the winning of the bout while being defensive is related to the winning in heavies.…”