Introduction. Martial arts and combat sports are practical sports that are being practised by an increasing number of women. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the ability of female judo, taekwondo and karate competitors to fall safely and their susceptibility to injuries during falls.Material and methods. A total of 120 persons participated in the research. The study group consisted of 45 female judo, taekwondo (WTF) and karate Shotokan competitors; in the control group there were 75 persons who did not practise sport professionally. The research tools included the Test of Susceptibility to Injury during Falls (TSIDF) developed by Kalina and a questionnaire designed by the authors.Results. The female martial arts competitors had considerably lower TSIDF results (p<0.001), which means that they made fewer errors when performing motor tasks. The mean result of the TSIDF was 2.48 for the study group and 6.08 for the control one. Significant differences (p<0.001) were found between the groups for all types of errors and all of the motor tasks.Conclusions. Women practising combat sports and martial arts made significantly fewer errors in the Test of Susceptibility to Injuries During Falls, which can be seen as evidence for the practical usefulness of the training they are undergoing.

Introduction. The aim of the work was answering the question whether there exists any dependence between the special fitness of karate competitors and the skills of falling and the susceptibility to bodily injuries. Material and methods. In the research partook 42 persons (19 women and 23 men) training Shotokan Karate, diversed in respect of the technical level (3 DAN-9 KYU). The examined performed a special efficiency test in the karate from the range of the speed (3 attempts) and the endurance (1 attempt). We used Kalina's the susceptibility test of the body injuries during the fall (STBIDF). Results. Within the range of all agility attempts competitors technically more advanced obtained results saliently better (p<0.000), both with relation to the intermediate and the beginners. Together with the level of the initiation also the number of committed errors in TPUCPU grew smaller. One showed the existence of the strong relationship (p<0.05) between the level of the special fitness and the susceptibility to bodily injuries during falls. Conclusions. Together with the increase of the special fitness the number of committed errors during the fall grows smaller. Consequently the ability of self-assurance of those exercising increases too. Elements of Shotokan karate training can be introduced to activities of other sports, as well as exercises of the physical education in schools. This would be able to increase the improvement of the safety during such frequent events as the loss of the equilibrium or the fall.