Kickboxing is one of the modern combat sports. The psychophysiological demands of a kickboxing competition require athletes to achieve high thresholds of several aspects of physical fitness. The aim of the current review is to critically analyse and appraise the kickboxer’s anthropometric, physiological, physical and psychological attributes with the activity profile and injury epidemiology in order to provide practical recommendations for training as well as new areas of scientific research. The available information shows that both amateur and elite-level male kickboxers are characterized by a higher proportion of mesomorphy with a well-developed muscle mass and low body fat percentage. While there is some variation in the maximum oxygen uptake of kickboxers, moderate to high cardio-respiratory levels are reported for these athletes. Regardless of kickboxers’ level, a high peak and mean anaerobic power output were reported. High-level kickboxing performance also requires well-developed muscle power in both the upper and lower limbs. Psychological factors contribute to success that requires high levels of self-confidence, motivation, dispositional hope and optimism, mental toughness/resiliency, and adaptive perfectionism. Psychological attributes also distinguished successful from less successful kickboxers. The activity-to-rest ratio was higher in elite (1:1) than both amateur and national-level (from 1:2 to 1:5) kickboxers, with no significant differences between rounds (round 1=1:4, and rounds 2 and 3=1:5) as well as between winners and losers in amateur and national-level simulated combats. These particular psychophysiological characteristics and performance aspects of kickboxers influence performance and could serve as guidance for training. Finally, kickboxing is characterized by chronic repetitive head trauma, which causes hypopituitarism due to traumatic brain injury (TBI). Future investigations into the physical, physiological and psychological characteristics related to age, gender and competitive levels of kickboxers are required to enrich the current knowledge and to help create the most suitable training programme.

ResumoAnálises das demandas técnico-táticas e fisiológicas dos combates da luta olímpica são importantes porque mostram informações essenciais para o desenvolvimento de treinamentos contextualizados e preparação física específica para lutadores. Por isso, o objetivo dessa revisão é mostrar características do combate de luta olímpica nos estilos livre, feminino e greco-romana. A análise de tempo-movimento apresentada nesse artigo é componente principal para inferências sobre a intensidade em relação à taxa de esforço: pausa pelas ações do combate. Após a modificação das regras durante o ano de 2013, os combates mostraram ações rápidas e com maior variação, especialmente, em categorias mais leves. Durante os combates de greco-romano, grande parte dos estudos apontam os takedowns como as técnicas mais eficazes em competições mundiais entre 2009 e 2011. Para o mesmo período, na luta olímpica feminina e estilo livre, as técnicas de pé/perna são as mais eficazes, seguida dos ataques de takedown. Enquanto, as últimas análises, após a modificação das regras, mostram que as ações ofensivas determinantes são aplicadas em pé e em parterre, especialmente técnicas de gutwrenches e movimentos derivados do suplex. Os conhecimentos sobre as ações determinantes e predominantes dos combates da luta olímpica podem ser aplicados em futuras pesquisas, assim como utilizados em aplicação prática em treinamentos, preparação física e avaliações análogos às ações do combate, assim como permitem intervenções para evitar lesões que possam ser conseqüentes das ações técnico-táticas da luta olímpica. Keywords: Artes marciais; wrestling; técnica; tática; comportamento motor; análise de tempo-movimento; esportes de combate. Demandas técnicotácticas y fisiológicas de combates de lucha olímpica ResumenEl análisis de las demandas técnico-tácticas y fisiológicas de los combates de lucha olímpica es importante ya que aporta información esencial para el desarrollo de entrenamientos contextualizados y para la preparación física específica de los luchadores. Por ello, el objetivo de esta revisión es mostrar las características del combate de lucha olímpica en los estilos libre, femenina y grecorromana. El análisis de tiempomovimiento que se presenta en este trabajo es el componente principal para poder realizar inferencias sobre la intensidad en relación al esfuerzo: relación entre las pausas y las acciones del combate. Tras las modificaciones de las reglas en el 2013, los combates mostraron acciones rápidas y con una mayor variabilidad, especialmente en categorías más ligeras. Durante los combates de lucha grecorromana gran parte de los estudios apuntan a los takedowns como las técnicas más eficaces en competiciones mundiales entre los años 2009 y 2011. Para el mismo período, en lucha olímpica femenina y el estilo libre, las técnicas de pié/pierna son las más eficaces, seguidas de los ataques de takedown. Los últimos análisis, tras las modificaciones de las reglas, muestran que las acciones ofensivas determinantes son aplicadas en pie y en parterre, ...

Ramadan is characterized by daily abstinence from food and fluid intake from dawn to sunset. The understanding of the Ramadan effects on the diurnal variations of athletic performance is crucial for practitioners, coach and researchers to prepare sport events and optimize performance. The aim of the present study was to reveal the effect of Ramadan on the performance aspect, heart rate and rating of perceived exertion during a karate match. In a randomized counterbalanced, 2 × 2 cross-over order, 22 male and female amateur karate athletes (age = 16.8 years, body mass = 59.1 kg, height = 168.3 cm) participated in simulated karate match at 8–10 a.m. and 5–7 p.m. on three different occasions: 1 week before Ramadan, the second week of Ramadan (during Ramadan), and 2 weeks after Ramadan. Performance aspects were analyzed, and heart rate and rating of perceived exertion were assessed before and immediately after the match at each visit. Our results demonstrated that Ramadan adversely affected time-motion variables (fighting time and preparatory time) and heart rate during simulated karate match (p < 0.05, all). However, heart rate pic response to karate match was higher during Ramadan when compared with before Ramadan and after Ramadan. However, rating of perceived exertion results did not show any variation during Ramadan phases. Concerning the interaction of Ramadan and time of day, fighting time and stoppage time were higher in the evening and in the morning before Ramadan and the inverse during Ramadan, respectively (p < 0.05). In conclusion, Ramadan altered the diurnal variation of performance aspect, in terms of fighting time and stoppage time, during simulated karate match.