Kinematic quantification of straight-punch techniques using the preferred and non-preferred fist in taekwon-do

Study aim: The aim of the current study is to reveal the characteristics of punch techniques applied in taekwon-do.

Material and methods: The skill quantification was performed on 10 taekwon-do ITF competitors. During the test, they were asked to perform straight punches using both the preferred and the non-preferred fist into the air (i.e. without a physical target) in the lateral position employing both traditional and sport style. Applying reflective markers on fists, the punching kinematic data were collected in the HML (Human Motion Lab). For data analyses, the average and standard deviation of duration, velocity and acceleration were used. The Mann-Whitney U test was applied to determine possible differences (p < 0.05) between the dominant fist and non-dominant fist as well as between the traditional and sport punch.

Results: The results revealed that the sport punch is notably faster (shorter punch duration) with a higher acceleration than the traditional one. There is no significant difference between the preferred and non-preferred fist. The results could suggest that the left and right straight punches during taekwon-do training sessions are equally developed. However, the different goals of the punch techniques, i.e. the traditional punch for generating power and the sport punch for quickness, cause significant differences (p < 0.01) in action time.

Conclusion: The results imply that a trade-off strategy may play a role in a match, namely a powerful punch for a possible final win or a quick punch for point collection.