2019, Volume 15, Issue 1
Using foam sticks in sports competitions as a complementary element of aikido training and a form of collision avoidance skill development
ANDRZEJ MROCZKOWSKI1
1Department of Sports and Health Promotion, University of Zielona Góra , Zielona Góra, Poland
Author for correspondence: ANDRZEJ MROCZKOWSKI; Department of Sports and Health Promotion, University of Zielona Góra , Zielona Góra, Poland; email: a.mroczkowski@wlnz.uz.zgora.pl
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Abstract
Background & Study Aim: The expansion of martial art popularity is attained through practicing different forms of sport rivalry. The cognitive goals of the paper include, on one hand, presenting opinions on aikido in persons who withdrew from this self-defence arts training and, on the other hand, presenting opinions on the rivalry using foam sticks, expressed by persons with such experience acquired during academic classes based on martial arts. The applicative goal of the paper involves recommendations of rivalry using foam sticks, aimed at skill development and collision avoidance, being at the same time an attractive form of conventional aikido training enrichment.
Material & Methods: Two groups of participants with different experience in martial arts were studied. Group A included 32 randomly assigned males who systematically practiced aikido within minimum 2 years (they trained about 3.5 years), presently non-training. Their mean age was 32.3 years. Group B included 38 physical education students whose mean age was 24.6 years. The selected students participated in sport rivalry using foam sticks that was part of the classes dedicated to martial arts according to the program of physical education studies.
Results: The former aikido trainees emphasize: the health benefits of such workout performance (72% of the respondents), an opportunity to acquire safe falling skills (69%); mental relaxation after training sessions (66%) and self-defence skill development (25%). Among the physical education students who participated in sport competition using foam sticks, 87% postulated introduction of this form of rivalry during martial arts sessions. They explained their choice by the attractiveness of this form of rivalry, stimulating for increased physical activity and enabling self-assessment of movement velocity.
Conclusions: The use of foam sticks as a form of sports competition can improve speed and motor coordination in the execution of aikido techniques. Adopting this form of competition can help to reduce the number of people giving up training in martial arts. This rivalry can be an alternative to martial arts sports, which can put the fighter’s health at risk. A fight with foam sticks can improve the ability to avoid both bumps and collisions with specific objects and is an attractive form of competition, essential for motor safety improvement both in trainees and coaches.
Key words: motor safety, fun forms of martial arts, centre of gravity, aikido technique, self-defence
