Oláh, V, Třebický, V, Maleček, J, Michalička, V, Wąsik, J, and Vágner, M. Is countermovement jump height and one repetition maximum back squat associated with the peak force of a front kick with and without carried load? J Strength Cond Res 39(8): 880-889, 2025-The front kick is a fundamental technique used in self-defense and hand to hand combat. This study aimed to test whether front kick performance, both with and without a 30-kg carried load, can be effectively estimated or tracked through commonly available testing procedures such as the countermovement jumps (CMJ) and one repetition maximum back squat (1RM BS). In 2 testing sessions, 21 male participants (mean age = 22.7 years, SD = 1.9) performed 1RM BS, 5 front kicks peak force (FK) without and with 30-kg carried load (FK30), and 3 CMJ without and with 30-kg carried load (CMJ30). A force plate measured the peak force ( N ) of the FK and FK30 and the height (cm) of the CMJ and CMJ30. Statistically significant correlations were found between CMJ and FK ( r = 0.55 [0.225-1], p = 0.005) and CMJ and 1RM BS ( r = 0.54 [0.219-1, p = 0.005]). Carried load reduced both CMJ height by 61% ( d = 3.35 [2.543-∞], p < 0.001) and FK peak force by 23% ( d = 1.33 [0.828-∞], p < 0.001), compared without load condition. A regression model using 1RM BS and CMJ explained 31.5% of FK variance, with only the height of CMJ being statistically significantly associated, β = 0.626, p = 0.015. The study demonstrates that although there is a relationship between explosive power and maximum strengths, FK is more related to CMJ height than 1RM BS. From a practical standpoint, the study suggests that explosive power shows a better association with the FK than the maximal strength. Thus, training programs focused on lower limb explosive power could allow athletes and military personnel to achieve higher FK. Combat sports trainers and hand-to-hand combat instructors may thus consider accordingly updating their training schemes, emphasizing plyometrics and other explosive training methods for enhancing the peak force of kicks.

• Klíčová slova
• hand to hand combat, martial arts, performance, self-defense, strength, training,
• MeSH
• biomechanika MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• kosterní svaly fyziologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• odporový trénink * metody   MeSH
• pohyb fyziologie   MeSH
• sportovní výkon * fyziologie   MeSH
• svalová síla * fyziologie   MeSH
• vzpírání fyziologie   MeSH
• zatížení muskuloskeletálního systému fyziologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Despite the recognized influence of body mass on combat techniques, the relationship between body segment mass (BSM) and combat moves remains unexplored. This study aimed to examine the relationship between the striking arm mass (SAM), kicking leg mass (KLM), and body mass (BM) and the dynamic forces of direct punch (DP), palm strike (PS), elbow strike (ES), front kick (FK), and countermovement jump (CMJ) performance. Sixteen male military cadets (22.3 ± 1.8 years, 181.4 ± 7.0 cm, 82.1 ± 8.5 kg) performed combat techniques, with their performance measured by using a force plate and their body segment mass assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Spearman's correlation analysis, the Wilcoxon test, and Cohen's d were applied. The results indicated the relationship between the KLM or BM and the FK impulse (r = 0.64, p = 0.01; r = 0.52, p = 0.04, respectively) and CMJ impact force (r = 0.80, p ≤ 0.01; r = 0.70, p ≤ 0.01, respectively). The FK peak and impact forces were moderately correlated with the CMJ jump height (r = 0.74, p ≤ 0.01; r = 0.77, p ≤ 0.01). Moreover, the FK peak force was significantly higher than that for DP, PS, and ES (p ≤ 0.01, d = 3.32; p ≤ 0.01, d = 1.6; and p = 0.013, d = 1.3, respectively). The highest relationship was found between the KLM and the FK impulse; however, the difference in variability explained by the KLM versus the body mass was only 12%. This suggests that knowledge of the BSM did not provide a significantly better estimate of the dynamic forces of the punches and FKs than the knowledge of the BM.

• Klíčová slova
• biomechanics, body mass, close combat, dynamic forces, martial art,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH