Criterion Related Validity of Karate Specific Aerobic Test (KSAT)

Helmi Chaabene; Younes Hachana; Emerson Franchini; Montassar Tabben; Bessem Mkaouer; Yassine Negra; Mehrez Hammami; Karim Chamari

doi:10.5812/asjsm.23807

Criterion Related Validity of Karate Specific Aerobic Test (KSAT)

Asian J Sports Med. 2015 Sep;6(3):e23807. doi: 10.5812/asjsm.23807. Epub 2015 Sep 28.

Authors

Helmi Chaabene¹, Younes Hachana², Emerson Franchini³, Montassar Tabben⁴, Bessem Mkaouer⁵, Yassine Negra⁶, Mehrez Hammami⁶, Karim Chamari⁷

Affiliations

¹ Tunisian Research Laboratory (Sport Performance Optimization), National Center of Medicine and Science in Sport, Tunis, Tunisia.
² Research Unit, Higher Institute of Sports and Physical Education, Ksar Said, Tunisia ; Higher Institute of Sports and Physical Education, Manouba University, Tunis, Tunisia.
³ Martial Arts and Combat Sports Research Group, Department of Sport, School of Physical Education and Sport, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
⁴ CETAPS, Rouen University, Mont Saint Aignan, France.
⁵ Higher Institute of Sports and Physical Education, Manouba University, Tunis, Tunisia.
⁶ Research Unit, Higher Institute of Sports and Physical Education, Ksar Said, Tunisia.
⁷ Athlete Health and Performance Research Centre, ASPETAR, Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, Qatar.

Abstract

Background: Karate is one the most popular combat sports in the world. Physical fitness assessment on a regular manner is important for monitoring the effectiveness of the training program and the readiness of karatekas to compete.

Objectives: The aim of this research was to examine the criterion related to validity of the karate specific aerobic test (KSAT) as an indicator of aerobic level of karate practitioners.

Patients and methods: Cardiorespiratory responses, aerobic performance level through both treadmill laboratory test and YoYo intermittent recovery test level 1 (YoYoIRTL1) as well as time to exhaustion in the KSAT test (TE'KSAT) were determined in a total of fifteen healthy international karatekas (i.e. karate practitioners) (means ± SD: age: 22.2 ± 4.3 years; height: 176.4 ± 7.5 cm; body mass: 70.3 ± 9.7 kg and body fat: 13.2 ± 6%).

Results: Peak heart rate obtained from KSAT represented ~99% of maximal heart rate registered during the treadmill test showing that KSAT imposes high physiological demands. There was no significant correlation between KSAT's TE and relative (mL/min kg) treadmill maximal oxygen uptake (r = 0.14; P = 0.69; [small]). On the other hand, there was a significant relationship between KSAT's TE and the velocity associated with VO2max (vVO2max) (r = 0.67; P = 0.03; [large]) as well as the velocity at VO2 corresponding to the second ventilatory threshold (vVO2 VAT) (r = 0.64; P = 0.04; [large]). Moreover, significant relationship was found between TE's KSAT and both the total distance covered and parameters of intermittent endurance measured through YoYoIRTL1.

Conclusions: The KSAT has not proved to have indirect criterion related validity as no significant correlations have been found between TE's KSAT and treadmill VO2max. Nevertheless, as correlated to other aerobic fitness variables, KSAT can be considered as an indicator of karate specific endurance. The establishment of the criterion related validity of the KSAT requires further investigation.

Keywords: Assessment, Validity; Martial Arts; Testing.