A Descriptive Study on the Strike Characteristics between a Heavy Bag, Focus Mitts, and Thai Pads

Tirzah Ruth Dacio Talampas

Research output: Other contribution

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare vGRFs during continuous strikes to three different modalities, a free-standing heavy bag, focus mitts, and Thai pads, and the punching velocities under these conditions. It was hypothesized for punches that punching velocity would be higher in punches thrown at a heavy bag, punching velocity would be faster in rear-hand punches, vGRFs would be higher in the lead leg compared to the rear leg of a punch at impact, and vGRFs would be higher in heavy bag punches compared to focus mitt punches. For kicks it was hypothesized that vGRFs of dominant and nondominant roundhouse kicks thrown at a heavy bag would be higher during all phases, dominant-leg roundhouse kicks would produce the highest vGRFs regardless of modality, and within each kick type, there would be differences in vGRFs throughout the entire movement. Fourteen trained and orthodox stance martial artists (9 male; 5 female) (Male - age: 26.00 ± 4.15 years, height: 178 ± 7.69 cm, body mass: 91.30 ± 27.60kg, body fat: 20.18 ± 12.01%, training duration: 4.94 ± 4.5yrs; Female - 23.4 ± 12.72yrs, height: 172.21 ± 6.57cm, body mass: 68.54 ± 10.77kg, body fat: 22.24 ± 7.64%, training duration: 6.4 ± 6.16yrs) ranging from recreational practitioners to competitive fighters, were tested. An AMTI force plate collected vGRFs for punches and kicks during each protocol. Ten punches, alternating between lead and rear hand straights were performed on a free-standing heavy bag and focus mitts. Ten kicks, alternating between dominant and nondominant roundhouse kicks, were performed on a free-standing heavy bag and Thai Pads. Significance was set at p ≤ .05. Lead had punches for both modalities were significantly faster than rear hand punches (p < .001) and lead hand punches on the focus mitts were faster than on the heavy bag (p = .039). No significant differences were found between modalities for vGRFs, but lead-leg vGRFs were greater than rear-leg vGRFs for heavy bag, lead-hand (p = .02) and rear-hand (p

Original languageUndefined/Unknown
StatePublished - Jun 1 2021
Externally publishedYes

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NameMasters Theses

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