Quinzi2014 PDF

Human Movement Science xxx (2013) xxx–xxx
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Human Movement Science

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/humov
Intra-limb coordination in karate kicking: Effect

of impacting or not impacting a target
Federico Quinzi a,⇑, Paola Sbriccoli a, Jacqueline Alderson d, Alberto Di Mario c,
Valentina Camomilla b
a
Exercise Physiology Laboratory, Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome ‘‘Foro Italico’’, Piazza
Lauro De Bosis 15, 00135 Rome, Italy
b
Locomotor Apparatus Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome ‘‘Foro
Italico’’, Piazza Lauro De Bosis 15, 00135 Rome, Italy
c
FIJLKAM – National Judo, Karate, Wrestling and Martial Arts Federation, via dei sandolini 79, 00122 Rome, Italy
d
School of Sport Science Exercise and Health, Faculty of Life and Physical Sciences, The University of Western Australia M408,
35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t
Article history: This study aimed to investigate the kicking limb coordinative pat-
Available online xxxx terns adopted by karate practitioners (karateka) when impacting
(IRK), or not impacting (NIRK) a target during a roundhouse kick.
Keywords: Six karateka performed three repetitions of both kicks while kick-
Martial arts
ing limb kinematics were recorded using a stereophotogrammetric
Continuous relative phase
system. Intra-limb coordination was quantified for hip and knee
Kicking
Angular momentum
flexion–extension from toe-off to kick completion, using the Con-
Sports tinuous relative phase (CRP). Across the same time interval, thigh
and shank angular momentum about the vertical axis of the body
was calculated. For all trials, across all participants, CRP curve
peaks and maximum and minimum angular momentum were
determined. A RM-ANOVA was performed to test for differences
between kicking conditions.
The CRP analysis highlighted, during the central portion of both
kicks, a delayed flexion of the hip with respect to the knee. Con-
versely, during the terminal portion of the CRP curves, the NIRK
is performed with a more in-phase action, caused by a higher hip
angular displacement. The NIRK is characterized by a lower angular
momentum which may enhance control of the striking limb. It
would seem that the issue of no impact appears to be solved
⇑ Corresponding author. Address: Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome ‘‘Foro Italico’’,
Piazza Lauro de Bosis 6, 00135 Rome, Italy. Tel./fax: +39 06 376733 214.
E-mail addresses: fquinzi@libero.it (F. Quinzi), paola.sbriccoli@uniroma4.it (P. Sbriccoli), jacqueline.alderson@uwa.edu.au
(J. Alderson), a.dimario@fastwebnet.it (A. Di Mario), valentina.camomilla@uniroma4.it (V. Camomilla).
0167-9457/$ - see front matter Ó 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2013.07.021
Please cite this article in press as: Quinzi, F., et al. Intra-limb coordination in karate kicking: Effect of impacting or
not impacting a target. Human Movement Science (2013), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2013.07.021
2 F. Quinzi et al. / Human Movement Science xxx (2013) xxx–xxx
through the control of all segments of the kicking limb, in contrast

to the primary control of the lower leg only observed during the
IRK.
Ó 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
1. Introduction
Coordination has been defined as the process of mastering redundant biomechanical degrees of
freedom of a moving body (Bernstein, 1967). In the attempt to quantify intra-limb coordination, the
use of phase relationships has been proposed as a measure of coordination (Hamill, Haddad, & van
Emmerik, 2005). In past years, several techniques have been employed to analyze phase relationships
between the angular displacement of two or more joints, including discrete relative phase (LaFiandra,
Wagenaar, Holt, & Obusek, 2003; van Emmerik and Wagenaar,1996), vector coding technique (Hei-
derscheit, Hamill, & van Emmerick, 2002; Sparrow, Donovan, van Emmerik, & Barry, 1987; Tepavac
& Field-Fote, 2001), and continuous relative phase (Hamill, van Emmerick, Heiderscheit, & Li, 1999; Hei-
derscheit, Hamill, & van Emmerick, 1999). Compared to these techniques, continuous relative phase
(CRP) presents a twofold advantage. First, it considers simultaneously the displacement and the angu-
lar velocity of a given movement. Secondly, as the use of CRP has been claimed to be an essential tool
to better understand the role of bi-articular muscles (Burgess-Limerick, Abernethy, & Neal, 1993), its
use may add critical information when investigating the motor control of multi-joint actions. Indeed,
in activities of everyday living as well as sporting activity, almost every action is performed with the
concomitant contribution of more than one joint motion, and it is therefore not surprising that a CRP
approach has been widely investigated in the literature. The majority of CRP research has focused on
coordination variability (Stergiou & Decker, 2011; van Emmerick & van Wengen, 2000) or used to
investigate coordination in skilled athletes during cyclic actions (Seifert, Leblanc, Chollet, & Deligniè-
res, 2010).
Despite the significant attention paid to coordination in cyclic actions, specifically in sport, few
studies have examined coordination in non-cyclic explosive actions (Temprado, Della Grasta, Farrel,
& Laurent, 1997; Kim, Kim, & Im, 2011; Tomioka, Owings, & Grabiner, 2001; Wilson, Simpson, van
Emmerik, & Hamill, 2008). In martial arts, explosive actions are frequently performed in both combat
competition or training, such that these activities represent an ideal model to investigate explosive
non cyclic actions. However, the martial arts literature contains only one study investigating differ-
ences in coordinative patterns in Tae Kwon Do athletes across four different kicking techniques
(Kim et al., 2011). Within the martial arts genre, Karate is one of the most popular worldwide (Douris
et al., 2004) and represents a very demanding activity from the coordinative viewpoint. In 2001, new
rules were introduced in the combat competition (kumite) resulting in fewer injuries (Arriaza, Leyes, &
Zaeimkohan, 2009; Macan, Bundalo-Vrbanac, & Romic, 2006) and an overall change in the combat
strategy displayed by exponents. Koropanovski, Dopsaj, & Jovanovic, 2008 identified the Mawashi Geri
(roundhouse kick) as the most commonly performed kicking technique in modern kumite, either
when executed at waist (Mawashi Geri Chudan) or at head height (Mawashi Geri Jodan). In accordance
with ruling changes, during the Mawashi Geri, depending on the area of the body targeted, the foot
may or may not make contact with an opponents’ body. When the target is the head (Jodan), the strik-
ing foot must be controlled and stopped prior to contact with the head. Prior to the rule changes in
2001, full foot to head contact was permissible. Given the velocity of the striking foot, active control
of foot to prevent head contact is no trivial task, and one can reasonably imagine the load such a
requirement might impose on the motor control system. Despite the great attention paid to kicking
actions in martial arts (Falco et al., 2009; O’Sullivan et al., 2009, among others), only a couple of studies
investigated the neuromuscular control in typical karate kicks (Quinzi, Camomilla, Felici, Di Mario, &
Sbriccoli, 2013; Sbriccoli et al., 2010). The former compared the Mawashi Geri Chudan and Jodan in
elite karateka and compared the neuromuscular differences in contact and no contact kicking tech-
niques. In the no impact Mawashi Geri (Jodan), a wide burst of activation of the knee flexors (biceps
femoris) was evidenced during the knee extension phase prior to impact. The authors provided a
F. Quinzi et al. / Human Movement Science xxx (2013) xxx–xxx 3
twofold interpretation of this finding. First that knee flexors were activated in order to decelerate the
shank prior to impact and secondly, that the biceps femoris acted, in its twofold role of bi-articular
muscle, as a hip extensor. Based on these results, it is reasonable to suppose that the coordinative pat-
terns of the Mawashi Geri Jodan (head kick) differ from that of the Mawashi Geri Chudan (waist kick),
in order to avoid contact with the opponent while at the same time facilitating as fast as possible kick
execution.
Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the phase relationships between hip and knee flex-
ion and extension, in elite karateka performing the Mawashi Geri Chudan (Impact Roundhouse Kick,
IRK) and Jodan (No impact Roundhouse Kick, NIRK) kicking techniques, in order to investigate differ-
ences between the intra-limb coordination adopted in the two kicks. Moreover, to gain further insight
into interpreting variations in coordinative patterns between the two techniques, the angular momen-
tum of the kicking thigh and shank was also assessed.
2. Methods
2.1. Subjects
Six elite karateka volunteered to participate in the present study; (age: 24.8 ± 1.0 years; stature:
1.78 ± 0.03 m; body mass: 73.8 ± 4.0 kg; body mass index: 23.1 ± 0.7 kg/m2). All participants were
high ranked athletes competing at international level, with at least 15 years of Karate experience. Par-
ticipants were the same chosen for the study performed in 2013 by this research group (Quinzi et al.,
2013). All participants were free from musculoskeletal problems and had a normal vision. Written in-
formed consent and ethical committee approval were obtained for this study.
2.2. Experimental protocol
Following 5 min of a self-administered warm up, each participant performed three repetitions of
the IRK and three repetitions of the NIRK. Schematically, both kicking actions are initiated by flexing,
abducting and externally rotating the hip; with concurrent knee flexion also occurring. Then, hip inter-
nal rotation and extension, and knee extension towards the target occur. The primary difference be-
tween the two techniques occurs at the termination of the kick, where the IRK makes contact with
the target, while the NIRK must be stopped immediately prior to impact.
Participants commenced the kick in a static split step position, with the kicking leg positioned pos-
terior to the slightly flexed front leg (Han Zen Kutsu-Dachi). The athletes initiated the kicking motion
when a LED (light emitting diode) was triggered. A two minute rest period was observed after each
trial to avoid fatigue effects.
2.3. Data acquisition
Lower limb kinematics were acquired using a three dimensional stereophotogrammetric system
(Vicon System, Motion Systems, Oxford, UK) recording at 120 samples/s. All subjects were equipped
with 12 retro-reflective markers (14 mm diameter) firmly strapped with tape on the main anatomical
landmarks of the pelvis and of thigh, and shank of the kicking limb (pelvis: Anterior and Posterior
Superior Iliac Spines; thigh: Lateral and Medial Femoral Epicondyle; shank: Head of the Fibula, Tibial
Tuberosity and Medial and Lateral Ankle Malleoli). In addition, four technical markers were added to
the central-lateral portion of the thigh in order to facilitate estimation of the hip joint center (HJC). For
each segment under analysis, the location of relevant anatomical landmarks was identified by an ex-
pert through manual palpation and marked with permanent ink. The HJC was estimated using a star-
arc functional hip movement (Camomilla, Cereatti, Vannozzi, & Cappozzo, 2006) using the analytical
method proposed by Gamage and Lasenby (2002), with the correction term introduced by Halvorsen
(2003). Using the internal (HJC) and external anatomical landmarks, the position and orientation in
space for any given instant of time of the standard anatomical reference frames for pelvis, thigh,
and shank, as defined by the International Society of Biomechanics were obtained (Cappozzo, Catani,
Della Croce, & Leardini, 1995; Wu et al., 2002).
2.4. Data processing
Each kick was analyzed during the interval delimited from the time instant when the kicking foot
left the ground (toe-off – TO), computed as the minimum value of the antero-posterior component of
the medial malleolus marker trajectory, to the time instant where the same marker reached the max-
imal antero-posterior displacement (final time – FT). The kicking action was time normalized and pre-
sented on a 0–100% scale.
2.4.1. Joint kinematics

Hip and knee joint kinematics were calculated, according to the Cardan convention (Grood & Sun-
tay, 1983), from the relative orientation of the relevant proximal and distal anatomical frames. For
each trial, hip and knee flexion–extension angles were smoothed using a 3rd order zero-lag Butter-
worth low-pass digital filter with a cut-off frequency of 10 Hz. Hip and knee joint angular velocities
were obtained deriving relevant angles. Peak flexion and extension angular displacements and veloc-
ities were identified using a custom written algorithm in Matlab (Matlab, the Mathworks, v7.9).
2.4.2. Continuous relative phase (CRP)

Hip and knee flexion–extension kinematics during the kicking phase were interpolated to 200
points using cubic spline functions each representing 0.5% of the kicking action (Fig. 1, upper panels).
Phase plots for the hip and knee joint were created by plotting angular velocity as a function of the
angular displacement (Fig. 1, lower panels). The normalization process recommended by Li and col-
leagues (Li, van den Bogert, & Caldwell, 1999) was implemented on both angular displacement and
angular velocity data sets, in order to minimize the influence of different movement amplitudes
and to center each phase plot about the origin (Hamill, Haddad, & McDermott, 2000; Lamoth, Beek,
& Meijer, 2002).
For any given point of the phase plot, and for both hip and knee joints, the phase angle (u) in radi-
ans was computed as the inverse tangent of the ratio between the normalized angular velocity and the
normalized angular displacement. The CRP was defined in the range p < u < p, as the difference be-
tween the phase angle of the proximal segment (uhip) and that of the distal segment (uknee). A positive
value of the CRP reflects a greater phase angle of the hip with respect to the knee, conversely a neg-
ative value of the CRP is representative of a greater phase angle of the knee with respect to the hip. A
greater phase angle of one joint with respect to the other should be interpreted as slower movement
or smaller movement amplitude of the joint under analysis, or a combination of both.
For each CRP curve, the magnitude (C+Peak) and the percent timing (C+%) of the peak occurring be-
tween 25% and 75% of the curve was determined. For each kick, ensemble CRP curves were obtained
averaging the CRP curves over all trials and subjects (CRPIRK and CRPNIRK) and the inter-subject vari-
ability described using the relevant standard deviation computed for any given instant of time.
2.4.3. Angular momentum

The angular momentum of the body was calculated using a modified method of Bahamonde (2000).
A two-segment mathematical model was employed to determine the angular momentum of the kick-
ing limb. The estimated hip joint center and the mid-point of the knee epicondyles, and of the ankle
malleoli were used to define thigh and shank endpoints. Body segment mass, position of the center of
mass and longitudinal and transverse moment of inertia parameters were adopted from de Leva
(1996). The angular momentum of each segment consisted of a remote term about the center of
the pelvis anatomical landmarks (rSI), and a local term about the center of mass of each segment. Seg-
ment’s long axis rotations were only considered for the thigh segment as these were assumed to be the
primary contributors during the roundhouse kick.
The remote angular momentum of the segments was therefore determined using the following
equation:
Fig. 1. Hip and knee (left and right panels respectively) angular displacement (upper panels; positive, flexion; negative
extension), angular velocity (middle panels) and phase plot (lower panels) of IRK (dashed line) and NIRK (solid line) of one
representative subject.
i
HR ¼ i mði r i v Þ i ¼ th; sh ð1Þ
where iHR is the remote angular momentum vector of segment i, ir is the location vector from rSI to the
center of mass of segment i, im is the mass of segment i, and iv is the instantaneous velocity of the
center of mass of segment i relative to the velocity of rSI.
To calculate the instantaneous local angular momentum of each segment about its local transverse
axis, a location vector r1 pointing from the proximal endpoint to the distal endpoint was defined. A
unit vector r2, pointing in the same direction as r1, was calculated. Its linear velocity, v2, was computed
as the derivative of vector r2. The angular velocity vector about the transverse axis, xT, was computed
as the cross-product of r2 and v2. The local angular momentum of each anatomical segment about its
transverse axis was computed using Eq. (2):
i
HLT ¼ i IT i xT ð2Þ
i
where IT is the moment of inertia of the segment about its transverse axis.
Similarly, the local angular momentum about the longitudinal axis of the thigh was computed from
Eq. (3):
i
HLL ¼ i IL i xL ð3Þ
where iIL is the moment of inertia of the segment about its longitudinal axis and ixL is the angular
velocity of the segment computed about the same axis.
The total angular momentum of each segment about rSI (iHB) is the sum of the remote (iHR) and
local (iHLT, iHLL) angular momentum vectors available:
th
HB ¼ th HR þ th HLT þ th HLL ð4Þ
sh
HB ¼ sh HR þ sh HLT ð5Þ
Maximal and minimal values of the vertical component of the total angular momentum of thigh
and shank were identified in the interval between knee full flexion to knee full extension (50–
100% of the kick).
2.5. Statistical analysis
The normal distribution was tested, via the Shapiro–Wilk test, on peak hip and knee angular dis-
placement, on peak angular velocity, on the occurrence (C+%) and magnitude (C+Peak) of the peaks of
the CRP curves and on the segmental maximum and minimum value of angular momentum. Descrip-
tive statistics were performed in terms of mean and standard error (se) for normally distributed vari-
ables, and median and inter-quartile ranges (IQR) for the remaining variables.
Intra-subject CRP curve similarity between the trials of the same type of kick was assessed by
means of the Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient (r).
To test for differences in the coordinative patterns between IRK and NIRK, a repeated measures
analysis of variance (RM-ANOVA) was performed on all normal distributed parameters. In addition,
RM-ANOVA, with a Bonferroni correction, was used to compare the coordinative patterns (CRP curves)
of IRK and NIRK over 0.5% intervals. Wilcoxon rank sum test was performed for non-normal distrib-
uted parameters. For all statistical tests significance level was set at a < 0.05.
3. Results
3.1. Angular displacement and angular velocity
Waveform graphical representation of the IRK and NIRK kicking technique is provided in Fig. 1 with
peak values for hip and joint angles and angular velocities presented in Table 1. Visual inspection of
hip and knee flexion–extension angles (Fig. 1) highlights significant similarities between the two kick-
ing techniques. Both kicks are characterized by knee flexion immediately followed by hip flexion
(Fig. 1, upper panels) however in the no impact kick, hip and knee flexion initiates earlier. Directly
Table 1
Angular displacement and angular velocity.
IRK NIRK p-Value 1-b

Mean ± SD Mean ± SD
Joint angle (h)
Hip flexion [rad] 0.7 ± 0.1 1.1 ± 0.1 0.003⁄ 0.994
Hip extension [rad] 0.4 ± 0.1 0.8 ± 0.1 0.026⁄ 0.629
Knee flexion [rad] 1.7 ± 0.0 1.8 ± 0.1 0.178 0.252
Knee extension [rad] 1.9 ± 0.1 2.1 ± 0.1 0.175 0.255
Joint angular velocity (x)
Hip flexion [rad/s] 7.4 ± 0.6 9.7 ± 1.9 0.218 0.215
Hip extension [rad/s] 8.6 ± 1.0 16.2 ± 2.1 0.002⁄ 0.928
Knee flexion [rad/s] 14.8 ± 0.7 14.9 ± 0.8 0.985 0.050
Knee extension [rad/s] 31.0 ± 1.2 30.3 ± 1.0 0.659 0.070
Peak flexion and extension angular displacement of hip and knee, and peak angular velocity of hip and knee during flexion and
extension. Significance level was a < 0.05.
following peak hip and knee flexion, occurring in both kicks between 75% and 80% of the kicking
action, near simultaneous rapid extension of the hip and knee occurs. Unsurprisingly, the primary
difference observed between the kicks is evidenced at kick termination, where the IRK technique does
not reach the same magnitude of hip extension (see Table 1) due to the impact requirement of the
technique compared with the NIRK which must be controlled and stopped prior to impact.
Normal distribution was confirmed for peak hip and knee angular displacements and velocities.
Conversely, the magnitude and timing of the CRP peak’s (C+Peak, C+%), and the maximum and minimum
angular momentum for thigh and shank were found to be non-normally distributed. In support of the
qualitative waveform data, the NIRK is characterized by a significantly greater level of peak hip flexion
and extension when compared with the IRK; though no differences were observed for peak knee flex-
ion and peak knee extension (Table 1). Significantly higher hip extension angular velocity was also
found for the NIRK.
3.2. Continuous relative phase
Pearson product moment correlation showed moderate to high intra-subject curve similarity for
both kicks (r: IRK 0.8 ± 0.4; NIRK 0.7 ± 0.2). Ensemble CRPIRK and CRPNIRK curves are presented in
Fig. 2. Both curves are characterized by a positive peak occurring at approximately mid kick and rep-
resenting a greater phase angle of the hip with respect to the knee. The greater phase angle of the hip
represents both a lower angular velocity and lower angular displacement of the hip joint. The occur-
rence of these peaks corresponds to hip and knee flexion occurring in the first portion of the kicking
action. Table 2 presents the peak CRP values (C+Peak) for the two kicking techniques and the normal-
ized phase timing (C+%), highlighting where the peaks occur in the kicking action. No significant dif-
ferences were found for either parameter.
The mean CRP values, across all participants and trials, were significantly higher for the NIRK from
20% to 31.5% of the kicking action. Conversely, significantly lower values were observed in the NIRK
from 5.5% to 8.5%; from 46% to 74% and from 94.5% to 100% when compared with the IRK curve.
The largest difference observed during the final time interval, indicates a more in-phase movement
of the hip and knee joints at the end of the kicking action for the no impact kick.
3.3. Angular momentum
In the IRK, positive thigh and shank angular momentum were observed throughout the kicking ac-
tion, entailing a counterclockwise movement towards the target; conversely, in the final portion of the
NIRK, negative angular momentum was observed for the thigh segment (i.e. a clock-wise movement
moving away from the target) (Fig. 3). For both kicks, the median and the inter-quartile range (IQR) of
Fig. 2. Continuous relative phase of NIRK (upper panel) and IRK (lower panel) computed from toe off (TO) to final time (FT)
represented in a 0–100% scale. Data are expressed as mean (solid line) ± SD (dotted line). Significant differences are depicted in
bold p < 0.05.
Table 2
Continue relative phase: peak occurrence and magnitude.
IRK NIRK p-Value

Med ± IQR Med ± IQR
C% [%] 50.2 ± 6.0 42.2 ± 12.4 0.090
CPeak [rad] 1.7 ± 0.6 1.4 ± 0.3 0.242
Magnitude (CPeak) and occurrence (C%) of the CRP curve peaks as determined in the 25–75% interval of the CRP curves. Sig-
nificance level was set to a < 0.05.
minimum and maximum values of thigh and shank angular momentum are reported in Table 3. The
IRK angular momentum for thigh and shank were significantly higher when compared with the NIRK,
for both maximal and minimal values.
4. Discussion
In the present study the intra-limb coordination in elite karateka, performing impact and no impact
kicking techniques, was investigated to identify potential differences in the coordinative patterns
Fig. 3. Total (upper panels), thigh (middle panels) and shank (lower panels) angular momentum of IRK (dashed lines) and NIRK
(solid liness) computed from toe off (TO) to final time (FT) represented in a 0–100% scale. Data are expressed as mean ± SD.
Table 3
Angular momentum: maxima and minima.
IRK NIRK p-Value

Med ± IQR Med ± IQR
Maxima Thigh [kg/m2/s] 7.27 ± 2.52 5.27 ± 2.93 <0.001⁄
Shank [kg/m2/s] 7.96 ± 2.96 3.55 ± 2.33 <0.001⁄
Minima Thigh [kg/m2/s] 0.22 ± 2.35 1.30 ± 0.95 0.002⁄
Shank [kg/m2/s] 5.08 ± 1.41 1.62 ± 3.73 0.013⁄
Thigh and shank maximum and minimum angular momentum about the vertical axis. Significance level was set to a < 0.05.
adopted to accommodate the no impact requirement. The more in-phase movement of the hip and
knee, evidenced during the end of the no impact kick can be attributed to a coordination strategy
adopted by the performers to generate maximum foot velocity near the end of the task, while also con-
trolling and decelerating the limb in order to prevent contact.
The peak angular velocities presented in our study are comparable with those reported in the
study of O’Sullivan and colleagues (2009) where slightly higher peak angular velocities for the hip
and slightly lower for the knee were reported. Possible explanations for these differences could be
the heterogeneity of the group selected by O’Sullivan and colleagues intended as martial art
styles, or the different skill level between the two cohorts. Interestingly, in our study, no differ-
ence in peak knee extension angular velocity emerged between IRK and NIRK techniques; sug-
gesting that elite karateka are capable of executing the kick at maximal velocity, while also
possessing the capability to control the foot to prevent impact. In the study of Kim and colleagues
(2011), investigating hip and knee coordination during the IRK, it was shown that the direction of
hip and knee angular velocity vectors was opposite post 80% of the normalized kicking time, sug-
gesting concurrent hip flexion and knee extension. Conversely, in our study during the same
interval, simultaneous hip and knee extension is observed. It is worth mentioning that the study
of Kim and colleagues focused on tae kwon do athletes whose aim is to perform potential knock
out kicks, whereas in karate full contact is strictly forbidden. As a consequence the discrepancy in
kinematics between the two martial arts may in part be explained by the differing aims of the
task.
Visual inspection of the CRP curves of the NIRK and IRK kicks shows a positive peak in the central
part of both curves, whose amplitude and occurrence are irrespective of kicking technique. This peak
probably represents the delayed flexion of the hip with respect to the knee, observed in both kicks
during the first portion of the kicking action (Fig. 1, upper panels).
Nevertheless, pertinent information to answer to the research question of this paper appears to
reside in the terminal portion of the CRP curves, corresponding to hip and knee extension, where
a different behavior takes place between the two kicks: the NIRK presents a more in-phase action
of hip and knee joints with respect to the IRK, as evidenced by the RM-ANOVA performed on
each 0.5% increments of the kicking action. The lower relative phase demonstrated in the final
portion of the NIRK might be explained when considering peak hip angular displacement and
velocity: indeed, significantly higher peaks are reported during hip extension in the no impact
kick, whereas no difference is observed at the knee (Table 1). This difference in inter-limb coor-
dination, ascribed to differences in hip kinematics, may be interpreted in the light of the lower
angular momentum observed in the NIRK: the more in-phase extension of both hip and knee
joints may enhance the control of the striking limb which is characterized by a lower angular
momentum about the vertical axis of the body with respect to IRK (Fig. 3). The in-phase hip
and knee extension produces a lower segmental angular velocity of the center of mass of the
shank about the vertical axis of the body which, in turn, reduces the remote term of the angular
momentum of the shank, greatly contributing to the total shank angular momentum. In addition,
the higher hip extension observed in the NIRK (Table 1) produces a total thigh angular momen-
tum in the opposite direction of the target. The combination of these two aspects produces a low-
er total angular momentum of the lower limb, serving to enhance the control of the kicking limb
in the no impact roundhouse kick.
These results suggest that, to solve the no impact requirements in the NIRK, active control of the
striking foot is undertaken by relying on the control of the entire limb rather than controlling the pen-
ultimate segment of the kinetic chain (i.e. the lower leg).
The findings presented in this study should be interpreted in the light of the following consider-
ations. First, the relatively low number of athletes recruited (n = 6) was counterbalanced by the advan-
tage of them being an important percentage of the National Team of Italy, comprising at the time of
testing, a total of eight athletes. Secondly, intra-limb coordination was investigated considering ste-
reotyped kicks performed with different target heights, to grant for an automatic motor programming.
Although target height may entail different joint kinematics, it more likely affects hip abduction.
Therefore it should not affect the comparison between impact and no-impact condition performed
analyzing only hip and knee flexion–extension. Finally, in the present study, the contribution of the
angular momentum of trunk and upper limbs was not determined. Certainly, this information may
provide greater insight concerning the kinematics of kicking techniques, however the comparative
use of the angular momentum data allowed the kinetic and coordinative relationship of the lower limb
to be examined.
5. Conclusions
This is the first published study, to compare the coordinative patterns of two typically performed
Karate kicking techniques. Analysis of the coordinative pattern of no impact and impact kicking ac-
tions confirms that a different coordinative strategy is adopted to address the issue of no impact. This
strategy is facilitated by a more in-phase movement of the hip and knee joints. More so, the angular
momentum results support the view that this coordination strategy facilitates end point (foot) control
in the terminal phase of the kicking action.
The results presented in this study represent crucial information for sport coaches, showing sub-
stantial differences between the IRK and the NIRK techniques. Therefore, the introduction of specific
exercises for the NIRK, emphasizing the simultaneous hip and knee extension is strongly recom-
mended. In addition, beyond its usefulness for sport coaches in their teaching activity, this information
provides an interesting example of how the motor control system expertly controls an apparently sim-
ple no impact task.
Future studies that combine the analysis of coordinative patterns with measurement of muscular
activity might provide more complete analysis of kicking actions and, broadly speaking, of the motor
control of complex movements, by investigating the function of bi-articular muscles and thus adding
useful of information to the growing but mostly undiscovered field of martial arts.
References
Arriaza, R., Leyes, M., & Zaeimkohan, H. (2009). The injury profile of Karate World championships: New rules, less injuries. Knee
Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy, 17, 1437–1442.
Bahamonde, R. E. (2000). Changes in angular momentum during the tennis serve. Journal of Sports Science, 18, 579–592.
Bernstein, N. (1967). The coordination and regulation of movement. London: Pergamon.
Burgess-Limerick, R., Abernethy, B., & Neal, R. J. (1993). Relative phase quantifies interjoint coordination. Journal of Biomechanics,
26, 91–94.
Camomilla, V., Cereatti, A., Vannozzi, G., & Cappozzo, A. (2006). An optimized protocol for hip joint centre determination using
the functional method. Journal of Biomechanics, 39, 1096–1106.
Cappozzo, A., Catani, F., Della Croce, U., & Leardini, A. (1995). Position and orientation in space of bones during movement:
Anatomical frame definition and determination. Clinical Biomechanics, 10, 171–178.
de Leva, P. (1996). Adjustments to Zatsiorsky–Seluyanov’s segment inertia parameters. Journal of Biomechanics, 29, 1223–1230.
Douris, P., Chinan, A., Gomez, M., Aw, A., Steffens, D., & Weiss, S. (2004). Fitness levels of middle aged martial arts practitionners.
British Journal of Sport Medicine, 38, 143–147.
Falco, C., Alvarez, O., Castillo, I., Estevan, I., Martos, J., Mugarra, F., et al (2009). Influence of the distance in a roundhouse kick
execution time and impact force in Taekwondo. Journal of Biomechanics, 42, 242–248.
Gamage, S. S. H. U., & Lasenby, J. (2002). New least squares solutions for estimating the average centre of rotation and the axis of
rotation. Journal of Biomechanics, 35, 87–93.
Grood, E. S., & Suntay, W. J. (1983). A joint coordinate system for the clinical description of three-dimensional motions:
Application to the knee. Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, 105, 136–144.
Halvorsen, K. (2003). Bias compensated least square estimate of the center of rotation. Journal of Biomechanics, 36, 999–1008.
Hamill, J., Haddad, J. M., & van Emmerik, R. E. A. (2005). Using coordination measures for movement analysis. In Proceedings of
the 23rd international society of biomechanics in sports (pp. 33–38).
Hamill, J., Haddad, J. M., & McDermott, W. J. (2000). Issues in quantifying variability from a dynamical systems perspective.
Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 16, 407–418.
Hamill, J., van Emmerick, R. E. A., Heiderscheit, B. C., & Li, L. (1999). A dynamical systems approach to lower extremity running
injuries. Clinical Biomechanics, 14, 297–308.
Heiderscheit, B. C., Hamill, J., & van Emmerik, R. E. A. (2002). Variability of stride characteristics and joint coordination among
individuals with unilateral patellofemoral pain. Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 18, 110–121.
Heiderscheit, B. C., Hamill, J., & van Emmerick, R. E. A. (1999). Q angle influences on the variability of lower extremity
coordination during running. Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise, 31, 1313–1319.
Kim, Y. K., Kim, J. H., & Im, S. J. (2011). Inter-joint coordination in producing kicking velocity of Tae kwon do kicks. Journal of
Sport Science and Medicine, 10, 31–38.
Koropanovski, N., Dopsaj, M., & Jovanovic, S. (2008). Characteristic of pointing actions of top male competitors in karate at world
and European level. Brazilian Journal of Biomotricity, 2, 241–251.
LaFiandra, M., Wagenaar, R. C., Holt, K. G., & Obusek, J. P. (2003). How do load carriage and walking speed influence trunk
coordination and stride parameters? Journal of Biomechanics, 36, 87–95.
Lamoth, C. J. C., Beek, P. J., & Meijer, O. G. (2002). Pelvis–thorax coordination in the transverse plane during gait. Gait and Posture,
16, 101–114.
Li, L., van den Bogert, E. C. H., & Caldwell, G. E. (1999). Coordination patterns of walking and running at similar speed and stride
frequency. Human Movement Science, 18, 67–85.
Macan, J., Bundalo-Vrbanac, D., & Romic, G. (2006). Effects of the new karate rules on the incidence and distribution of injuries.
British Journal of Sports Medicine, 40, 326–330.
O’Sullivan, D., Chung, C., Lee, K., Kim, E., Kang, S., Kim, T., et al (2009). Measurement and comparison of Taekwondo and
Yongmudo turning kick impact force for two target heights. Journal of Sport Science and Medicine, 8, 13–16.
Quinzi, F., Camomilla, V., Felici, F., Di Mario, A., & Sbriccoli, P. (2013). Differences in neuromuscolar control between impact and
no impact Roundhouse kick in athletes of different skill level. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 23, 140–150.
Sbriccoli, P., Camomilla, V., Di Mario, A., Quinzi, F., Felici, F., & Figura, F. (2010). Neuromuscular control adaptations in elite
athletes: The case of top level karateka. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 108, 1269–1280.
Seifert, L., Leblanc, H., Chollet, D., & Delignières, D. (2010). Inter-limb coordination in swimming: Effect of speed and skill level.
Human Movement Science, 29, 103–113.
Sparrow, W. A., Donovan, E., van Emmerik, R., & Barry, E. B. (1987). Using relative motion plots to measure changes in intra-limb
and inter-limb coordination. Journal of Motor Behavior, 19, 115–129.
Stergiou, N., & Decker, L. M. (2011). Human movement variability, nonlinear dynamics, and pathology: Is there a connection?
Human Movement Science, 30(5), 869–888.
Temprado, J., Della Grasta, M., Farrel, M., & Laurent, M. (1997). A novice expert comparison of intra-limb coordination
subserving the volleyball serve. Human Movement Science, 16(653), 676.
Tepavac, D., & Field-Fote, E. C. (2001). Vector coding: A technique for quantification of intersegmental coupling in multicyclic
behaviors. Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 17, 259–270.
Tomioka, M., Owings, T. M., & Grabiner, M. (2001). Lower extremity strength and coordination are independent contributors to
maximum vertical jump height. Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 17, 181–187.
van Emmerick, R. E. A., & van Wengen, E. E. H. (2000). On variability and stability in human movement. Journal of Applied
Biomechanics, 16, 394–406.
van Emmerik, R. E. A., & Wagenaar, R. C. (1996). Effects of walking velocity on the relative phase dynamics in the trunk in human
walking. Journal of Biomechanics, 29, 1175–1184.
Wilson, C., Simpson, S. E., van Emmerik, R. E. A., & Hamill, J. (2008). Coordination variability and skill development in expert
triple jumpers. Sports Biomechanics, 7, 2–9.
Wu, G., Siegler, S., Allard, P., Kirtley, C., Leardini, A., Rosenbaum, D., et al (2002). ISB recommendation on definitions of joint
coordinate system of various joints for the reporting of human joint motion – Part I: Ankle, hip, and spine. Journal of
Biomechanics, 35, 543–548.

Quinzi2014 PDF

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Quinzi2014 PDF

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Human Movement Science xxx (2013) xxx–xxx

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Human Movement Science

Intra-limb coordination in karate kicking: Effect

through the control of all segments of the kicking limb, in contrast

2.2. Experimental protocol

2.3. Data acquisition

2.4. Data processing

2.4.1. Joint kinematics

2.4.2. Continuous relative phase (CRP)

2.4.3. Angular momentum

2.5. Statistical analysis

3.1. Angular displacement and angular velocity

IRK NIRK p-Value 1-b

3.2. Continuous relative phase

3.3. Angular momentum

IRK NIRK p-Value

IRK NIRK p-Value

You might also like