Combat Sports offer a unique blend of physical challenge, mental discipline, and strategic depth. Their dynamic and engaging nature can enthrall spectators as well as practitioners, but the true power of these sports lies in their ability to promote holistic wellbeing. People participate in combat sports for a variety of reasons, including personal achievement, stress relief, community connection, cultural expression, and inspiration. They are also a great way to get in shape and burn calories. The intense workouts engage multiple muscle groups for a full-body workout and help to relieve stress by releasing endorphins.
Despite their growing popularity, little research has been conducted on the specific characteristics of combat sports athletes, particularly those related to their motor competence and muscular fitness. Moreover, it remains unclear whether the type of sport (e.g. karate versus boxing or wrestling) and career state (elite vs amateur) have an impact on athlete profile.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between athlete characteristics and performance in combat sports. Participants completed a questionnaire which contained questions on general information such as their age and sex, as well as sport-specific items such as height and weight to calculate BMI; the age at which they began participating in combat sports; and training habits such as frequency of practice for their respective sport (typical and prior to competition). The data was analysed using an ANOVA. The results showed that children who are involved in combat sports have higher gross and fine motor skills compared to their non-combat sport peers. They also outperform their non-combat sport peers in all of the measures of muscular fitness evaluated (standing broad jump, grip strength, sit ups, and bent arm hang).