Taekwondo anaerobic intermittent kick test (TAIKT)

The TAIKT is a valid and reliable sport-specific anaerobic test to determine peak and mean power output and fatigue index in taekwondo athletes [4]. TAIKT has excellent reliability (ICC > 0.90) with the Running-based Anaerobic Sprint Test and Wingate test [4, 28]. According to an official taekwondo match, participants completed 3 bouts interspersed with 1-min of passive recovery [1]. Prior to the TAIKT, a 15 min standardized warm-up was performed and consisted of 2 sets of 20 alternating front kicks (Ap-Tchagui) and 3 sets of 20 alternating Bandal-Tchagui on a Taekwondo Pao at a moderate rhythm [4], followed by 5 min of passive recovery. All participants performed the testing in official taekwondo official protectors [4]. As previously described [4] each TAIKT bout consisted of 6-sets of 5-s maximal stationary roundhouse kicks (Bandal-Tchagui) on an electronic body protector placed around a hanging punching bag. Each 5-s set was separated by 10 s of active recovery (bouncing movements). The hanging punching bag was placed at the level of the participant’s trunk at a height (y) relative to the mat, which was recorded and replicated for post-testing. Participants also determined an optimal horizontal distance (x) from the punching bag based on performing 10 roundhouse kicks from a ready stance [4]. The horizontal distance was marked with adhesive tape on the mat. During the execution of the kicks participants were required to start and finish from the “X” [4]. The TAIKT began and ended with a sound signal. The number of adequately executed kicks was automatically displayed on the computer screen. The horizontal distance (x) and trunk height (y) were used to calculate the projection distance of the foot (d) on the body protector using Pythagorean theorem (d = √x² + y²) [4]. Lower limb mass (LLM) (eq. 1) [29], number of kicks in each 5-s set, and the total number of kicks in each bout were used to calculate the absolute power (eq. 2) [4]. Allometric scaling (W∙kg^-0.67) [30] was used to determine relative PP (eq. 3), MP, and FI in each separate bout, as well as total peak power (all three rounds combined) [4]. In each round, PP was the highest power output achieved during an individual set, MP was the average power output across all six sets, and FI was the difference between PP, and minimum power output divided by the total test duration (6-sets of 5 s = 30 s).