Background and Purpose: : Plyometric exercises increase strength and explosiveness in athletes of different disciplines High correlation between lower limb explosive power and muscle strength with maintaining balance is essential to achieve optimal performance in karate. Plyometric exercises are stretching-shortening activities. The can increase physical fitness factors by 20 to 30%. This study determines the effect of eight weeks of plyometric exercises on Dynamic balance, anaerobic power and flexibility in young girls of karate.
Materials and methods: The statistical population of this study is Karate girls (Kumite only) with at least three years of training experience in Tabriz city. The subjects of this study is 20 female karate ka who aged 18-24 years who were voluntarily selected by age, weight and height and were randomly divided into two groups: plyometric (n=10) and control (n=10) groups. To perform the study, the research topic, purpose, as well as the method of execution were explained to the subjects. The exercise protocol were eight weeks and three sessions per week for 75 minutes each session. Plyometric group 25 minutes of plyometric exercises (side to side ankle hops, standing jump, lateral jump over barrier, con hops with 180 degree turn, etc.) and then they were do specific karate exercises for 25minutes. The control group were use only specific karate exercises (previously common exercises) during the research period. Anaerobic power, flexibility and Dynamic balance tests were taken as pre-test and post-test before and after the training protocol and for three days. Descriptive statistics methods (mean, standard deviation) were used to describe the data and Shapiro-Wilk test were used to determine the normality of data distribution. The collected data were then analyzed using SPSS software version 26 at a significance level of p <0.05.from the analysis of variance test with repeated measures 2 × 2 and paired t-test was used for intra-group comparison.
Results: Our results showed that the vertical jump height and flexibility of karate athletes increased significantly after eight weeks of plyometric training compared to the control group. The results also showed a significant increase in the values of dynamic balance for both plyometric and control groups, but no significant interaction was observed between the group and time.
Conclusion: Plyometric exercises along with karate exercises can be useful to improve some skill related fitness components such as the vertical jump height and flexibility of karateka’s.