James Coy, Jon Cree, Anthony Turner Published online on: 14 Feb 2018 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR DOCUMENT

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1 This article was downloaded by: On: 16 Jan 2019 Access details: subscription number Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG, UK Routledge Handbook of Strength and Conditioning Sport-specific Programming for High Performance Anthony Turner Karate Publication details James Coy, Jon Cree, Anthony Turner Published online on: 14 Feb 2018 How to cite :- James Coy, Jon Cree, Anthony Turner. 14 Feb 2018, Karate from: Routledge Handbook of Strength and Conditioning, Sport-specific Programming for High Performance Routledge Accessed on: 16 Jan PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR DOCUMENT Full terms and conditions of use: This Document PDF may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproductions, re-distribution, re-selling, loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The publisher shall not be liable for an loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material.

2 20 KARATE James Coy, Jon Cree and Anthony Turner Introduction Karate is a martial art that was introduced to mainland Japan in the early 20th century. Now one of the most popular combat sports, Karate will be introduced into the Olympics for the first time at the Tokyo 2020 Games. The World Karate Federation (WKF) recognises 2 disciplines of Karate: Kata the displaying of a sequence of movement patterns, and Kumite actual sparring with an opponent. Within both disciplines, athletes are known as Karateka. This chapter will focus on Karate Kumite, due to it being the more practiced form of Karate, which is also to be included within the next Olympics. Within competitions, there are both Team and Individual matches an athlete may participate in both within one competition. The team event for males consists of 5 competitors and 2 reserves, whereas the women s competition involves 3 competitors and 1 reserve. A typical competition schedule for both team and individuals involves a maximum of 5 rounds (including the final) within one day. At European and World competition level, this can increase to 6 rounds within 1 day. The final would then be usually 1 2 days later. At the point of writing, the Olympic competition schedule has not been released. Bearing the number of bouts in mind, and also the 1 day period of competition, rest periods can be as little as 5 minutes between bouts, and as much as ~ 30 minutes. Therefore appropriate recovery interventions should be employed to maximise performance. The competition matted area for Karate Kumite spans 8 meters 8 meters, with a 1 meter border around the edge. Referees are seated at each corner, outside of the competition area, and a fifth judge stands centered between the two competitors, maintaining a 1 m distance to enable them to have a closer view and provide directions during the bout. Bouts last 3 minutes for males, and 2 minutes for females. Competitors must wear a white karate gi without stripes, piping or personal embroidery to prevent injury or grip-points. The jacket, when tightened around the waist with the belt, must be of a minimum length that covers the hips, but must not be more than three-quarters thigh length. Female competitors may wear a plain white T-shirt beneath the Karate jacket. Jacket ties (which are inside the jacket to prevent it opening) must be tied. Jackets without ties may not be used. For Senior Kumite Karateka, there are 5 weight categories each for open-age males and females (see Table 20.1 ). 359

3 James Coy, Jon Cree and Anthony Turner Table 20.1 Weight categories for international and Olympic Karate Kumite competitions General & Olympic weight categories Male 60kg 67kg 75kg 84kg +84kg There are 3 primary means to scoring in Kumite, namely an Ippon (3 pts), a Waza-Ari (2 pts), and a Yuko (1 pt) with the winner being declared based on scoring the most points during the allotted time period. The bout can also be won if a Karateka builds an 8-point difference for example, 8 0, or A score is awarded when a technique is performed according to the following criteria: good form, sporting attitude, vigorous application, awareness, good timing, and correct distance. An Ippon is awarded for Jodan kicks, and any scoring technique delivered on a thrown or fallen opponent. A Waza-Ari is awarded for Chudan kicks. A Yuko is awarded for a Chudan or Jodan Tsuki, and/or a Jodan or Chudan Uchi. Attacks are limited to the head, face, neck, abdomen, chest, back, and side. This chapter will detail the movement-specific variables associated with Karate Kumite, as well as a physiological, biomechanical, and injury incidence analysis. An appropriate testing battery will be detailed, with the chapter cumulating in example programming for various levels of athletes. Needs analysis for Karate Kumite Time-motion characteristics The intermittent nature of Karate is well documented. Beneke et al. (2004 ) observed a 2:1 activity-to-break ratio among elite Karateka (see Table 20.2 ). Despite Beneke et al. (2004 ) conceding that this intermittence owes heavily to refereeing stoppages, Chaabene et al. (2014a ) reported even higher intermittence among their high-level Karateka. Their activity-to-break ratio represented 1:1.5 a figure echoed in Chaabene et al. s (2014b ) earlier research. Unlike the latter two studies, Beneke et al. s (2004 ) findings were obtained through simulated bouts, which may explain the lower intermittence. In support of this, Chaabene et al. (2014a ) also obtained data from simulated bouts (not included within Table 20.2 ), and observed an activity-to-break ratio of 1:1 demonstrating lower intermittence to the 1:1.5 ratio observed during their official bouts. Regarding high intensity actions during Karate Kumite bouts, Table 20.2 demonstrates comparable findings. Individual actions were of low duration all under 2 seconds for Chaabene et al. (2014b ) and between 1 and 5s for Chaabene et al. (2014a ). Iide et al. (2008) identified a total of 19.4 s (+/ 5.5 s) worth of technique combinations per 3 minute bout, with the longest enduring for 2.2 s, and the shortest for 0.2 s. It s worth noting that Koropanovski et al. (2008 ) 360 Female 50kg 55kg 61kg 68kg +68kg

4 Karate Table 20.2 Work-to-rest ratios in Karate Kumite Author Work (s) Rest (s) High intensity actions Beneke et al. (2004) 18.6 (+/ 6) 9.6 (+/ 6) 16.3 (+/ 5.1) per bout Chaabene et al. (2014b) 10.3 (+/ 5.0) 15.4 (+/ 5.6) 17 (+/ 7) per bout Chaabene et al. (2014a) 10.0 (+/ 3.4) 16.2 (+/ 4.1) 14 (+/ 6) per bout observed 89% of points during World and European Championship final matches from 2002 to 2005 as being obtained through punches and, with VencesBrito et al. (2011 ) stating that the Choku-Zuki punch occurs within 0.4 s, we can begin to understand why Karate bouts are of such an intermittent nature. It is important to note that despite the decisive actions in Karate being sporadic, Karateka are continuously working at high intensities during bouts. Sterkowicz and Franchini (2009 ) observed that a mere 11% of sequences of continuous work during European Championship bouts lasted less than 7 seconds. In fact, 80% of sequences lasted 8 50 seconds, and 9.1% lasted seconds. In light of this, it is important to examine further which energy systems are primarily relied upon during Karate Kumite. Physiological analysis A 78% reliance on the aerobic energy system has been observed among elite Karateka with just 16% reliance on the anaerobic-alactic system and 6% on the ATP-PC system ( Beneke et al., 2004 ). In support of this data, Doria et al. (2009) produced similar findings, with their internationally ranked Kumite Karateka demonstrating a 74% dependence on the aerobic system considerably higher than their Kata counterparts in the same study (50%). The 16% anaerobic-alactic involvement ( Beneke et al., 2004 ) nevertheless presents a noteworthy energy contribution, and can be attributed to the intermittent high-intensity actions mentioned earlier. The regular active-recovery periods that interrupt these high-intensity actions (Karateka are continually moving even when not in engaged in contact) can therefore account for the major contribution of the aerobic system in Karate Kumite. As Tomlin and Wenger (2001) note, better aerobic fitness can also enhance recovery from high-intensity intermittent training (due to enhanced post-exercise VO² and blood lactate removal). Heart rate (HR) figures recorded during Kumite bouts reinforce the argument for the inclusion of an aerobic component within Karate strength and conditioning (S&C) programmes. Chaabene et al. (2014b ) observed their 14 national and international Karateka as spending 65% of their bouts over 90% of maximum HR. Imamura et al. (1996 ) and Chaabene et al. (2014a ) submit higher figures with mean HRs of 97% (+/ 4.2%) and 92% (of HR max) respectively. This consistently high heart rate can be attributed to the bouncing movement adopted by Karateka when not engaged in high intensity actions. Other combat sports, such as boxing and Muay Thai, tend to adopt a more flat-footed stance during their periods of active-recovery. Regarding beats per minute (bpm), Imamura et al. (1996 ) and Iide et al. (2008) both observed mean HRs of between 160bpm (+/ 12.8) and 193bpm (+/ 8). In light of this data, strength and conditioning practitioners should consider aerobic conditioning interventions that are both intermittent and consistently demanding on HR. 361

5 James Coy, Jon Cree and Anthony Turner Biomechanical analysis Chaabene et al. (2014b ) measured the movements of 14 elite Karateka during a national-level competition, and observed that 76% of techniques were thrown with upper limbs. Of these upper limb movements, 74% were in the form of the Kizami-Zuki punch ( Chaabene et al., 2014b ). In line with this, Koropanovski et al. (2008 ) calculated that punches secured 89.09% of all points during 55 World Championship bouts with kicks contributing just 8.36% of points. The predominance of upper limb use may therefore be attributed to their higher probability of obtaining points (compared to lower limbs). In further support of upper limb predominance, Jovanovic (1992) reported that the Kizami-Zuki takes just 110ms to perform. Having detailed the movement specific elements, the most common point scoring motions are explained in more detail. During the execution of a Kizami-Zuki, power is primarily generated through a hip turn and arm extension ( Arus, 2008 ). The hip turn relies heavily on the obliques whilst the subsequent body drive principally engages the gluteus maximus, gastrocnemius, and quadriceps. The pronation of the palms during a Kizami-Zuki, ensure that the radius and ulna are mechanically firmer and less elastic ( Link and Chou, 2011 ). VencesBrito et al. (2011 ) analysed the kinematic and electromyographic (EMG) patterns of another commonly used punch the Choku-Zuki. VencesBrito et al. (2011 ) in turn analysed the muscular activity of the muscles involved in the arm extension of the punch measuring the EMG of 9 upper body muscles. The biceps brachii showed greater intensity of activation than the forearm muscles (pronator teres and brachioradialis). Although this breakdown allows for an analysis of which muscles are predominantly employed within key Karate movements, it is important for S&C practitioners to ensure that programming also includes sufficient coverage on the muscle groups used in the deceleration phase of movements. With techniques being thrown at such high speeds, both the agonist and antagonist muscles should be well conditioned, to minimise the risk of injury. Increasing antagonist muscle strength has also been suggested to increase movement speed, and accuracy of movement ( Jaric et al., 1995 ). For example, within Karate, the hamstring muscles are employed to a greater extent than the quadriceps during the deceleration phase of a kick ( Sbricolli et al., 2010 ). Although kicking techniques aren t used as frequently, they can prove the highest scoring techniques when executed successfully. The Mae-Geri (front kick) will therefore be analysed in more detail. The Mae-Geri sequence requires participation of the torso, pelvis, knee, ankle, and foot ( VencesBrito et al., 2014 ). During the hip rotation of the Mae-Geri, the foot accelerates at Figure 20.1 Kizami Zuki sequence 362

6 Karate Figure 20.2 Mae-Geri sequence approximately 108 m/s², and drops to around 78 m/s² during the lower leg movement reaching a final velocity of approximately 19 m/s ( Gianino, 2010 ). Research into the kinematic and EMG characteristics of the Mae-Geri is scarce ( VencesBrito et al., 2014 ) as is data on flexibility and the required range of movements within Karate techniques in general ( Chaabene et al., 2012 ). The angles of the hip, knee, and ankle upon contact of a Mae-Geri have, however, been reported and were 69 (+/ 26), 131 (+/ 8), and 98 (+/ 9) respectively ( VencesBrito et al., 2014 ). Research on the time taken to execute the Mae-Geri is more readily available. Males (892ms +/ 103ms) have been reported to execute the Mae-Geri faster than females (1047ms +/ 157ms); however, there was no link between speed and standing height ( Sforza et al., 2002 ) the fastest and the slowest males were the two shortest. Similar results were reported by Pozo et al. (2011 ), with their international level athletes completing the Mae-Geri faster (991ms +/ 93ms) than the national athletes (1139ms +/ 72ms). International athletes also demonstrated higher repeatability of execution time although there was no difference in the impact force of kicks between internationals and nationals. This indicates that more emphasis should be placed on improving the speed of kicks (as opposed to force of the kick upon contact), in order for the strike to make contact before the opponent s does. Incidence of injury Table 20.3 presents a summary of the data collected in major studies assessing the nature of injuries within Karate. Incidence of injury Injury rates within Karate are generally high, with between 0.24 and 0.31 injuries per bout reported in a number of studies ( Macan et al., 2001 ; Tuominen, 1995 ; Stricevic et al., 1983; McLatchie, 1976 ; Arriaza and Leyes, 2005 ; Johannsen and Noerregaard, 1988 ). Only two studies within Table 20.3 ( Critchley et al., 1999 ; Macan et al., 2006 ) reported figures of below 0.24 injuries per bout. Furthermore, within Kujala et al. s (1995 ) multi-sport injury analysis, Karate fared higher (142 injuries per 1000 person years of exposure) than all other sports investigated, including soccer (89), ice-hockey (94), and Judo (117). Despite the relatively high injury rate, Karate is nevertheless seen as a relatively safe sport, due to the minor nature of these injuries. The majority of research has identified the head and face as the most common location for injuries in Karate Kumite ( Muller-Rath et al., 2000 ; Stricevic et al., 1983; Critchley et al., 1999 ; McLatchie, 1976 ; Arriaza and Leyes, 2005 ; Macan et al., 2006 ). Most notably, Macan et al. (2001 ) and Tuominen (1995 ) reported that 97% and 95% of injuries recorded in their 363

7 Table 20.3 Review of literature on incidence of injury in Karate Author Participants Injuries Location of injuries Causation of injuries Macan et al. (2001) Tuominen (1995) Muller-Rath et al. (2000) Zetaruk et al. (2000a) Stricevic et al. (1983) Destombe et al. (2006) Critchley et al. (1999) McLatchie (1976) Competitive Croatian pupils (10 14), Juniors (15 21), Seniors (18+) 647 competitors in 450 Finnish national bouts (6 competitions) 392 bouts at the 1999 World Championships 114 mixed-ability club members (mean age 27; 78% male) 284 participants in 309 matches, during 3 National and 3 International competitions 186 participants from 3 French clubs (76% male; 43% beginners, 24.7% fairly experienced, 32.3% experienced; mean age 19.6 ranged from 6 53 years) 1273 competitors in 1770 British Championship bouts (1996, 1997, and 1998) 206 in 880 bouts. Pupils M: 17.1%/F: 20.7%, Juniors M: 27%/F: 21.1%, Seniors M: 26.7%/F: 21.8% 0.28 injuries per bout. 104 of 647 participants injured (16%) 142 participants suffered 168 injuries. More injures in matches with fist padding (146/302 48%) than without (23/90 26%) 87 (76%) reported injuries in past 12 months, but only 30% required time off training 82 injuries by 76 athletes (27%). 1 injury every 3.7 bouts, or 0.3 injuries per bout 48 (28.8%) had 83 injuries in past year 63 in training, 20 in competition. Rates were similar between sexes, but increased with age 160 injuries 0.09 per bout, and 0.13 per competitor 295 competitive Scottish bouts In 25% of contents there was an injury, and in 10% of contests the injury caused withdrawal. 80 participants suffered an injury. 75% of injuries occurred to those in grades below brown belt Most frequent localisation was head. 97% of injuries were minor Punches most common in all groups. Kicks more common in pupils (29%) than Seniors (11.9%) 95% of injures were to the head Most injuries from direct punch to the head 141 (84%) were bruises of the head and throat Most injures (152) caused by punches, with only 17 through kicks No data 46.9% strains/sprains, 34% bruises, 10.9% lacerations, 8.2% fractures/ dislocations 48 injuries to the head and face, 14 to lower extremity, and 10 to upper 26.5% of injuries were to the head, 28.9% to upper limbs, 35% to lower limbs, and 9.6% to the torso 57% of injuries were to the head, and 37.5% to the limbs 33 injuries (41%) to the face, 25 (31%) to the trunk, and 22 (28%) to the limbs 65 caused by punches, 17 by kicks. 33 bruises (40%), 20 lacerations (24%) 53% of injuries were bruises, and 19% were sprains. Sparring contributed 82.5% of injuries in training. 69.7% of bruises occurred while blocking or receiving a strike. Strikes were responsible for 87.5% of all sprains 73 bruises/lacerations to the head, 36 to the legs, and 19 to the arms. 12 concussions only 1 of which lost consciousness. Most facial injuries through blow to the malar region The most common causative factor was blows to the stomach (18)

8 Zetaruk et al. (2000b) Arriaza and Leyes (2005) Johannsen and Noerregaard (1988) Macan et al. (2006) Kujala et al. (1995) year old club members 28% (19) sustained at least 1 injury per year all injuries were minor 2837 matches in the 96, 98, 00 World Championships 2 Danish Championships with knuckle protection ( 83 and matches), and 2 Danish Championships without knuckle protection ( 84 and matches) The 1997 (887 matches 287 female; 600 male) and 2002 (1604 matches 498 female; 1106 male) Croatian Karate competition seasons 621,691 person years of exposure in Finland between 1987 and 1991, in soccer, ice hockey, volleyball, basketball, Judo, and Karate 891 injuries 0.31 injuries per bout. Incidences higher in lighter categories 0.56 for male -60kg, and 0.42 for female 53kg With knuckle protection, 0.26 injuries were suffered per bout (by 24% of participants); without knuckle protection, 0.25 injuries were suffered per bout (by 30% of participants) 0.23 injuries per bout in 1997 (208 injuries in 887 fights), and 0.16 injuries per bout in 2002 (254 injuries in 1604 bouts) and 9.82 injuries per 100 exposure minutes, respectively. Injuries per 1000 person years of exposure: volleyball: 60, basketball: 88, soccer: 89, ice hockey: 94, Judo: 117, and Karate: % to lower extremity, 36% to upper extremity, 14% to trunk, and 5% to head Injuries primarily located to the face (72.5%), followed by the head (11.6%), and lower limbs (6.4%) In both types of competition, head and face injuries were most common (92% of injuries with protection, and 78% without protection), followed by extremities (4% and 16%), and trunk (4% in both) The injury locations were as follows (1997 data followed by 2002 data all presented as injuries per 100 exposure minutes): head (8.05; 4.1), legs (0.54; 3.33), trunk (0.9; 1.51), arms (0.4; 0.66), and neck (0.59; 0.23) 37.3% of Karate injuries to lower limbs (11% knees; 10.7% feet), 26.3% to upper limbs (9.3% fingers, 6.1% upper arm/shoulders, 6% palm/ wrist), and 36.3% to other sites (10.9% head/neck, 9.7% back, and 6.4% teeth) 58% were bruises, 26% sprains or strains, and 16% were winded Punches caused 82.7% of injuries; kicks caused 7.3%. Bruises were the most common injury (50.3%), followed by nosebleeds (16.2%), lacerations (13.7%), concussions (3.8%), and sprains (3.5%) In both types of competition, bruises were the most common injury (68% of injuries with protection, and 44% of injuries without protection), followed by lacerations (12% and 24%), nosebleeds (10% and 12%), TKOs (10% and 11%), and fractures (1.4% and 9%) No data No data

9 James Coy, Jon Cree and Anthony Turner Table 20.4 Battery of fitness tests suitable for Karate athletes Parameter Body fat Lower body power Power Upper body power Lower body strength Agility Aerobic fitness Test Skinfold assessment. Karateka compete in weight classes; therefore, fat levels should be regulated in order to minimise non-functional mass. Countermovement jump. A jump mat can record timing in the air, and jump height. Following familiarisation with the test, a mean score of 3 attempts should be taken. 1RM power clean. This test evaluates an athlete s strength speed; however, it should only be included once technique is of a sufficient standard. Bench press throw. Peak power (w) can be measured if a transducer is attached to the barbell. Optimal load of 55% of Bench press max for maximum power output during bench press throws (Baker et al., 2001). 1RM back squat. The back squat is recognised as the primary measure for lower body strength shuttle (Turner et al., 2016). This must be completed in a karate stance (one foot leading) with the athlete always facing forwards. The athlete sprints out to the 4m line; returns 2m backwards; sprints 2m forward; returns 4m backwards to the start line. The athlete must ensure that both feet cross behind the start line after each shuttle, and some part of the lead foot must cross the 2m and 4m lines with each shuttle. Karate specific aerobic test (KSAT) (Nunan, 2006; Chaabene et al., 2012). Athletes complete a set sequence of kicks and punches on a suspended bag. The set time to complete this sequence of movements is 7 seconds. Athletes will repeat this protocol (still within 7 seconds); however, the rest times will gradually decrease with each bout as in the multi-stage fitness test. The protocol consists of a lead straight punch, a rear leg roundhouse kick, a rear straight punch, and a lead leg roundhouse kick repeated twice. respective studies were to the head and face. Nevertheless, the majority of studies within Table 20.3 (of which include data on the nature of injuries) recognise bruising minor in contrast to many sporting injuries as the most frequent injury ( Muller-Rath et al., 2000 ; Johannsen and Noerregaard, 1988 ; Zetaruk et al., 2000a ; Destombe et al., 2006 ; Arriaza and Leyes, 2005 ; Stricevic et al., 1983). Strains, sprains, lacerations, and epistaxis were other commonly noted injuries. Few studies analysed the direct contribution of punches and kicks to injuries; however, those that did ( Muller-Rath et al., 2000 ; Stricevic et al., 1983; Arriaza and Leyes, 2005 ) reported between 79% and 90% of injuries as being caused by punches. This high percentage of injuries that are caused by punches corresponds with Chaabene et al. s (2014b ) observation, that 76% of techniques are thrown with upper limbs. In summary, research shows that the majority of injuries suffered within Karate bouts are directly caused by opponent strikes, which limits the impact that strength and conditioning professionals can have on reducing injuries. Nevertheless, Zetaruk et al. (2000a ) found that experience, training, and rank were a significant predictor of injury (risk of injury increased approximately three times with each additional year of experience). This can be attributed to the greater speed and force of techniques seen in more advanced Karateka. In order to maximise a Karateka s prospect of avoiding an opponent s strike, strength and conditioning professionals should ensure that programming includes sufficient content on power, speed, and agility through both plyometric and loaded strengthspeed exercises. 366

10 Karate Example strength and conditioning sessions for karate Based on the needs analysis conducted and a review of prevalent injuries, 2 appropriate strength and conditioning sessions have been outlined below ( Table 20.5 and Table 20.6 ). The beginner and advanced sessions refer to strength and conditioning experience, not karate experience. The beginner sessions aims to get the athlete building a base of strength and power, through derivatives of the Olympic lifts and basic leg and back exercises. Exercises are performed at a low intensity, with a focus on developing technique. The advanced session assumes a sufficient base of technique, and therefore exercises are performed at a higher intensity, with lower volume. More complexes are included within the advanced session, with a focus on developing power in a lateral Table 20.5 Beginner power and strength session Exercise Sets Reps Pointers Clean high pull 3 3 Low load Back squat % Single-arm medicine ball throw 3 6 p/arm Use sand-filled ball; throw against wall Lunges/lunge jumps > lateral med ball slams Lunge and slam the ball, then rotate 180 and repeat Cable row 3 6 p/arm Powerful concentric, controlled eccentric Table 20.6 Advanced power and strength session Exercise Sets Reps Pointers Power clean % Back squat % 180 box jumps > Russian twist throws Ensure both sides are worked equally Single-arm scissor landmine press > See Figure 20.3 scissor lunges Pull ups > nordic curls Focus on controlled eccentrics Figure 20.3 Single-arm scissor landmine press 367

11 James Coy, Jon Cree and Anthony Turner Table 20.7 Periodisation of International English Karate athlete Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Phase Specific prep Competition Trans General prep Specific Focus Specific strength, aerobic, & power Power; plyometrics; strength; technique Active Rest Aerobic; Hypertrophy Specific strength, aerobic, & power Intensity Medium High Low Low/medium Medium Volume Medium/high Low Low High Med/high as well as frontal plane. As the sessions outlined below are power and strength sessions, no aerobic conditioning has been mentioned. As discussed within the needs analysis, aerobic conditioning for karate should be intermittent in nature; therefore, a tabata format would be appropriate. Longitudinal programme design The aim of this section is to present an example yearly schedule, and explain the role of the strength and conditioning coach within it. The programme (see Table 20.7 ) is from an elite level athlete; however, the principles still apply to the majority of karate athletes, due to the regular intervals of competitions during the competitive season. The key difference between the karate programme featured in Table 20.7 and other sporting macrocycles is the structure of the competitive phase. Unlike most footballers or rugby players, Karateka are not competing weekly or bi-weekly during their competitive phases. During the competitive phases within karate there is generally 1 competition per month, which is normally contested over a weekend. An exception to this would be the World Championships, which generally last for 1 week. The 2 sessions outlined above have been adapted from the specific preparatory phase. These can be characterised by a compound power and strength exercise (in this instance the power clean and back squat), followed by sport-specific strength and power exercises of a moderate intensity and volume. Due to the irregularity of competitions during the competitive phase, session content during this phase may not actually differ hugely from that which is featured in the specific preparatory phase especially if 3 or so weeks out from a competition. As the competitive phase constitutes a significant part of the macrocycle (almost half a year in duration), it is important to strike the balance of not exhausting the athlete with volume while ensuring that gaps within the competition schedule are utilised appropriately and not wasted. The greatest amount of training volume will be within the general preparatory phase, where less focus will be on the specificity of the exercise and more on building an optimum base of fitness, strength, and, if required, hypertrophy. Conclusion Karate is a highly intermittent sport, with frequent high-intensity but low-duration actions. Even when not directly engaged in these actions, athletes are continuously working at a high intensity. This is reflected in research that has reported Karateka s mean heart rates to be above 90% of maximum ( Imamura et al., 1996 ; Chaabene et al., 2014a ). The regular active-recovery periods that interrupt the high-intensity actions can account for the 70%+ contribution of the aerobic system reported by Beneke et al. (2004 ) and Doria et al. (2009). 368

12 Karate Within Karate, 76% of techniques are thrown with upper limbs ( Chaabene et al., 2014b ). This is reflected in Koropanovski et al. s (2008 ) calculations that punches secured 89.09% of all points during 55 World Championship bouts. The predominance of upper limb use may be attributed to the higher probability of punches obtaining points, and also the speed at which punches can be executed. The Kizami-Zuki punch can be completed within 110ms (Jovanovic, 1992, cited in Chaabene et al., 2014a ), whereas the Mae Geri front kick has been reported to take between 721ms and 1308ms to execute ( Sforza et al., 2002 ). Injury rates within Karate are generally high however due to the minor nature of these injuries, Karate is seen as a relatively safe sport. Bruises are widely reported as the most common injury ( Muller-Rath et al., 2000 ; Johannsen and Noerregaard, 1988 ; Zetaruk et al., 2000a ; Destombe et al., 2006 ; Arriaza and Leyes, 2005 ; Stricevic et al., 1983), with the head and face recognised as the most common location for injuries ( Muller-Rath et al., 2000 ; Stricevic et al., 1983; Critchley et al., 1999 ; McLatchie, 1976 ; Arriaza and Leyes, 2005 ; Macan et al., 2006 ). Higher injury rates have been associated with more experienced Karateka ( Zetaruk et al., 2000a ), probably due to the greater speed and force of techniques seen in more advanced Karateka. References Arriaza, R. and Leyes, M. (2005). Injury profile in competitive karate: Prospective analysis of three consecutive world karate championships. Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy, 13 (7), Arus, E. (2008). Sendo-ryu karate-do: The way of initiative (2nd ed.). Santa Fe, NM: Turtle Press. Baker, D., Nance, S. and Moore, M. (2001). The load that maximizes the average mechanical power output during explosive bench press throws in highly trained athletes. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 15 (1), Beneke, R., Beyer, T., Jachner, C., Erasmus, J. and Hutler, M. (2004). Energetics of karate kumite. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 92 (4 5), Chaabene, H., Franchini, E., Miarka, B., Amin Selmi, M., Mkaouer, B. and Chamari, K. (2014b). Time-motion analysis: Physiological and rate of perceived exertion to karate combats: Is there a difference between winners and defeated karatekas? International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 9, Chaabene, H., Hachana, Y., Franchini, E., Mkaouer, B. and Chamari, K. (2012). Physical and physiological profile of elite karate athletes. Sports Medicine, 42 (10), Chaabene, H., Mkaouer, B., Franchini, E., Souissi, N., Amine Selmi, M., Nagra, Y. and Chamari, K. (2014a). Physiological responses and performance analysis difference between official and simulated karate combat conditions. Asian Journal of Sports Medicine, 5 (1), Critchley, G.R., Mannion, S. and Meredith, C. (1999). Injury rates in shotokan karate. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 33 (3), Destombe, C., Lejeune, L., Guillodo, Y., Roudaut, A., Jousse, S., Devauchelle, V. and Saraux, A. (2006). Incidence and nature of karate injuries. Joint Bone Spine, 73 (2), Doria, C., Veicsteinas, A., Limonta, E., Maggioni, M.A., Aschieri, P., Eusebi, F., Fano, G. and Pietrangelo, T. (2009). Energetics of karate (kata and kumite techniques) in top-level athletes. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 107 (5), Gianino, C. (2010). Physics of karate. Kinematics analysis of karate techniques by a digital movie camera. Latin-American Journal of Physics Education, 4 (1), Iide, K., Imamura, H., Yoshimura, Y., Yamashita, A., Miyahara, K., Miyamoto, N. and Moriwaki, C. (2008). Physiological responses of simulated karate sparring matches in young men and boys. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 22 (3), Imamura, H., Yoshimura, Y., Uchida, K., Tanaka, A., Nishimura, S. and Nakazawa, A.T. (1996). Heart rate response and perceived exertion during twenty consecutive karate sparring matches. Australian Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 28 (4), Jaric, S., Ropret, R., Kukolj, M. and Ilic, D.B. (1995). Role of agonist and antagonist muscle strength in performance of rapid movements. European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology, 71 (5), Johannsen, H.V. and Noerregaard, F.O. (1988). Prevention of injury in karate. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 22 (3), Jovanovic, S. (1992). Karate 1 Theoretic approach. Novi Sad: Sport s world. 369

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