Differences in Prediction Movement in Counter Situations between Skilled and Less-Skilled Karate-Kumite Players

Abstract

This study examined differences in the times required by skilled and less-skilled karate-kumite players to perform prediction movement in competition. We focused on the rapid selection and execution of reactive movements that served as counter movements. The participants were divided into skilled and less-skilled groups by two judges for the purposes of organizing the matches. Attack players and counter players were designated before each match began. The experimenter required the attack players to initiate attacks and the counter players to respond to these attacks, and they fought in each group respectively. For each pair, 16 successful and 16 unsuccessful counter movements were video-recorded, yielding a total of 64 images. The counter-movement initiation, counter-movement, and attack-movement times were determined from the videos. Comparisons between the skilled and less-skilled groups in terms of these variables produced the following results: skilled players initiated counter movements significantly more rapidly in successful than in unsuccessful situations, and less-skilled players executed attack movements significantly more slowly in successful than in unsuccessful situations. Therefore, the skilled and less-skilled groups differed with respect to key features of counter-movement skills