Physiological, performance, and nutritional profile of the Brazilian Olympic Wushu (kung-fu) team.
The purpose of the present study was to determine physiological, nutritional, and performance profiles of elite Olympic Wushu (kung-fu) athletes. Ten men and four women elite athletes took part in the study. They completed the following tests: body composition, nutritional assessment, upper-body Wingate Test, vertical jump, lumbar isometric strength, and flexibility. Blood lactate was determined at rest and after the Wingate Test. Blood lactate was also determined during a training session (combat and Taolu training). We found low body fat (men: 9.5 +/- 6.3%; women: 18.0 +/- 4.8%), high flexibility (sit-and-reach-men: 45.5 +/- 6.1 cm; women: 44.0 +/- 6.3 cm), high leg power (vertical jump-men: 37.7 +/- 8.4 cm; women: 32.3 +/- 1.1 cm), high lumbar isometric strength (men: 159 +/- 13 cm; women: 94 +/- 6 cm), moderate arm mean and peak power (Wingate Test-men: 4.1 +/- 0.4 and 5.8 +/- 0.5 Wxkg, respectively; women: 2.5 +/- 0.3 and 3.4 +/- 0.3 W.kg, respectively), and elevated blood lactate after the Wingate Test (men: 10.8 +/- 2.0 mmolxL; women: 10.2 +/- 2.0 mmolxL) and during training (combat: 12.0 +/- 1.8 mmolxL; Taolu: 7.7 +/- 3.3 mmolxL). Men athletes consume a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet, whereas women consume a moderate, high-carbohydrate diet. Energy consumption was markedly variable. In conclusion, Olympic Wushu seems to be a highly anaerobic-dependent combat sport. Low body fat, high flexibility, leg anaerobic power, isometric strength, and moderately high arm anaerobic power seem to be important for successful competitive performance.
Artioli
Guilherme Giannini
GG
Laboratory of Applied Nutrition and Metabolism, Combat Sports and Martial Arts Research Group, School of Physical Education and Sport, Sao Paulo University, Sao Paulo, Brazil. artioli@usp.br
Gualano
Bruno
B
Franchini
Emerson
E
Batista
Rafael Novaes
RN
Polacow
Viviane Ozores
VO
Lancha
Antonio Herbert
AH
D000328:Adult; D015308:Anaerobic Threshold; D054874:Athletic Performance; D001938:Brazil; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007773:Lactates / Q000097:blood; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D016139:Martial Arts / Q000502:physiology*; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D010806:Physical Education and Training / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology; D011336:Probability; D055815:Young Adult
D007773:Lactates