Abstract

The project was initiated to collect baseline data on elite and junior Olympic male and female taekwondo athletes in order to assess their athletic profile. Information was gathered to determine the taekwondo athletes aerobic and anaerobic endurance, leg, strength, mood profiles, competition trait and state anxiety, body build and composition, as well as kocking speed and force. The junior Olympic and senior elite taekwondo athletes have a rather high anaerobic endurance and have a high ectomorhic component with a favorable height-to-weight ratio compared to other combative athletes. The senior male and female elite athletes have a relatively low H/Q ratio which may predispose them to musculoskeletal injuries of the leg. Although the senior elite taekwondo athletes as a group show the so-called iceberg profile, that is typical of athletic populations as opposed to their more sedentary counterparts, as part of their psychologicial make-up, coaches are advised to taper off the training prior to competition in order to avoid both psychological and physiological staleness. In terms of kicking velocity, the American elite male taekwondo athletes do not seem as faster as their Korean colleagues, but they scored higher on kicking momentum. Differences in methods employed to assess velocity and momentum, however, preclude definitive conclusions in this regard. Special attention should be paid to the nutritional profile of elite taekwondo athletes and the prevention of serious injuries during competition. Verf. Referat (gekuerzt)