Anthropometric Physical Fitness Measurements of Medalist and Non-Medalist Athletes in Self-Defense Sports in Aqaba, Jordan

The self-defense sports category includes martial arts, taekwondo, and judo and requires special sorts of characteristics, skill sets, and mental strengths so that the athletes attain excellence in their efforts [1,2]. In such sports, success is not reliant only on technical skill, but it is closely associated with the physical fitness and the anthropometric characteristics of the athletes [3-5]. Thus, to develop training packages that can help in enhancing the performance of the athletes and will increase the possibility of winning medals and other recognition, it thus becomes imperative to understand in detail the interplay between these factors.

In the course of this realization and the process of recognition, the paper is motivated by the fact that though the variance in terms of athlete capabilities is too inherent and wide, there are common physical traits to medalists distinguishing them from their non-medalist counterparts in self-defense sports [6,7]. While technical skill certainly is instrumental in the success, but there is no belittling the importance of preparedness of the athlete in terms of physical and anatomical characteristics as well [8]. This study will therefore explore this relationship; it will try to understand what is associated with success in self-defense sports in Aqaba, Jordan.

Over the years, the science behind athletic achievement has turned into interests the researchers and the practitioners in general who accept the fact that success in sports is multifaceted [9]. The present study falls in line with this wider trend, trying to fill in the gap in literature by focusing on the particular self-defense sports that have not enjoyed the same attention in a context as specific as the cultural and regional setting of Aqaba, Jordan The rich history of the region and commitment to the many martial traditions provide adistinctive backdrop against which to explore the physical dimensions that may influence an athlete’s standing as a meduallist or non-medallist [10,11].

Again, with the continuous development in sports science, anthropometric measurements and physical fitness assessment have become determinants of athletic success [12]. This, in turn, forms an understanding of what our study contributes to in the attempt to add empirical evidence to this pool of rising knowledge with a view to providing useful insight to coaches, trainers, and athletes alike [13]. We shall thus unravel the patterns that inform such training regimens aimed at the needs of athletes aspiring for success in self-defense sports by analysing in depth the physical attributes of the medalists and the non-medalists.

In Aqaba, Jordan area that is popular with its background and proud of dedication to combat sport like karate, muay thai kickboxing taekwondo there remains a problem the exploration of determinants for victory in these self defense crafts. However widely participated in these sports, and athletes involved therein notwithstanding; little research has accentuated on the physical qualities and fitness standards of an athlete in Aqaba city.

While technical skill and strategic acuity are surely fundamental aspects of medalist victories in karate, Muay Thai, kickboxing or taekwondo the interrelationship between anthropometric measurements distinctive to gold-winning athletes rather than non-medallists has not been adequately examined within the frameworks derived from Aqaba Jordan [14] elucidating the nature of factors like cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, flexibility and body composition as they affect these actual martial arts disciplines’ performance is critical to improving training strategies for best possible competitive results.

Hence, the issue at hand is that there is a need to close this knowledge further gap by identifying the anthropometric measurements in karate, Muay Thai kickboxing, and Taekwondo for athletes in Aqaba Jordan. This study thus seeks to use this gap in research as a space into which evidence-based knowledge can help provide informed training approaches adapted for self- defense athletes peculiar interests and needs based on their competitive commitments while advancing career goals characteristic of Aqaba, Jordan.

The objectives, methods used, results, and the discussion in the following sections elaborate to enhance the understanding regarding the intricate relationship among physical fitness, anthropometric measurements, and success in self-defense sports.

A. Objectives

The objectives of this study are as follows;

1. To examine the selected anthropometric measurements of medalist and non-medalist athletes in self-defense Sports (karate, Muay Thai, kickboxing, and taekwondo) in Aqaba, Jordan
2. To examine the differences in the selected anthropometric measurements between a medalist and non-medalist athlete in self-defense Sports (karate, Muay Thai, kickboxing, and taekwondo) in Aqaba, Jordan.

A. Design of the Study

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between selected anthropometric of medalist and non-medalist athletes in self-defense sports such as: Kickboxing, Karate, Muathai, and Takwando and to identify variables which are able to predict performance. To achieve the purpose of this research, an ex post facto research design was used. It is a method in which groups with qualities that already exist are compared on some dependent variables. Also known as "after the fact" research, an ex post facto design is considered quasi-experimental because the subjects are not randomly assigned - they are grouped based on a particular characteristic or trait. This method is selected with the hope that it will help achieve the objectives of the study as desired by the researcher via producing a pertinent data. Hence, the obtained data from tests is analyzed and interpreted.

B. Study Area (Climate and Temperature)

The study was conducted in Aqaba of Jordan. The study comprises of 4 athletics academies at different locations in Aqaba. The first one is Academy World Champion Mohamed Salama located at Aqaba, Jordan. The second is Ayla Taekwondo Academy located at G2Q7+96R, Aqaba, Jordan. The third is Golden Fitness Time Gym located at Al-Hussien Bin Ali St., Aqaba, Jordan. The fourth is Horizon Kickboxing & Fitness Academy Aqaba - Qasabet Al Aqaba.

As for the average temperature of Aqaba, the hot season lasts for 4.0 months, between May 23 and September 23, with an average daily high temperature above 96°F. The hottest month of the year in Aqaba is July, with an average high of 103°F and low of 80°F. The cool season lasts for 3.1 months, between December 1 and March 4, with an average daily high temperature below 75°F. The coldest month of the year in Aqaba is January, with an average low of 50°F and high of 69°F (https://weatherspark.com/y/98737/Average-Weather-in-Aqaba-Jordan-Year-Round#Sections-Temperature).

A. Gender and status of the participants in the four sports are presented below

Table 1 presents data on the participation and status of male and female athletes across the four martial arts sports: Kickboxing, Karate, Muay Thai, and Taekwondo. The data presented in the table pertains to the number of male and female participants in various martial arts sports. In Kickboxing, there were 55 male participants and 24 female participants. This constitutes 69.6% and 30.4% of the total number of participants, respectively. In Karate, there were 27 male participants and 20 female participants, with 57.4% and 42.6% of the total number of participants, respectively. Muay Thai had 10 male participants and 27 female participants, representing 27.0% and 73.0% of the total number of participants, respectively. Taekwondo had 24 male participants and 23 female participants, with 51.1% and 48.9% of the total number of participants, respectively.

The table also provides information on the number of male and female medalists in each sport. In Kickboxing, 19 males (24.1% of total male participants) and 15 females (31.9% of total female participants) were medalists. In Karate, 15 males (31.9% of total male participants) and 16 females (43.2% of total female participants) won medals. In Muay Thai, 16 males (43.2% of total male participants) and 21 females (56.8% of total female participants) achieved medalist status. In Taekwondo, 21 males (44.7% of total male participants) and 26 females (55.3% of total female participants) were medalists. Overall, out of the total 210 participants, 71 (33.8%) were medalists, with 139 (66.2%) not achieving medalist status.

These findings suggest variations in participation rates and medalist distributions across different martial arts sports and between male and female athletes. For instance, while Muay Thai had the highest percentage of female participants, Taekwondo had nearly equal representation of males and females. Additionally, the percentage of female medalists exceeded that of male medalists in Karate, Muay Thai, and Taekwondo, which may indicate potential gender-based differences in performance or opportunities within these sports. Therefore, this interpretation provides deeper insights into the participation and medalist outcomes across different martial arts sports, emphasizing gender disparities and performance trends.

B. Descriptive statistics of the participants

Table 2 presents descriptive statistics for various physical fitness measurements among female participants in different martial arts, including Kickboxing, Karate, Taekwondo, and Muay Thai. These measurements cover a range of physical attributes and abilities, allowing for insights into the distinct fitness profiles within each martial art.

In terms of sitting height, Kickboxing participants exhibited an average height of 82.215 cm (SD = 3.3892), which was slightly higher than the average for Karate (M = 82.190 cm, SD = 2.7589), Taekwondo (M = 80.371 cm, SD = 3.6291), and Muay Thai (M = 78.789 cm, SD = 2.7208) practitioners. Additionally, armspan measurements showed variability, with Taekwondo practitioners having the longest average armspan (M = 162.947 cm, SD = 8.0904), followed by Kickboxing (M = 161.946 cm, SD = 9.7059), Karate (M = 157.160 cm, SD = 7.0234), and Muay Thai (M = 160.044 cm, SD = 7.2069) participants.

In terms of explosive power, the groups differed in their vertical jump heights, with Taekwondo practitioners achieving the highest average vertical jump (M = 18.1176 inches, SD = 2.89346), followed by Muay Thai (M = 18.5919 inches, SD = 2.16210), Kickboxing (M = 17.2885 inches, SD = 1.67035), and Karate (M = 17.625 inches, SD = 1.87171) participants. Similarly, in standing broad jump distances, Taekwondo participants exhibited the longest average distance (M = 186.250 cm, SD = 27.5753), followed by Muay Thai (M = 183.981 cm, SD = 27.6118), Kickboxing (M = 190.000 cm, SD = 34.1364), and Karate (M = 184.625 cm, SD = 30.3770) practitioners.

The table also presents data on other physical fitness measures such as medicine ball throw distance, sit-and-reach flexibility, balance, cardiovascular endurance, muscular endurance, handgrip strength, predicted VO2 max, level of expertise, and shuttle run performance across the different martial arts disciplines.

Overall, these results illustrate the diverse physical attributes and capabilities of female participants in various martial arts disciplines, emphasizing the importance of tailored training programs to optimize performance and fitness outcomes within each discipline.

Table 3 presents descriptive statistics for various physical measurements among male participants in different sports categories. The table includes the number of participants (N), mean, standard deviation (Std. Deviation), standard error (Std. Error), and 95% confidence intervals for the mean for each sports category. Additionally, it presents the minimum and maximum values for each measurement across different sports.

In terms of Sitting Height (cm), Male participants in Taekon had the highest mean sitting height (M = 85.058 cm), followed by MUAY (M = 85.570 cm), Kickboxing (M = 83.725 cm), and Karate (M = 83.022 cm). With regards to Arm span (cm), Muay participants demonstrated the highest mean arm span (M = 178.000 cm), followed by Kickboxing (M = 172.454 cm), TAEKON (M = 172.113 cm), and Karate (M = 171.126 cm). When considering Vertical Jump (inch), TAEKON participants displayed the highest mean vertical jump (M = 25.5535 inches), followed by MUAY (M = 25.4750 inches), KARAT (M = 24.9715 inches), and Kickboxing (M = 23.7917 inches). For Standing Broad Jump (cm), MUAY participants had the highest mean standing broad jump (M = 193.050 cm), followed by Kickboxing (M = 198.458 cm), TAEKON (M = 180.891 cm), and KARAT (M = 168.648 cm). Lastly, in terms of Medicine Ball Throw (m), participants in Kickboxing recorded the highest mean distance in the medicine ball throw (M = 5.0674 m), followed by TAEKON (M = 4.3964 m), MUAY (M = 4.6490 m), and KARAT (M = 4.1514 m).The sixth measure assessed was the Sit and Reach (cm), where male participants in TAEKON exhibited the highest mean sit and reach distance (M = 35.1047 cm), followed by Kickboxing (M = 35.9250 cm), MUAY (M = 34.7200 cm), and KARAT (M = 34.2294 cm). Seventh, in terms of the Standing Stork Balance (s), MUAY participants demonstrated the longest mean standing stork balance duration (M = 40.4405 seconds), followed by Kickboxing (M = 27.1213 seconds), TAEKON (M = 24.8146 seconds), and KARAT (M = 21.2828 seconds). Eighth, for the 20 Meter Run (s), TAEKON participants had the lowest mean time in the 20-meter run (M = 3.6042 seconds), followed by MUAY (M = 3.5475 seconds), Kickboxing (M = 3.6102 seconds), and KARAT (M = 3.9849 seconds). Ninth, in the T-Test (s), participants in KARAT had the highest mean time (M = 12.9911 seconds), followed by MUAY (M = 12.4650 seconds), TAEKON (M = 11.8047 seconds), and Kickboxing (M = 11.6225 seconds). Lastly, for the 1 Min Sit-Up, participants in TAEKON exhibited the highest mean number of sit-ups in one minute (M = 38.127), followed by Kickboxing (M = 38.854), MUAY (M = 34.800), and KARAT (M = 35.889).

According to the data provided, the Eleventh measure of Max Push-Up Participants in Kickboxing achieved the highest average number of maximum push-ups (M = 39.04), followed by TAEKON (M = 38.35), MUAY (M = 36.00), and KARAT (M = 29.41). Additionally, participants in Kickboxing exhibited the highest average handgrip strength (M = 35.7646 Kg), followed by TAEKON (M = 34.6891 Kg), KARAT (M = 33.6278 Kg), and MUAY (M = 33.4650 Kg). Furthermore, participants in KICKBOXING had the highest average predicted VO2 max (M = 40.2792), followed by MUAY (M = 40.3700), TAEKON (M = 36.6000), and KARAT (M = 31.4253). Moreover, participants in TAEKON showed the highest average fitness level (M = 7.4727), followed by MUAY (M = 7.9185), Kickboxing (M = 7.2083), and KARAT (M = 7.0741). Lastly, participants in KARAT achieved the highest average shuttle run score (M = 4.8519), followed by TAEKON (M = 4.2182), Kickboxing (M = 4.0833), and MUAY (M = 3.4685). These data indicate that male participants in different sports categories displayed variations in physical measurements, with some sports showing superior performance levels in specific metrics compared to others.

C. ANOVA for Female participants

A series of one-way ANOVA tests were conducted to examine the differences in various physical fitness measures among female participants.

Table 4 displays the results of a one-way ANOVA for female participants. The analysis revealed significant differences in sitting height (F(3, 90) = 5.762, p = .001) and predicted VO2 max (F(3, 90) = 3.855, p = .012) among the different groups. Specifically, there was a significant impact of group membership on sitting height, with a large effect size (\(\eta^2\) = .161), indicating that variations in sitting height were significantly influenced by different group memberships. Similarly, there was a significant impact of group membership on predicted VO2 max, although the effect size was smaller (\(\eta^2\) = .113). However, no significant differences were found in arms pan (F(3, 90) = 2.441, p = .069), vertical jump (F(3, 90) = 1.158, p = .330), standing broad jump (F(3, 90) = .139, p = .937), medicine ball throw (F(3, 90) = .967, p = .412), sit and reach (F(3, 90) = .750, p = .525), standing stork balance (F(3, 90) = 1.411, p = .245), 20 meter run (F(3, 90) = 2.039, p = .114), t-test (F(3, 90) = 1.198, p = .315), 1 min sit up (F(3, 90) = 2.062, p = .111), max push up (F(3, 90) = 1.665, p = .180), handgrip (F(3, 90) = .312, p = .816), level (F(3, 90) = 1.062, p = .369), and shuttle (F(3, 90) = .913, p = .438). These results indicate that among female participants, sitting height and predicted VO2 max are significantly influenced by different group memberships, while other physical fitness measures do not vary significantly across different groups.

Sitting Height (inches): There was a considerable difference in sitting height among female participants belonging to various groups (F(3, 90) = 5.762, p = .001).Post-hoc tests would be necessary to ascertain which groups differ significantly from each other. The effect size (\(\eta^2\) = .161) implies that approximately 16.1% of the variance in sitting height can be accounted for by the differences in group membership.

Predicted VO2 Max: A significant difference was observed in predicted VO2 max among female participants from different groups (F(3, 90) = 3.855, p = .012).Post-hoc tests would help identify which groups have significantly different predicted VO2 max values. The effect size (\(\eta^2\) = .113) suggests that roughly 11.3% of the variance in predicted VO2 max can be ascribed to differences in group membership.

Other Physical Fitness Measures: No significant differences were detected in armspan, vertical jump, standing broad jump, medicine ball throw, sit and reach, standing stork balance, 20-meter run, t-test, 1-minute sit-up, max push-up, handgrip, level, or shuttle among female participants from different groups. The lack of significant differences indicates that group membership did not influence the observed variations in these physical fitness metrics among female participants.

Therefore, the results indicate that sitting height and predicted VO2 max are the two physical fitness measures that are significantly impacted by different group memberships among female participants. Further analyses, such as post-hoc tests, can provide more in-depth insights into the specific group differences within these measures. Additionally, the effect sizes provide information about the practical relevance of the observed differences.

D. ANOVA for Male participants

A series of one-way ANOVA tests were conducted to examine the differences in various physical fitness measures among male participants.

Table 5 demonstrates the outcomes of the analysis of variance (ANOVA) for various physical measurements among male participants in different sports categories. The table includes the sum of squares, degrees of freedom (df), mean square, F-statistic, and p-value (Sig.) for each physical measurement.

• Sitting Height (cm)

  No considerable variation in sitting height was observed among different sports categories, as the results showed no significant difference (F(3, 112) = 1.069, p = .365).

• Armspan (cm)

  Similarly, there was no notable difference in armspan among the various sports categories, as the analysis revealed no significant difference (F(3, 112) = 1.405, p = .245).

• Vertical Jump (inch)

  Moreover, there was no apparent difference in vertical jump performance among different sports categories, as the results indicated no significant difference (F(3, 112) = 1.406, p = .245).

• Standing Broad Jump (cm)

  Nevertheless, a considerable variation in standing broad jump performance was found among different sports categories, as the analysis showed a significant difference (F(3, 112) = 3.105, p = .029). To determine which specific groups differ from each other, post-hoc tests may be conducted.

• Medicine Ball Throw (m)

  A considerable variation in medicine ball throw performance was also observed among different sports categories, as the results demonstrated a significant difference (F(3, 112) = 3.630, p = .015).

• Sit and Reach (cm)

  On the other hand, no considerable variation in sit and reach performance was observed among different sports categories, as the analysis revealed no significant difference (F(3, 112) = .579, p = .630).

• Standing Stork Balance Performance (s)

  Although not statistically significant, there appeared to be a trend towards a difference in standing stork balance performance across various sports categories (F(3, 112) = 2.474, p = .065).

• 20 Meter Run Performance (s)

  There was a statistically significant difference in 20-meter run performance among different sports categories (F(3, 112) = 7.933, p < .001).

• T-Test Performance (s)

  Similarly, there was a statistically significant difference in T-test performance among different sports categories (F(3, 112) = 4.884, p = .003).

• 1 Min Sit-Up Performance

  There was no statistically significant difference in the number of sit-ups performed in one minute among different sports categories (F(3, 112) = .804, p = .494).

• Max Push-Up Performance

  Although not statistically significant, there appeared to be a trend towards a difference in the maximum number of push-ups performed among different sports categories (F(3, 112) = 2.663, p = .051).

• Handgrip Strength (Kg)

  There was no statistically significant difference in handgrip strength among different sports categories (F(3, 112) = .245, p = .865).

• Predicted VO2 Max Performance

  There was a statistically significant difference in predicted VO2 max among different sports categories (F(3, 112) = 6.596, p < .001).

• Level of Fitness

  There was no statistically significant difference in fitness level among different sports categories (F(3, 112) = .420, p = .739).

• Shuttle Run Performance

  There was no statistically significant difference in shuttle run performance among different sports categories (F(3, 112) = .641, p = .590).

In summary, while some physical measurements showed statistically significant differences among different sports categories, others did not. These results suggest that certain sports may have an impact on specific physical attributes. Further investigation may be needed to understand the underlying factors contributing to these differences.

The authors declare no conflict of interests. All authors read and approved final version of the paper.

All authors contributed equally in this paper.

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