The Effects of a 12 Week Complex Training Method on Physical Performance in Fencing Athletes
Abstract
This study was conducted using a pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental design to examine the effects of a 12-week complex training method on the physical performance of licensed fencing male athletes aged 11-14. The study included 24 fencing athletes (Experimental Group: n=12; Control Group: n=12) from a sports club in Istanbul who volunteered to participate. The experimental group underwent a complex training programme three days a week in addition to their routine fencing training, while the control group continued with their routine training only. The participants' vertical jump, seated medicine ball throw, specific direction change, and reaction time performances were evaluated as pre-test and post-test. The data were analysed using the SPSS software package. Multivariate mixed ANOVA was used in the analysis of the data. According to the findings, the 12-week complex training programme significantly improved the vertical jump and specific direction change performance of fencing athletes (p<0.05). In addition, the experimental group showed more significant improvement than the control group in the reaction time test. In the seated medicine ball throw test, both groups showed similar improvement. The findings support the idea that complex training has a positive effect on the physical performance of fencing athletes (p<0.05). In conclusion, the complex training method contributes to meaningful and positive improvements in performance components such as vertical jump, specific direction change, and reaction time in fencing athletes. Based on these findings, it is recommended that complex training be used as a performance-enhancing method in the fencing discipline.
Keywords
Fencing, Complex Training, Physical Performance, Vertical Jump, Specific Direction Change
References
- Altınok, B. (2010). Researching basic biomotor, endurance and body fat percentage of elite men and women fencers attending high level sport whose branches are epee, foil and sabre. Master Thesis, Dumlupınar Üniversity Health Sciences Institute, Department of Physical Education and Sport, Kutahya.
- Balsalobre Fernández, C., Glaister, M. & Lockey, R. A. (2015). The validity and reliability of an iPhone app for measuring vertical jump height. Journal of Sports Sciences, 33(15), 1574-1579. [PubMed] [CrossRef]
- Bottoms, L., Tarragó, R., Muñiz, D., Chaverri, D., Irurtia, A., Castizo-Olier, J., Carrasco, M., Rodríguez, F. A., & Iglesias, X. (2023). Physiological demands and motion analysis of elite foil fencing. Plos One, 18(2), 1-14 [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Chtara, H., Negra, Y., Chaabene, H., Chtara, M., Cronin, J., & Chaouachi, A. (2020). Validity and Reliability of a New Test of Change of Direction in Fencing Athletes. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(12), 4545. [PubMed] [CrossRef]
- Duvan, A., Toros, T., & Şenel, Ö. (2010). Effects of maxımum exercıse ıntensıty on vısual reactıon tıme of elıte fencers. Nigde University Journal of Physical Education And Sport Sciences, 4(3).
- Faigenbaum, A. D., Kraemer, W. J., Blimkie, J. C. R., Jeffreys, I., Micheli, L. J., Myer, M. D., & Rowland, T. W. (2009). Youth resistance training: Updated position statement paper from the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 23(5), 60-79. [PubMed] [CrossRef]
- Greco, G. M., Muscella, A., Badicu, G., & Fischetti, F. (2023). Editorial: Physical stimulus-performance-adaptation: understanding the physiological relationship. Frontiers in Physiology. [PubMed] [CrossRef]
- Hodgson, M., Docherty, D. & Robbins, D. (2005). Post-Activation Potentiation. Sports Med 35, 585–595. [PubMed] [CrossRef]
- Khokhila, A., & Pavlos, O. (2017). Effectiveness of a complex physical training program of fencers during the preliminary-basic work phase. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 17(1), 142-145. [CrossRef]
- Kosova, S. (2013). The effects of acute vıbratıon applıcatıon to fencers on vısual reactıon tıme. Master’s Thesis, Dokuz Eylul University, Institute of Health Sciences, Izmir.