Relationship Between Lower and Upper Body Reactive Strength Indexes in Boxers

Abstract

The Reactive Strength Index (RSI) is used to determine the load and intensity of plyometric training in sports that require explosive strength. Although upper extremity plyometrics are used in athletic’ training programmes, there are no studies investigating upper extremity RSI. The aim of this study was to determine the upper and lower extremity reactive strength index generated during different plyometric push-up and jump techniques in boxers, and to examine the relationship between upper and lower extremity RSI. Twenty male boxers aged 18-35 years (age: 20.9±4.83; height: 1.76±.072; BMI: 22.42±2.39) with at least 4 years of boxing experience participated in the study. The RSI values were assessed during depth push-ups (10 cm, 15 cm, 20 cm) and depth jumps (30 cm, 45 cm, 60 cm), pliyometric push-ups and countermovement jumps using a force platform (TekScan, Matscan, model 3150, Boston, USA). The RSI values were calculated from the jump heights and ground contact times obtained from the force platform. No statistically significant correlation was found between the lower and upper extremity RSI for any of the plyometric exercises (p>0.05). When comparing countermovement jump and depth jumps, a statistically significant difference was found between the countermovement jump RSI and all depth jump RSIs (p0.05). Boxers transfer the power generated by the ground reaction force through the trunk to the upper extremities in order to punch quickly and effectively. The lack of a correlation between upper and lower extremity RSI values in this study may be attributed to the significant contribution of the trunk strength in generating power with the upper extremities. In addition, it is believed that the varying RSI values obtained during different plyometric push-up and jump techniques may provide insight into determining the load and intensity of plyometric training.

Keywords

• Explosive Strength
• Plyometric Jump
• Plyometric Push Up
• RSI

Boksörlerde Alt ve Üst Ekstremite Reaktif Kuvvet İndeksleri Arasındaki İlişkinin İncelenmesi

Abstract

Reaktif kuvvet indeksi (RKİ), patlayıcı kuvvet gerektiren spor branşlarında pliometrik antrenman yükünün ve yoğunluğunun belirlenmesi için kullanılmaktadır. Sporcuların yıllık programları içerisinde üst ekstremite pliometrik antrenmanları uygulanmasına rağmen RKİ çalışmalarına rastlanmamıştır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, üst ekstremitenin baskın olarak kullanıldığı boks sporunda şınav ve sıçrama teknikleriyle oluşturulan alt ve üst ekstremite reaktif kuvvet indekslerinin belirlenmesi ve aralarındaki ilişkinin incelenmesidir. Çalışmaya, 18-35 yaş aralığında (yaş:20,9±4,83; boy:1,76±.072; VKİ:22,42±2,39), en az 4 yıllık boks geçmişi olan 20 lisanslı erkek boksör katılmıştır. Boksörlerin RKİ değerleri; derinlik şınav (10 cm, 15 cm, 20 cm) ve derinlik sıçrama (30 cm, 45 cm, 60 cm), patlayıcı şınav, çök-sıçra hareketleri sırasında belirlenmiştir. Alt ve üst ekstremite RKİ değerleri kuvvet platformu (TekScan, Matscan, model 3150, Boston, USA) kullanılarak ölçülmüştür. Kuvvet platformundan elde edilen sıçrama yükseklikleri ve temas süreleri kullanılarak RKİ hesaplaması yapılmıştır. Sınav ve sıçrama hareketleri sırasında elde edilen alt ve üst ekstremite RKİ değerleri arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir ilişkiye rastlanmamıştır (p>0.05). Çök-sıçra ve derinlik sıçrama karşılaştırdığında ise, teknikler sırasında oluşturulan RKİ değerleri arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı fark bulunmuştur (p0,05). Boksörler hızlı ve etkili yumruk atmak için, yer tepki kuvvetinden faydalanarak oluşturdukları gücü gövde vasıtasıyla üst ektremitelere aktarırlar. Bu çalışmada alt ve üst ekstremite RKİ değerleri arasında ilişki bulunmaması, üst ekstremiteyle kuvvet oluştururken gövdenin de önemli rolünün olmasından kaynaklanmış olabilir. Bunun yanında, farklı şınav teknikleri ve farklı sıçrama tekniklerinin RKİ değerlerinin değişken olmasının, düzenlenecek pliometrik antrenmanların yükünün ve yoğunluğunun belirlenmesine ışık tutacağı düşünülmektedir.

Keywords

• Patlayıcı Kuvvet
• Pliometrik Sıçrama
• Pliometrik Şınav
• RKİ

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