Reliability and Validity of the Kickboxing Anaerobic Speed Test

ABSTRACT

Purpose: This study investigated the test-retest reliability and discriminant validity of the Kickboxing Anaerobic Speed Test (KAST) and established a comparison with the maximal cycling sprint test (MCST). Methods: Forty-two male kickboxing athletes (18 elite and 24 sub-elite) participated in this study. Kickboxers performed the tests in both single and multiple forms. The KAST_single was composed of kicks and punches, performed as quickly as possible until 5 reps of a 4 techniques’ combination (i.e., straight left punch, right-roundhouse kick, straight right punch, and left-roundhouse kick) were completed. The MCST_single was composed by a single 6-s maximal effort. The KAST_multiple was performed using 5 sequential sets of the single form following a 10s rest interval between sets. The MCST_multiple was performed using 5 × 6 s repeated cycling efforts with 10s rest intervals. The tests and retests were carried out on separate occasions. To establish the test’s discriminatory capability, elite and sub-elite athletes were compared. Results: All tests’ performance scores showed excellent relative and absolute reliability (ICC > 0.900, SEM ≤ 0.98 s for KASTs and ≤ 0.74 W•kg⁻¹ for MCST tests). Significant correlations between the identical versions were “large” (r > 0.70). Receiving operating characteristic analyses indicated that the KASTs and cycling tests were able to effectively discriminate between elite and sub-elite kickboxers. Additionally, the findings showed that KAST_single, MCST_single, KAST_multiple, and MCST_multiple correctly classified the groups by 78.6%, 73.6%, 88.1%, and 78.6%, respectively. Conclusions: This study supported the test-retest reliability and the discriminant validity of the KAST_single and KAST_multiple to evaluate kickboxing athletes.

KEYWORDS:

• Combat sports
• martial arts
• specific evaluation
• sport-specific

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank all kickboxers and their trainers for their assistance with conducting the study.

Cebrail Gençoğlu, Süleyman Ulupınar, and Serhat Özbay are in the Erzurum Technical University, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Erzurum, Turkey. Ibrahim Ouergui is in the High Institute of Sport and Physical Education of Kef, University of Jendouba, Tunisia. Emerson Franchini is in the Martial Arts and Combat Sports Research Group, School of Physical Education and Sport, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.

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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

This research has not been funded by any institution.