Proposal of a New Specific Test to Assess the Aerobic Performance in Judo

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Judo is an intermittent sport, dependent on anaerobic metabolism as well as aerobic metabolism to generate energy during a match; however, there are few reliable tests to measure specific aerobic performance in judo. Thus, the present study aimed to propose a new specific and indirect method to assess the aerobic performance in judo athletes; it determined the inter-rater and test–retest reliability of this new protocol and correlated the new protocol with a valid laboratory test. Method: The participants included 15 men, athletes of judo (age average: 21.59 ± 4.60 years, weight: 80.71 ± 15.93 kg and height: 173.2 ± 6.84 cm). The participants performed three tests: the first test was a graded exercise test (GXT) and the second and third tests were the Judo Aerobic Test (JAT). Results: The test presented high test–retest and inter-rater reliability, the intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) ranking of 0.68–0.96, the correlation values ranging from .77 to .96, and no statistical differences between means in test and retest (p > .05). The standard error of measurement and the coefficient of variation between raters presented lower than 10%, indicating reproducibility. Moderate and strong correlations were found between JAT and GXT variables. Conclusion: We concluded that the test presents excellent inter-rater and test–retest reliability and a moderate correlation with GXT.

KEYWORDS:

• Aerobic
• judo
• test–retest reliability
• exercise evaluation

IRP approval

The present study was approved by the Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Sudeste de Minas Gerais ethical committee CAAE: 44612115.6.0000.5588.

Acknowledgments

The authors desire to acknowledge the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Southern Minas Gerais, for the financial support, also we would like to thanks the NIPE, and the Institutional Program of Scientific Initiation Scholarship (Programa Institucional de Bolsa de Iniciação Científica- PIBIC) protocol number 023/2016. We want to thank every athlete who contributes to this study, the professors’ black belts which help us during the study (Sensei Ednei Piza, Sensei Gabriel Varandas, Sensei Lucas, Sensei Douglas Valentine and Sensei Ricardo Avelino).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of South of Minas Gerais Muzambinho, Brazil, through the “Programa Institucional de Bolsa de Iniciação Cientifica (PIBIC) – Grant number [023/2016].