Characteristics of youth female judo athletes

Marina Saldanha da Silva Athayde; Rafael Lima Kons; David Hideyoshi Fukuda and Daniele Detanico

Adolescence comprises a phase where a several important biological manifestations occur, such as peak height velocity (PHV), peak weight velocity, sexual maturation, and, specifically for girls, the menarche [1]. Although these changes occur differently in girls and boys, several studies have investigated the role of growth and maturity status on physical performance only in young male judo athletes [2,3,4]. Thus, the information about maturational aspects in girls’ athletes/practitioners of combat sports is still scarce.

Recently, Athayde et al. [5] (full text in: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/23/12829) compared body size measurements (height and weight) and physical performance among female youth judo athletes (n=19, age 13.9 ± 2.3 years, range 10.9–17.0 years) with differing menarcheal status and identified indicators of physical performance in post-menarcheal girls. The athletes were evaluated through neuromuscular tests (handgrip strength, medicine ball throw and standing long jump tests) and judo-specific assessments (Special Judo Fitness Test and Judogi Grip Strength Test). The main results showed higher performance in the post-menarche group for most variables analyzed. In addition, the age at menarche and somatic growth variables were the primary indicators of physical performance in young female judo athletes (see Table 1 for more details).

REFERENCES

1. Malina, R.M.; Bouchard, C.; Bar-Or, O. Growth, Maturation, and Physical Activity, 2nd ed.; Human Kinetics: Champaign, IL, USA, 2004. 
2. Detanico, D.; Kons, R.L.; Fukuda, D.H.; Teixeira, A.S. Physical Performance in Young Judo Athletes: Influence of Somatic Maturation, Growth and Training Experience. Res. Q. Exerc. Sport 2020, 91, 425–432. 
3. Fukuda, D.H.; Beyer, K.S.; Boone, C.H.; Wang, R.; La Monica, M.B.; Wells, A.J.; Hoffman, J.R.; Jeffrey, R.; Stout, J.R. Developmental associations with muscle morphology, physical performance, and asymmetry in youth judo athletes. Sport Sci. Health 2018, 14, 555–562. 
4. Giudicelli, B.B.; Luz, L.G.O.; Sogut, M.; Sarmento, H.; Massart, A.G.; Júnior, A.C.; Field, A.; Figueiredo, A.J. Chronological Age, Somatic Maturation and Anthropometric Measures: Association with Physical Performance of Young Male Judo Athletes. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 6410
5. Athayde MSDS, Kons RL, Fukuda DH, Detanico D. Body Size Measurements and Physical Performance of Youth Female Judo Athletes with Differing Menarcheal Status. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021, 18, 12829.

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