Can height categories replace weight categories in striking martial arts competitions? A pilot study

In most combat sports and martial arts, athletes compete within weight categories. Disordered eating behaviors and intentional pre-competition rapid weight loss are commonly seen in this population, attributed to weight categorization. We examined if height categories can be used as an alternative t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of human kinetics 2015-09, Vol.47 (1), p.91-98
Main Authors: Dubnov-Raz, Gal, Mashiach-Arazi, Yael, Nouriel, Ariella, Raz, Raanan, Constantini, Naama W.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
athletes
eating disorders
karate
rapid weight loss
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Summary:In most combat sports and martial arts, athletes compete within weight categories. Disordered eating behaviors and intentional pre-competition rapid weight loss are commonly seen in this population, attributed to weight categorization. We examined if height categories can be used as an alternative to weight categories for competition, in order to protect the health of athletes. Height and weight of 169 child and adolescent competitive karate athletes were measured. Participants were divided into eleven hypothetical weight categories of 5 kg increments, and eleven hypothetical height categories of 5 cm increments. We calculated the coefficient of variation of height and weight by each division method. We also calculated how many participants fit into corresponding categories of both height and weight, and how many would shift a category if divided by height. There was a high correlation between height and weight (r = 0.91, p
ISSN:1640-5544
1899-7562
1899-7562
DOI:10.1515/hukin-2015-0065