PHYSIOLOGICAL AREA   

Medicina dello Sport 2019 September;72(3):331-43

DOI: 10.23736/S0025-7826.19.03383-0

Copyright © 2019 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English, Italian

A loss of precision of movements in fencing due to increasing fatigue during physical exercise

Mateusz WITKOWSKI ¹ ✉, Krzysztof KARPOWICZ ², Maciej TOMCZAK ², Michał BRONIKOWSKI ²

¹ Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland; ² University School of Physical Education, Poznan, Poland

BACKGROUND: Physical exercise is one of the factors affecting the functions of the body. We attempted to determine the relationship between the ability to maintain precision and control of movements and the amount of exercise and fatigue in fencing.
METHODS: The study involved 20 female fencers, who were divided into two groups based on the level of their sporting proficiency. Group A (N.=10) consisted of leading Polish female fencers, Olympic team members (age: M=19.90, SD=2.64); group B (N.=10) included Polish national fencing team competitors who were not members of the Olympic team (age: M=18.30, SD=2.16). In the study, the test for determining endurance capacity in fencers (25) was modified in order to determine the accuracy of fencing hits. The accuracy and duration of fencing hits were measured and the concentrations of blood lactate (LA) were determined prior to (at rest), during (after three minutes, six minutes and nine minutes) and after the specialist endurance capacity test (after ten minutes).
RESULTS: The analysis of results obtained in the accuracy test (precision of movements) showed that the task accomplishment time was significantly shorter after 3 minutes (P<0.01), 6 minutes (P<0.05) and 9 minutes (P<0.01) and at the end of the test (P<0.001) during the endurance test (increasing physical exercise) in the group at a higher level of sporting proficiency (group A) compared to group B. There were no significant differences between the groups at rest. No significant differences in the task accomplishment time were observed in group A during the accuracy test. In group B, however, the task accomplishment time was significantly longer at the end of the test compared to the value at rest (P<0.01).
CONCLUSIONS: The study showed similar physiological responses of the body to increasing fatigue in both highly and less proficient athletes. However, the high-performance fencers’ ability to maintain precision and control of movements was not significantly affected by physical exercise. Furthermore, the high-performance fencers were characterised by greater precision during various stages of exercise compared to the less proficient athletes.

KEY WORDS: Athletic performance; Endurance training; Physical exercise