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51NEW APPROACH TO TALENT IDENTIFICATION IN COMBAT SPORTS THE CASE OF FENCING
Zbigniew Borysiuk, Dariusz Nawarecki
Opole University of Technology, Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Opole, Poland
Annotation. The research was based on extensive studies of fencers at the introductory and specialist training stages. The impact of formerly emphasized somatic and psycho-physiological factors on the level of sport mastery in fencing was sidelined in favor of psycho-motor factors. The latter, especially choice reaction time and spatial anticipation are considered to be the major predictors of talent in fencing. The application of the noviceexpert paradigm allowed assessment of developments of these traits as well as correlations between the information processing speed and the motor phase of sensor motor responses. A significant reduction of decision-making time in complex motor tasks was observed in expert fencers. Following opinions of the leading fencing coaches, reaction time should be treated as a significant factor of effectiveness of learning complex motor habits and their successful implementation in sport combat.
Key words: talent in fencing, anticipatory reactions, expert studies.
Аннотация. Борисюк Збигнев, Наварецки Дариуш. Новый взгляд на проблематику определения таланта в единоборствах на примере фехтования. Основу настоящей работы составляют исследования фехтовальщиков на этапах предварительной и специальной подготовки. Проведен критический анализ влияния соматических и психофизиологических показателей на уровень спортивного мастерства в фехтовании Показано, что ведущими являются компоненты психомоторикис доминированием скорости реакции по выбору и пространственной антиципации. Значительное снижение времени принятия решения в выполнении сложных двигательных актов было характерным для фехтовальщиков имеющих определенный стартовый опыт. Результаты исследований подтверждают важную роль этого показателя в эффективности обучения сложным двигательным актам и их применения в соревновательной деятельности.
Ключевые слова: талант в фехтовании, реакции антиципации, стартовый опыт.
Анотація. Борисюк Збигнев, Наварецки Дариуш. Новий погляд на проблематику визначення таланта в єдиноборствах на прикладі фехтування. Основу справжньої роботи становлять дослідження фехтувальників на етапах попередньої й спеціальної підготовки. Проведено критичний аналіз впливу соматичних і психофізіологічних показників на рівень спортивної майстерності у фехтуванні Показано, що ведучими є компоненти психомоторикиз домінуванням швидкості реакції на вибір і просторову антиципацію. Значне зниження часу прийняття рішення у виконанні складних рухових актів було характерним для фехтувальників що мають певний стартовий досвід. Результати досліджень підтверджують важливу роль цього показника в ефективності навчання складним руховим актам і їхнього застосування в змагальної діяльності.
Ключові слова: талант у фехтуванні, реакції антиципації, стартовий досвід.
INTRODUCTION
One of the most popular models of sport selection and talent development worldwide is the so-called model of sport championship, consisting of a set of guidelines for long-term sport training. The model was originally based on expert and extrapolation methods [7]. One of its varieties is the “champion model” constructed on the basis of correlations between athletes’ morpho-structural and physiological parameters and their sports results [11]. A dominant tendency in western countries used to be construction of talent identification models in sport similar to paradigms in science, art, business, etc. These concepts were then used in various organizational and institutional forms, e.g. national programs of talent identification in the United Kingdom [12], Canada [1], the United States [б], and Australia [4]. The common feature of the above models is complex analysis and recognition of all parameters that can affect sports results. They all focus on somatic, physiological and energetic properties of the athlete’s body as well as psycho-motor aspects, functions of the central nervous system, psychological characteristics and the impact of genetic traits.
Revision of traditional approaches. In terms of the so-called “champion model” the coaching practice shows that scientific selection without expert studies can miss crucial information in the process of identification of true talents. A number of trainees who have failed to go through the selection process have later achieved high sports results, including world championships. In such cases the selection process was a form of discrimination rather than recognition of talented individuals. It seems that statistical methods aimed at averaging parameters are conducive to construction of purely abstract models. It is also the case with talent selection and identification methods based on probability calculus and other mathematical methods, known as optimization of the sports training process.
A serious fault of the above systems is their negligence of motor habits learning and predispositions towards development of new motor experiences, which should serve as the basis of technical and tactical preparation combined with athletes’ psychological profiles and their effectiveness in sport competition. These factors are particularly significant in sports with open motor habits, including combat sports. Also, the selection
process should be emphasized as continuation of talent development in the course of one’s sport ontogenesis from the introductory to the championship stage.
There are also reservations about some national programs of sport talent development aimed at recognition of morphostructural and psycho-physiological predispositions, which sideline instruction of motor skills, including sports technique.
Complex studies of fencers carried out by numerous authors [3,10] revealed that athletes’ somatic properties had a limited influence on the achieved sports results. They can serve as a basis for classification of athletes into individual fencing weapon categories. Tall and slender athletes (leptosomatic types) become more often epee and foil fencers; whereas shorter and muscular individuals become saber fencers. Physiological parameters measured with VO2 max are not significant factors discriminating between the champions and average-level fencers. Some significance can be attributed to predispositions in the area of anaerobic metabolism, especially the phosphagen system in legs, measured with the Wingate test. However, the main area of prediction of high sports results and fencing talent consists of a complex of psycho-motor conditions such as speed, accuracy and durability of acquisition of motor habits and their variability in sport ontogenesis [2,5].
T alent development in sports with open motor habits. The case of fencing. It is beyond all doubt that in most sports with open motor habits (combat sports, martial arts, team games and racket games) the physical effort is subordinate or complementary to the technical and tactical requirements of a given sport. Recognition of a sport talent is in such cases very difficult as the development of motor skills does not correspond to the teaching of motor habits, which are crucial components of motor skills. Motor learning is of permanent character and, at an advanced level of training, attributes of championships become no longer associated with physical fitness but with perfection in execution motor programs in changing sports combat conditions in accordance with the tactical demands of sport competition. Despite extensive research in the area the variability and development of technical skills in sport ontogenesis have never been thoroughly analyzed for objective reasons related to assessment difficulties even with application of modern technology (biomechanical analysis, video recording, telemetry, EMG). It seems that thorough studies of these issues are not possible without the empirical approach, with a particular emphasis put on expert opinions and research results [8].
RESEARCH METHODS
1. The first long-term research study was carried out on a sample of 127 fencers of the Polish National Team at the introductory and championship training levels and on junior fencers. With the aid of optimization statistical methods factors with the greatest impact on sports results in fencing were identified. They included visual-motor coordination, choice reaction time using EMG, precision and speed test consisting of pinning down a falling glove with a fencing weapon, temperament and stimulation processes.
2. The second study was conducted on a sample of 22 novice and 16 advanced fencers representing three fencing weapons: epee, saber and foil. Adopting a perceptual-cognitive approach the research procedures were selected to reflect three different types of reaction: simple, choice and spatial anticipation (Fig. 1a, 1b, 1c). The study made a system of testing of psycho-motor reactions with the use of EMG for differentiation between the latency phase and sensorimotor response.
Complex simple reaction I ms] Complex simple reaction [ms)
160^3 183r2t>
K!
H ■ ivr ■ ,v!'
6D.0Q C2.I3
Fig. 1a. Reaction time (RT) and movement time (MT) in simple reaction test
Complex choice reaction [ms]
Advanced ^sneers
Complex choice reaction [ms]
Novices fencers
23S.33 2WA7
| fit fft
■ MT ■ MT
b)9.1 / low
Fig. lb. Reaction time (RT) and movement time (MT) in choice reaction test
Time anticipation reaction [ms] Time anticipation reaction [ms]
Advanced Fenceri Wovrtei femnpri
117,16 156,73
RT
■ v,t ■ MT
44,25
Fig. 1c. Reaction time RT and movement time MT in spatial anticipation reaction test
3. The analysis and conclusions were completed with recordings of technique parameters during world championship duels of both senior and junior fencers and with opinions of leading combat sports and martial arts coaches in Poland [9]. It was revealed that the desired technical profiles of medalists promoted fencers with higher than average technical indices in offensive, offensive-defensive and defensive actions.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
It has been assumed that talent in fencing is the ability to effectively acquire motor patterns understood as motor programs. The second criterion of fencing talent is effective execution of motor programs in sport combat understood as a correlation between the fencers’ technical-tactical profile and their sport results. The following conclusions concerning talent identification in sports with open motor habits can be drawn (on the basis of the analysis of novice and advanced fencers):
1 The study proved the significance of simple and choice reaction time in responses to visual stimuli, and the results showed the superiority (lower values of studied parameters) of advanced fencers over novice fencers. Also, the measurement of the speed of information processes (RT and MT) and analysis of simple reaction and choice reaction time results showed that elite fencers reduced their time of sensorimotor responses mostly in the middle phase, i.e. they perceive and make decisions much faster than novice fencers. It is a permanent process of reduction of the latency phase in RT in the course of attainment of sport championship and it points to the influence of specialist training on the effectiveness of perceptual processes in advanced fencers.
2 The effectiveness of reactions to spatial anticipation signals was significantly higher in advanced fencers. It can be concluded that advanced fencers process the signals very early and react to the initial signals at a proper time. Too fast reactions were recorded as incorrect.
3 Statistical analysis and the coaching experience reveal a correlation between the quantity of actions (technical patterns) and the fencer’s ranking place at top-level competitions. The champions, thanks to optimal stimulation, can effectively use the technical elements at their disposal, even in conditions of intensive mental stress. It is one of the main discriminating factors between advanced and novice fencers.
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Came to edition 29.04.2008.
