Effect of Six-Week Training Program with Wearable Resistance Loading Distribution on Jumping Kicks Kinematics among Pencak Silat Athletes

Pencak Silat is a martial art that requires explosive lower-limb movements, particularly during jumping kicks, where biomechanical efficiency plays a crucial role in performance. Wearable resistance (WR) training has been utilized to enhance athletic performance; however, the effects of different loading distributions on jumping kick biomechanics in Pencak Silat remain unclear. This study aims to determine and compare the chronic effects of WR with 3% of body mass placed at different limb segments (shank, thigh, combined shank and thigh) and without load (0% of body mass) on performance parameters, including kicking time and kicking velocity. The findings will provide insights into optimizing training strategies for Pencak Silat athletes. Forty (N=40) university Pencak Silat athletes have been recruited as participants in this study. Participants was randomly assigned into lower limbs group with 3% of BM (shank, thigh and combined shank and thigh) and control group. Kinovea software was used to analyse kinematic data, to investigate the effects of six weeks of wearable resistance (WR) loading distributions on performance. A pre-test was conducted, assessing jumping front kick and jumping back kick, with kinematic parameters such as kicking velocity and kicking time. Following a six-week intervention with WR loading distributions, a post-test was performed, measuring the same parameters to evaluate training-induced adaptations. There was a significant improvement in kicking time and kicking velocity following the six-week training program. Evidently, 3% of BM loading distributions placed at shank, thigh and combined shank and thigh is sufficient to observe the jumping kicks kinematics. Most importantly, the six-week training program with 3% body mass (BM) loading distributions using wearable resistance resulted in greater improvements in performance, including kicking velocity and kicking time during jumping kicks in Pencak Silat.

This study investigates the effects of wearable resistance on kicking performance in Pencak Silat athletes.