Effects of lunge training on the striking ability of kendo players

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of lunge training on the striking ability of kendo players. Twelve university kendo players were assigned to either a training (n=6) or a control (n=6) group. The subjects in the training group performed lunge training three times a week for four weeks. After this training period, the pull-speed of the left leg during striking (p<0.01), the forward step distance of the right foot, maximal ground reaction force, maximal leg extension power, and the greatest leg split distance (p<0.05) all increased significantly in the training group. This study demonstrated that lunge training was effective in increasing the striking ability (i.e. increasing the pull-speed of the left leg after a strike) of kendo players.