MOTOR SKILLS AS PREDICTORS OF COMPETITORS ` SELECTION IN KARATE

e goal of the research, which encompassed a wide range of indicators, was to examine the predictive value of motor abilities of karatekas in competitive selections, regarding their competitive orientation towards a certain discipline: kata or kumite. Related to set object and goal of research, a hypothesis was set up: motor skills are signi cant predictors for competitive selection of karatekas. e sample of respondents was made of male karatekas, aged 12 to 14, who are in regular training process and who compete in current competitive system. e research encompassed 79 karatekas, of which 37 compete in kumite, 23 compete in kata, and 19 in both disciplines. To evaluate general motor skills of karatekas, 15 tests were applied, 3 tests for each of the following set: repetitive strenght, explosive strenght, speed, coordination and exibility. Descriptive statistical parameters were applied, Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) and analysis of covariance (АNСОVА). Statistical signi cance was analyzed at (p<0.05) level. Results obtained con rmed the set up hypothesis of predictive value of motor abilities of competitive selections karatekas.


INTRODUCTION
Di erent moving activities show certain qualitative characteristics of change it.ese characteristics of the movable abilities of man are called di erent terms, but most o en they are motor skils (Zivanovic, Stanković, Randjelovic, and Pavlović, 2010).ey represent the basis for every learning of moving tasks and can be considered as fundamental values in the total space of the human motor system (Kurelić, Momirović, Stojanović, Šturm, Radojevic, and Viskić-Štalec, 1975).
De ning one of the youngest martial arts disciplines that experienced real expansion in the second half of the last century (Savić, Nićin, Horvat and Kopas, 1994;Cirkovic Jovanović, 2002. Bratic,2006) represents a delicate theoretical and methodological problem.In literature we are faced with numerous attempts to de ne karate.At the same time, as a rule, polemic, mystique and overall complexity of research karate as a sort of phenomenonis emphasised (Savić et al.,1994;Bratic, 2006;Cirkovic, Jovanović, Kasum, 2010).In this regard, it seems helpful to claim that, instead of the usual question: "when and where it originated", it is more important to answer the question "what is karate" or "what can be de ned as karate" (Jovanović, 1992).
Since competitions in karate, according to special rules, take place in two competing disciplines (kata and kumite), the subject of interest in this research is the motor ability that contributes to this di erentiation for one of these two disciplines.erefore, we conducted a study to determine the predictive values of relevant motor skills.
In relation to the subject and goal set, as well as on the basis of previous researches (show research), we presume that the motor abilities are important predictors of competitive selection in karate.

METHODS
e sample consisted of male karatekas aged 12 to 14 who were in regular training and competed in the existing system of competition in the Karate Federation of Serbia. is research included a total of 79 karatekas, of which 37 were competitors in the kumite, 23 kata competitors and 19 respondents who competed in both disciplines (Table 1).Signi cant motorical dimensions were examined using the following measuring instruments: standing long jump (MSLJ), throwing a medicine ball from a lying position (MTFLP), standing triple jump(M-STJ), 20 meters of sprint from the high start in seconds (M20SS), hand tapping (MHT15), leg tapping (MLT15), forward bend on a bench (MFBB), twist witha stick (MTWS), forward bend from discrepant position (MFBFD), polygon exercise backwards (MPEB), steps to a side in seconds (MSUS), 5x10 meters (MR5X10M), push-ups (MPU), sit-ups (MSU), chin-ups (MCU).
e results of measurement of motor skills are statistically processed by application of descriptive statistical parameters: aritmetic mean (MEAN), standard deviation (SD), with 95% reliability interval.
To examine potential di erences between groups (''kumite'' , ''kata'' , ''kumite + kata''), Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was applied, while for the group of tests (for excluding the potential inuence of body height on di erences in motor skills tests) analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was applied.Statistical signi cance was analyzed at (p<0.05) level.

RESULTS
e results of descriptive statistics of the sample variables are shown in Table 2. e ghters had a bit more value than kata competitors,or those who are both kata competitorsand ghters, although these di erences are not signi cant (see the table for details) (Table 3).Multivariate covariance analysis (Table 3) showed that the in uence of body height on the results of motor tests is signi cant.When the results of a motor test compare relative to the body height,there were no signi cant di erences in the motor between the respondents of di erent ages, but orientation factor was signi cant in this case.
Subsequent analysis (Table 4) showed that body height had signi cant in uence on variables MSLJ, MTFLP, MSTJ, M20SS.Relative to body height, the factor of age was signi cant in the case MTFLP, MCU, while the "competition orientation" factor was signi cant in the case of the largest number of variables(MTFLP, M20SS, MHT15, MSUS, MR5X10M, MSU).e di erences between age and competition (cross factors) were consistent for all motor variables.Gužvica, 2011), we can say that karate skills are positively correlated with basic motor skills.Most signi cant abilities, those that a ect movement and selection techniques that are most often used in combat, are explosive power, speed, coordination and exibility.As a result of speci c motor demands, required in a particular discipline competition, it was expected that some di erences between the groups will appear.
Based on the results and descriptive statistics of motor variables in the entire sample,[Mean (standard deviation)] according to the age or discipline, as shown in the pictures (Pictures 1 to 9), we conclude that it is the kumite competitors who have slightly higher values than kata competitors and kata competitors + kumite competitors.In the evaluation variables of explosive strength (MSLJ, MTFLP, MSTJ), the results of kumite competitors compared to the results of kata competitors were significantly better only in the oldest respondents (2000), and this difference is reduced when analyzing the results of younger karatekas.The situation is similar at the maximum speed, where in M20SS variable, kumite competitors have significantly better results in relation to the kata competitors, which is particularly manifested in the youngest participants.At speed of frequency movements there are no significant differences between groups except for the oldest competitors (2000), where the results of the kumite competitors are better in comparison to the other two groups of respondents.In coordination, kumite competitors also have better results, though these values are not significantly higher, except in one variable (MSUS), among the oldest (2000) and the youngest (2002) Throw out respondents.Kumite competitors were also significantly better than kata competitors in the variable MR5X10M among the oldest respondents.There was no significant difference in the domain of flexibilitybetween the groups, although the results of the kumite competitors were better, while in the repetitive power, kata competitors' group was significantly weaker than the other two groups of respondents.In only one variable (repetitive force (MCU)), groups which competes in both fields, is significantly better than in the other two groups, and that at the oldest (2000) competitor.
By comparing the results obtained in our study with recent similar studies (Koropanovski et al., 2011;Koropanovski, 2012), we can say that there are no major di erences.As in our study, kumite competitors had better results in speed and explosive power, but the results of exibility are di erent.In this domain competitors in kata, in contrast to our study, had better results, slightly below the level of signicance.This can be attributed to the fact that in this research respondents are top-level kumite competitors, while kata competitors in modern karate are performing techniques from relatively low poses.For this reason, the training of kata competitors focuses on increasing mobility, especially in lower extremities.In a more recent study, Korapanovski(2012), examined the characteristics of the best competitors in kata and fighting, and applied tests of general and specific motor abilities in different regimesof muscle strain.
Multivariate analysis of covariates indicated that the influence of body height on motor test results is significant.When the results of motor tests compare relative to body height, there are no significant differences in motor skills between respondents of different ages, but the factor of competitive orientation in this case was significant.Subsequent analysis showed that body height had a significant impact on the MSLJ, MTFLP, MSTJ, M20SS, variables.Relative to body height, the age factor was significant in the case of MTFLP, MCU, while the factor "competitive orientation" was significant in the case of most variables (MTFLP, M20SS, MHT15, MSUS, MR5X10M, MSU).Differences by age or competition orientation (crossed factors) were consistent for all motor variables.Subsequent analysis showed that the largest number of significant differences were obtained in the oldest age group (2000) in favor of fighters or fighters + kata competitors, compared to kata competitors.

CONCLUSION
The aim of the study, which covered a wide range of indicators, was to examine the predictive value of motor skills in karate competition selection, and in their competitive orientation toward specific disciplines of kata or fighting.Therefore, we explored the differences between respondents of different competitive orientations.In this research we tried to determine the eventual impact of motor abilities on the preference of the respondents to the competitive discipline, by testing their differences.To assess general motor skills of karatekas, we applied three tests for most significant motor skills that affect movement and the techniques which are commonly used in sports fight.As a result of specific motor demands in a specific discipline, it was expected that there would be some differences between the groups of examined karatekas, and it was confirmed by the obtained results.This confirmed the established hypothesis on the predictive values of motor skills in the competitive selection of karatekas.This confirmed the established hypothesis on the predictive values of motor skills in competitive selection of karatekas, but it should be noted that the research was carried out on a population of karatekas who are in a period of intensive growth and development, and similar studies should be done with a population of older adults in order to collect even more reliable results.The study is a major contribution to karate because of the very small number of studies devoted to study the differences between the different competition orien-tation of karatekas.The results of this research can serve as the basis and impetus for future research in karate.

Picture 5 .Picture 7 . 6 .
Hand tapping for 15 seconds Running 5x10 m Picture 9. Chin-ups Picture Steps to a side in seconds Picture 8. Sit-ups

Table 1 .
Caracteristics of the sample

Table 2 .
Descriptive Statistics [Mean mean (standard deviation), interval reliability]for motor variables (whole sample)

Table 4 .
Results of covariance analysis (ANCOVA) for motor variables (factors: age and competition orientation)