Sports anthropological studies of adolescent karateka and judoka in comparison

Abstract

The approach of the present study was to look for differences in body development in children practicing karate or judo. 50 children between the age of 7 and 16 years were measured for this study. Parnell’s and Heath and Carter’s somatotypes were used as well as the German constitution schools of Conrad as well and Knussmann. The influence on higher muscle development through practice of these martial arts cannot be denied, although no significant differences between the martial arts were found.

Only with a version of Conrad’s checkerboard pattern graph specially tailored for children, we could work out impressive differences between the sports. Differentiated according to age groups, it is noticeable that the male judoka make the most significant development from the hypoplastic area towards hyperplastic with increasing age.