Abstract:

This study aimed to compare upper extremity reaction times and right-left leg balance levels in elite and non-elite male taekwondo players. The research's sample (N=19) consisted of ten elite athletes (mean age = 19.50±1.43) who participated in the Turkish and European Taekwondo Championships and nine non-elite athletes (mean age = 20.56±3.09) who did not succeed in medals. Body weight and body fat percentages were measured with the Tanita device, the light reaction test with the FitLight Trainer™ System Hand-Eye Coordination Test Light, and the right-left leg balance test with the Balance platform SIGMA device. For each analysis regarding independent variables, the normal distribution of the data was examined, and since normal distributions were provided for all variables, the Independent Samples t-Test was used to make two-group comparisons. According to the results, elite athletes had lower mean scores in most variables than non-elite athletes; however, the difference was found to be statistically significant only in the weight variable (p < .05). On the other hand, non-elite athletes had significantly lower mean scores in Deviation X left variable (p < .05). As a result, it can be said that balance and reaction components are not effective alone in the success of elite taekwondo players, and the effects of other motoric properties should also be considered

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