Physiological Profiles of French savate Athletes
Authors: Alain Duvallet Louis , Emilie Duvallet , François Lhuissier , Michele Beaudry 
Published: June 2021

This research reviews the physiological profiles of french footfighting athletes. French boxing is a french martial art that uses the hands and feet as weapons. To be succesful in international compétitions, savate athletes must achieve excellent level of fitness and physical conditions during training.

Measurement of physiological parameters

Each subjet performed two kinds of incremental exercice tests. Firstly, a treadmill (Jaeger LE 500; Jaeger, Germany) test was performed at 3% gradient to determine the cardiovascular status of the players during submaximal and maximal exercise. Secondly, simuled savate test was performed with specific techniques.

Heart rate responses during rest, exercise and recovery sage were noted every 5 seconds using a heart rate monitor (Polar, Finland). Maximum oxygen uptake (VO max) was measured according to the standard methodology (Astrand and Rodahl, 1970). The workload was increased every 2 min until exhaustion. Expired gases were sampled breath‐by‐breath and measured from a mixing chamber using computerized breathing gas analyzer (Oxycon Champion, Germany).

Participants

Participants were informed of the possible hazards of the study. Each test was scheduled at a similar time of the day to minimize the effect of daytime fluctuation. Participants were advised not to engage in strenuous activities two days before an exercise test and on the day of the test. Individuals were asked to maintain their normal diet.

Arterialized samples were obtained from earlobe and under ideal conditions; this provides a good approximation of arterial concentrations of lactate, and were analyzed by the enzyme method (Boehringer Mannheim, FRG). Special care has been taken to prevent contamination from sweat and to enhance rapid circulation.

Results

VO2 max are around 3,95–4,8 l/min. No significantly, aerobic capacity was noted in treadmill tests compared to boxing tests. Further, significantly higher (p < 0.02) maximal heart rates and peak lactatemia were observed. So the lactatemia is lower in specific tests

Discussion

The study of physiological responses during treadmill and boxing tests may be helpful for observing cardiovascular adaptation in boxers.

Heart rate and lactatemia responses during the specific test may give a better insight into the adaptation of the boxers responses as compared in laboratory conditions.

This study showed VO2max values between 55–65 ml/kg/min; and it seems that aerobic fitness discriminate elite competitive levels among French boxing athletes.

The higher lactatemia with a treadmill test compared to simulated boxing test indicates a lower glycolytic demand during boxing exercise conditions. Consequently, this may suggest that the type of test (boxing test) influences aerobic energy more than the glycolytic system.

Aerobic capacity was reported to play a major role in the performances of French footfighting athletes. And the majority of perceived exhaustion was higher in the lower limb muscle groups in boxing test. thus motivation, psychological factors, tactical and aerobic characteristics contribute more to performance than the lactic anaerobic system.

Standard and simulated tests differ considerably. As a result, coaches should create new strategies during training sessions to achieve the same effort to replicate the profile of competitive matches.

This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.