Investigating The Effect of Short-Term Karate Training on Some Physical Fitness Parameters in Visually Impaired 10–12-Year-Olds

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of short-term karate training on some physical fitness parameters in visually impaired children aged 10-12. A total of 15 visually impaired individuals participated in the study. While the study group received karate training together with physical education lessons 1 day a week for 6 weeks, the control group only attended physical education lessons. Within the scope of the Eurofit Special Test, anthropometric measurements, long jump, medicine ball throwing, sit-up, sit-reach (flexibility), walking on the bench, and 25-meter running tests were applied to the participants. According to the research data, while there was a significant difference between the pre-post tests of the anthropometric measurements of the study group (p<0.001), no significant difference was observed in the comparison of the two groups. While it was determined that there was a significant difference between the pretest-posttest values in the Eurofit Special test parameters of the study group (p<0.005), there was no significant difference between the pre-posttest values of the control group. While there was no statistically significant difference between the pretests of Eurofit Special test measurements in which two independent groups were compared, a statistically significant difference was found in favor of the study group in all parameters in the posttest when two independent groups were compared (p<0.005). As a result of the study, it was seen that short-term karate training gave positive results on some physical fitness parameters of visually impaired individuals between the ages of 10-12.