Physiological Responses During Karate Kata in Practitioners and Athletes: A Scoping Review

Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text. ABSTRACT Kata is a relevant task practiced by karatekas during karate sessions and an important competitive category that has made its debut at the Tokyo Olympic Games. This scoping review article presents what is already known about the physiological demands, and energy system contribution during kata practice in athletes and practitioners. The focus was related to heart rate (HR), blood lactate concentration ([La]), and oxygen consumption (V̇o2). Studies were retrieved from Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus, and in 104 articles found, 10 were considered eligible for this review. The results showed that kata practice can improve cardiorespiratory fitness. HR and lactate values changed according to the kata performed and the level of the performer's expertise. Lactate responses increased significantly after 3 kata repetitions compared with resting values. The energy system contribution was related to the kata duration, with the oxidative system being the predominant energy source in the longer kata, which is usually executed during competitions. For a video abstract of this article, refer Supplemental Digital Content 1 (see, http://links.lww.com/SCJ/A339).