Whole-Body Vibration (WBV) as a Conditioning Activity for Roundhouse Kick (mawashi geri) Performance in Karate

Karate athletes strategically use lower-limb techniques in combat, with the roundhouse kick (<i>mawashi geri</i>) being highly effective in kumite. To quickly improve the technical performance before training or competitions, conditioning activities (CAs) are often utilized. Recently, Whole-Body Vibration (WBV) has emerged as a potential conditioning activity (CA). This study aimed to analyze the acute effects of WBV as a CA on the performance of the <i>mawashi geri</i>. The sample included sixteen male karate athletes. The study had a familiarization and two experimental sessions: one with WBV and the other without (NWBV), conducted randomly and counterbalanced, each preceded and followed by a <i>mawashi geri</i> assessment on a force platform. During the CA intervention, the participants performed four sets of isometric half-squats on a vibration platform at a frequency of 26 Hz and an amplitude of 4 mm in the WBV condition, while the platform was off in the NWBV condition. A significant reduction in the <i>mawashi geri</i> attack phase time was observed under the WBV condition [pre: 0.31 ± 0.03 s; post: 0.30 ± 0.03 s] compared to the NWBV condition [pre: 0.31 ± 0.04 s; post: 0.32 ± 0.03 s] (<i>p</i> = 0.02). However, no differences were noted regarding the impact force or other kinetic variables between the conditions. Therefore, WBV did not increase the performance of the kinetic and kinematic variables of the <i>mawashi geri</i> in karate athletes, but it is possible that there is a positive effect on attack time, suggesting that further studies with different vibration protocol configurations would be beneficial.