Impact of video modeling training with verbal encouragement on the technical performance and mental toughness of novice karate athletes: an experimental study at Jakarta state university

This study aims to analyze the effect of video modeling training (VMT)+verbal encouragement (VE) towards the enhancement of technical performance (TP), and mental toughness (MT) among novice karate athletes. A true experimental design with a randomized control trial (RCT) was adopted in this study. 54 entry-level karate athletes were randomly devided in to control group (CG, n = 27, 11.7±0.72 year, 149±2.76 cm, 44.0±2.51 kg, 21.7±0.92 kg/m2), and experimental group (VMT+VE, n = 27, 12.3±0.76 year, 150±3.39 cm, 44.3±2.30 kg, 21.9±0.84 kg/m2). TPT, and KPT were used to measure technical performance, while MTQ-18 was used to measure mental toughness. Based on the pre- and post-measures of CG and VMT+VE, the study's findings indicated significant differences in TP (p < 0.05). In addition, there were significant main effects of time (p < 0.05), intervention program (p < 0.05), and interactions time × intervention program (p < 0.05) on TP variables. The second finding showed significant changes in MT variables between pre- and post-measures in VMT+VE (p < 0.05), but there was no change in CG (p > 0.05). However, repeated measures ANOVA confirmed that there were significant main effects of time (p < 0.05), intervention program (p < 0.05), and interactions time × intervention program (p < 0.05) on MT variables. Thus, we confirm that involving the use of an intervention program in the form of VMT+VE is an effective way to increase the levels of TP and MT among karate athletes than CG.