The Effects of a 12 Week Complex Training Method on Physical Performance in Fencing Athletes

This study was conducted using a pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental design to examine the effects of a 12-week complex training method on the physical performance of licensed fencing male athletes aged 11-14. The study included 24 fencing athletes (Experimental Group: n=12; Control Group: n=12) from a sports club in Istanbul who volunteered to participate. The experimental group underwent a complex training programme three days a week in addition to their routine fencing training, while the control group continued with their routine training only. The participants' vertical jump, seated medicine ball throw, specific direction change, and reaction time performances were evaluated as pre-test and post-test. The data were analysed using the SPSS software package. Multivariate mixed ANOVA was used in the analysis of the data. According to the findings, the 12-week complex training programme significantly improved the vertical jump and specific direction change performance of fencing athletes (p<0.05). In addition, the experimental group showed more significant improvement than the control group in the reaction time test. In the seated medicine ball throw test, both groups showed similar improvement. The findings support the idea that complex training has a positive effect on the physical performance of fencing athletes (p<0.05). In conclusion, the complex training method contributes to meaningful and positive improvements in performance components such as vertical jump, specific direction change, and reaction time in fencing athletes. Based on these findings, it is recommended that complex training be used as a performance-enhancing method in the fencing discipline.