Motor inhibition during a sport-specific taekwondo kicking task: behavioural, neuromuscular, and biomechanical responses

This study characterised the behavioural, neuromuscular, and biomechanical responses elicited during a sport-specific Go/No-Go kicking task and examined whether these responses differed according to Taekwondo expertise. Twenty-eight Taekwondo athletes (14 novice, 14 advanced; mean age = 16.6 ± 4.8 years) performed a field-based roundhouse-kick task. Reaction time, ground reaction force, kinematics, movement time, and electromyographic activity were recorded and analysed using mixed-effects models. Advanced athletes showed faster reaction times and fewer omission errors in Go trials; although overall No-Go accuracy was similar across groups, advanced athletes showed fewer partial inhibitory responses. Significant expertise × stimulus interactions were observed for jerk, take-off latency, and movement time. Advanced athletes exhibited greater dynamic output and shorter movement times during Go trials, while groups converged during No-Go trials. Electromyographic amplitude was lower in No-Go than Go trials, with minimal expertise effects. Overall, expertise-related differences were primarily observed in behavioural performance and movement dynamics, whereas neuromuscular responses associated with response suppression were largely comparable across expertise levels.