A comparing the strength of taekwondo turning and side kicks in relation to athletes' gender, body weight and height.

The aim of this study was to assess turning and side kick strength in the context of gender and lateralisation. One hundred and ninety-seven kicks performed by nine elite International Taekwon-do Federation athletes were analysed: four males and five females. To record the force of the impact, a strain gauge platform padded with a training disc was used as a target to protect the participants from direct impact on a force plate mounted on a stable structure. On average, the side kick achieves higher strength than the turning kick (p < 0.001). Significant elements differentiating kick strength values are gender and type of kick. The results of our study indicate that gender and kick type, as well as body weight and height, have a significant influence on kick pressure force. The study revealed significant differences in strength values between side kicks and turning kicks, with side kicks generally showing greater strength. On average, this pattern remained consistent for all genders. There was a significant relationship between gender, body mass and height and the kick and its strength. On average, greater kick pressure force was achieved by males, but some females, after specialized training, are able to achieve greater values of this dynamic indicator compared to male athletes. Although side kicks show higher strength values, the turning kick dominates taekwon-do competitions. This suggests that factors beyond strength alone, such as speed and control, influence the choice of technique in the context of competition.