{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,19]],"date-time":"2026-09-19T12:07:06Z","timestamp":1789819626744,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":54,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,30]],"date-time":"2025-09-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1759190400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Postgraduate Scholarship Program\u2014PBPG Physical Education","award":["#705"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["#705"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.mdpi.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["JFMK"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Uchi-mata is one of the most frequently used throwing techniques in judo, yet little is known about the kinematic factors distinguishing specialists from non-specialists. This study compared lower-limb kinematics during uchi-mata across its three phases in elite judokas. Methods: Forty athletes (12 female, 28 male; 24.5 \u00b1 5.9 years) were classified as specialists (n = 20) or non-specialists (n = 20). Photogrammetry assessed hip, knee, and foot displacement, velocity, acceleration, and timing during the Approach, Turning, and Throw phases. Analyses were performed using mixed-effects models with group, phase, and sex as fixed effects, plus exploratory multivariate tests (p &lt; 0.05). Results: Specialists executed faster movements in the Approach (p = 0.036, d = 0.69) and Throw phases (p = 0.010, d = 0.85), showed greater hip displacement during Approach (p = 0.008, d = 0.89), and achieved superior knee and foot displacement in Throw (p = 0.005 and p = 0.003). Final positioning also differed, with specialists displaying higher knee (98.5 \u00b1 14.5 vs. 86.3 \u00b1 17.8 cm, p \u2264 0.001) and foot (121.0 \u00b1 19.7 vs. 104.4 \u00b1 27.4 cm, p = 0.034) heights, but lower hip position (61.9 \u00b1 4.2 vs. 75.6 \u00b1 7.5 cm, p = 0.021). Sex showed no significant effects or interactions, indicating that these group differences were consistent across male and female athletes. Conclusions: Uchi-mata specialists demonstrated superior displacement and velocity control, particularly in the Approach and Throw phases, reflecting greater neuromuscular coordination and efficiency. These findings provide practical markers for coaches and athletes to guide training focused on mobility, strength, and technical drills that enhance hip, knee, and foot displacement, supporting the optimization of uchi-mata performance in elite judo.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jfmk10040378","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,30]],"date-time":"2025-09-30T14:16:29Z","timestamp":1759241789000},"page":"378","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Kinematic Analysis of the Lower Limb in Uchi-Mata: Comparison Between Elite Athletes Specializing and Non-Specializing"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"10","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9678-1977","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ciro Jos\u00e9","family":"Brito","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Facultad de Ciencias M\u00e9dicas, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O\u2019Higgins n\u00b03363\u2014Estaci\u00f3n Central, Santiago 8320000, Chile"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Naiara Ribeiro","family":"Almeida","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Postgraduate Program of Physical Education, Department of Physical Education, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Governador Valadares 35010-900, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9260-2409","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ignacio","family":"Roa-Gamboa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Postgraduate Program of Physical Education, Department of Physical Education, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Governador Valadares 35010-900, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5941-4409","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lindsei Brabec Mota","family":"Barreto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Education Department, Physical Education School, Federal University of Grande Dourados, Dourados 79804-970, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jos\u00e9 Raimundo","family":"Fernandes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Postgraduate Program of Physical Education, Department of Physical Education, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Governador Valadares 35010-900, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5721-0725","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"L\u00facio Marques","family":"Vieira-Souza","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Physical Education School, University of Minas Gerais State, Passos 37900-106, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1775-7176","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ot\u00e1vio de Toledo","family":"N\u00f3brega","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Graduate Program in Medical Sciences, University of Brasilia, Campus Universitario Darcy Ribeiro, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alfonso L\u00f3pez","family":"D\u00edaz de Durana","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Sports Department, Faculty of Physical Activity and Sports Science\u2014INEF, Universidad Polit\u00e9cnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7513-7605","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Bianca","family":"Miarka","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Psychophysiology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-914, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1544-2824","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Esteban","family":"Aedo-Mu\u00f1oz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Facultad de Ciencias M\u00e9dicas, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O\u2019Higgins n\u00b03363\u2014Estaci\u00f3n Central, Santiago 8320000, Chile"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,30]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"239","article-title":"Maximal isometric handgrip strength and endurance differences between elite and non-elite young judo athletes","volume":"9","author":"Almeida","year":"2013","journal-title":"Arch. 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