{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,1]],"date-time":"2026-04-01T02:58:26Z","timestamp":1775012306870,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"17","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,4]],"date-time":"2025-09-04T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1756944000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient\u00edfico e Tecnol\u00f3gico (CNPq\u2014National Council for Scientific and Technological Development), Brazil"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Applied Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Karate emphasizes technical precision, controlled movement, and the integration of strength and speed. Understanding the relationship between athletic performance and mechanical energy is essential for refining techniques. This study quantifies kinetic energy during mae geri (front kick) and gyaku tsuki (reverse punch) in elite and sub-elite athletes. Fourteen male black-belt karate athletes were divided into two groups: elite (n = 7) and sub-elite (n = 7). Physical attributes and muscular strength were assessed using isokinetic evaluations, while striking performance was analyzed through synchronized kinematic systems to measure linear and rotational kinetic energy at key joints. No differences in dynamometric strength were found between groups. However, elite athletes showed superior peak kinetic chain output, achieving higher peak velocities and kinetic energy in both techniques. For mae geri, elite athletes showed higher peak velocity (9.5 \u00b1 0.8 vs. 8.5 \u00b1 0.8 m\u00b7s\u22121; p = 0.001) and kinetic energy (155.86 \u00b1 54.06 vs. 124.42 \u00b1 34.13 J; p = 0.012). In gyaku tsuki, elite athletes reached faster peak velocities (7.3 \u00b1 0.8 vs. 6.1 \u00b1 0.7 m\u00b7s\u22121; p = 0.001) and kinetic energy (269.57 \u00b1 18.62 vs. 214.44 \u00b1 9.27 J; p = 0.008). These findings highlight the importance of peak kinetic chain output in karate.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/app15179726","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,4]],"date-time":"2025-09-04T10:55:37Z","timestamp":1756983337000},"page":"9726","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Kinetic Chain Contribution to Speed and Energy in Karate Techniques"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Johan","family":"Robalino","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre of Research, Education, Innovation and Intervention in Sport, Faculty of Sport, University of Porto, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Porto Biomechanics Laboratory, Faculty of Sport, University of Porto, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4109-2939","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jo\u00e3o Paulo","family":"Vilas-Boas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre of Research, Education, Innovation and Intervention in Sport, Faculty of Sport, University of Porto, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Porto Biomechanics Laboratory, Faculty of Sport, University of Porto, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0769-8398","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Emerson","family":"Franchini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Physical Education and Sport, University of S\u00e3o Paulo, S\u00e3o Paulo 05508-060, SP, Brazil"}]},{"given":"Antonio Roberto","family":"Bendillati","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Physical Education, S\u00e3o Paulo State University, Rio Claro 13506-900, SP, Brazil"}]},{"given":"Mauro","family":"Gon\u00e7alves","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Physical Education, S\u00e3o Paulo State University, Rio Claro 13506-900, SP, Brazil"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4382-0159","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"M\u00e1rcio Fagundes","family":"Goethel","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre of Research, Education, Innovation and Intervention in Sport, Faculty of Sport, University of Porto, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Porto Biomechanics Laboratory, Faculty of Sport, University of Porto, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Physical Education, S\u00e3o Paulo State University, Rio Claro 13506-900, SP, Brazil"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,4]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"327","article-title":"The Effect of Motor Abilities on Karate Performance","volume":"30","year":"2006","journal-title":"Coll. 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