Anthropometric and Physiological Profile of Elite Iranian National Kickboxing Team: A Comparison of Ring-Style and Tatami-Style Kickboxing

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UDC: 796 DOI: 10.14526/2070-4798-2023-18-1-145-154
Anthropometric and Physiological Prole of Elite Iranian National Kickboxing
Team: A Comparison of Ring-Style and Tatami-Style Kickboxing
Hamid Amni1*, Azin Zargham2, Behdad Tondpa3, Sadegh Amani-Shalamzari3
1University of North Carolina Greensboro
Greensboro, United States
ORCID: 0000-0001-5272-595X, h_amni@uncg.edu;
2Laurentian University
Greater Sudbury, Canada
ORCID: 0009-0003-4386-6461, azargham@laurentian.ca
3Kharazmi University
Tehran, Iran
ORCID: 0000-0001-5996-1170, behdadtondpa22@gmail.com;
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-3021-8970, amani_sadegh@khu.ac.ir
Abstract: Kickboxing is a physically demanding combat sport. Understanding elite national
team kickboxers’ anthropometric and physiological characteristics are crucial for enhancing
performance and designing eective training programs. The aims of the present study are to (a)
prole anthropometric and physiological characteristics of the male Iranian National Kickboxing
Team and (b) examine dierences between Ring (uncontrolled) and Tatami (controlled)
Kickboxing styles. Materials. A total of twelve male athletes, comprising six Tatami and six
Ring-style kickboxers, with an average age of 26.9 ± 3.3 years, joined the Iranian national team
in 2019 and were recruited for this study. The following parameters were measured at Iran’s
Olympic Academy Center: body composition, muscle strength, muscle endurance, aerobic
power, exibility, speed, agility, reaction time, anaerobic power, and explosive leg power.
Research methods. The data were analyzed with mean and standard deviation, and the
independent t-test was used to compare the data of both styles. Results. Ring-style kickboxers
outperformed Tatami-style kickboxers in fat-free mass, body fat percentage, arm span, relative
squat, relative chest press, relative deadlift, relative handgrip, modied pull-ups, push-ups, sit-
ups, vertical jump, exibility, VO2max, arm and leg Wingate (p<0.05). Both groups had high
levels of physical tness, except for aerobic capacity, which was lower than expected in both
groups. Conclusion. These ndings suggest that Iranian elite kickboxers have ideal physical
tness components. Coaches should design specic training programs to improve the aerobic
capacity of these athletes, which is vital to enhancing their performance. The study’s results can
contribute to the Kickboxing community, including coaches, trainers, and athletes, by optimizing
eective physical tness programs.
Keywords: Martial Arts, skill-related physical tness, Wingate; Vo2 max.
For citation: Hamid Amni*, Azin Zargham, Behdad Tondpa, Sadegh Amani-Shalamzari. Anthropometric
and Physiological Prole of Elite Iranian National Kickboxing Team: A Comparison of Ring-Style and
Tatami-Style Kickboxing. Russian Journal of Physical Education and Sport. 2023; 18(1): 120-128. DOI:
10.14526/2070-4798-2023-18-1-145-154.
Introduction
Kickboxing is a combat sport that has evolved
from ancient Asian martial arts, such as Muay
Thai, Boxing, and Karate. Kickboxing has gained
popularity worldwide and has been adapted to
dierent styles and rules, making it a diverse and
ever-evolving sport. It is now widely recognized as a
full-contact combat sport requiring physical tness
and technical skills (1). It combines boxing punches
with kicking techniques, making it a highly versatile
and dynamic sport. Kickboxing has dierent
styles, including Tatami (controlled) and Ring
(uncontrolled), for ghting while standing (1). In the
Tatami style, all strikes, which may lead to serious
injury, are forbidden, while such strikes are not
controlled in the Ring style (2). Kickboxing athletes
are grouped based on their gender, weight, and age
categories (3). According to the rules established by
the World Association of Kickboxing Organizations
(WAKO), junior and senior level athletes in Ring
and Tatami compete in a formal bout consisting of
three active two-minute rounds separated by one-
minute rest periods (2). However, the duration and
number of rounds in professional kickboxing bouts

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may vary depending on the organization's rules. In
international kickboxing competitions, medalists
are often required to compete in three to ve bouts,
and the match results are determined after the third
round (4).
Fighters' body mass is evaluated on the
registration day for athletes in both styles. Ring-
style athletes' weights will be checked every
morning throughout the competition. Each
kickboxer is assigned to a specic weight category
(2). Therefore, weight control and body composition
during competition and training days are essential
(5). Moreover, as kickboxing is a dynamic, high-
intensity intermittent striking combat sport, the
athletes need a high level of physical tness. The
athletes must perform a great number of actions
during each match (6-8). Despite the increasing
popularity of kickboxing as a competitive sport, more
research needs to investigate the anthropometric
and physiological characteristics of elite kickboxers
at the national level. Therefore, understanding
elite kickboxers' physical tness and physiological
proles is crucial for designing appropriate training
programs and enhancing performance. This study
aims to address this gap in the literature by proling
the anthropometric and physiological characteristics
of the Male Iranian National Kickboxing Team
members and examining dierences between Ring
and Tatami-style Kickboxers. To achieve this, health-
related and skill-related tests will be used to measure
the athletes' aerobic power, muscular endurance
and strength, exibility, body composition, speed,
agility, power, balance, coordination, and reaction
time. Given the complex demands of Kickboxing,
which require the eective integration of these
components (9-12), this study will provide valuable
insights into the physiological characteristics that
distinguish top-level kickboxers from their peers.
While there have been some investigations into
the physical tness characteristics of kickboxers
from other countries, such as Turkey (13), more
information on Iranian kickboxers needs to be
given. Understanding successful athletes' physical
tness and physiological proles can inform future
athletes' training program development (14).
Furthermore, analyzing this data can help
inexperienced athletes comprehend the physical
tness and physiological demands needed to
compete at the national level (15). The records
achieved by contemporary elite athletes are vastly
superior to previous generations due to various
factors, such as the correct application of training
science, proper nutrition, and rigorous management
(16). One of the most important and inuential
factors in determining an athlete's performance
at the elite level is their physiological and physical
tness characteristics, underscoring the importance
of understanding these characteristics (17). Access
to elite athletes' physiological and anthropometric
proles can promote performance by facilitating
objective and accurate feedback about their
performance abilities (7). Such data helps coaches
to identify elite athletes and to get sub-elite athletes
to the elite level with proper planning. It also allows
coaches to develop training programs to achieve
goals and success scientically (6).
Iran has a rich martial arts and combat sports
tradition, such as wrestling, judo, and taekwondo.
However, kickboxing is still a relatively new and
developing sport in the country. Due to the lack of
research and development in the eld of kickboxing
in Iran, there needs to be more information
available on the anthropometric and physiological
characteristics of Iranian kickboxers. Therefore,
it is essential to establish appropriate criteria for
measuring and comparing the physical tness and
physiological proles of Iranian kickboxers with
athletes from other countries.
To the best of our knowledge, no prior
research has compared elite kickboxing athletes'
anthropometric and physiological characteristics
in Tatami and Ring styles. Our study seeks to
ll this gap by proposing a standardized set of
anthropometric and physiological tests for elite
Iranian kickboxing athletes and comparing the
Tatami and Ring style kickboxers. Such insights
include developing eective training programs and
selection criteria not only for Iranian national team
coaches but also for coaches in other countries (7).
Materials and Methods
In coordination with the Iranian National Team
ocials, the study recruited twelve male kickboxers
from the Iranian National Kickboxing Team in
2019 in the National Olympic Committee Center:
six Tatami-style and six Ring-style athletes with an
average age of 26.9 ± 3.3 years. These individuals
were selected based on accessibility, willingness to
participate, and extensive background in kickboxing
and national team experience. All recruited
athletes had previously competed in international
tournaments and won medals. Before data collection,
all subjects were informed of the research objectives
and potential risks and provided written consent.
The study was conducted in accordance with the
ethical standards of the Helsinki Declaration and
was approved by the Ethics Committee of the
National Olympic Committee of Iran.
All body composition and physical tness tests
were performed at the Iran National Olympic
Academy. Valid instruments on the rst day
measured anthropometric characteristics. Body
height was measured using a standard stadiometer
(Seca 213, Germany). The seated height was
measured by placing the athlete in a seated position
on a chair using a meter tape to measure the distance
between the seat and the head to the nearest 0.01

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m. The arm span was measured by meter tape to
the nearest 0.01 m from ngertips on outstretched,
opposing arms. Body mass was measured using the
Beurer BF800 digital scale to the nearest 0.1 kg. Fat
percentage and fat-free mass were measured with
the InBody 570 (Korea) (18).
On the same day, strength tests were taken after
a warm-up of 5 min of jogging and 5 min dynamic
stretching. A handheld dynamometer (Lafayette,
US) was used to measure handgrip strength, adjusted
to the proportions of each athlete's hand. Grip
strength is reported as the average of both hands on
the best of two trails (19, 20). Maximum strength
for chest press, deadlift, and squat was measured by
the one repetition maximum (1RM). After a warm-
up, subjects were asked to select the maximum load
they could lift once. After a 3-minute rest, they could
attempt to lift heavier weights. Since lean body mass
inuences the results of absolute strength, relative
strength was calculated by dividing strength by body
weight for comparison between groups (21). Muscle
endurance was measured with modied pull-ups,
Sweden push-ups, and sit-ups as the number of
repetitions that could be done in 60 seconds. On the
second day, each athlete was asked to participate
in a Visual Reaction Test using the Newtest 1000
electronic reaction time meter (22). The test was
conducted in a noise-free environment. Participants
were seated before the equipment and asked to push
a button when they saw the light. Five repetitions
were performed before the test, and the mean of
the ve repeated measurements was calculated.
Measurements for an athlete's physical speed were
obtained with the 36-m sprint with a running start,
using photocells placed at the start and nish line
(23). The better of two sprints were recorded. The
4×9 test measured agility. Subjects ran a 9-meter
distance between two cones four times, with timing
recorded using photocells. The test was repeated
two times, and the best record was ultimately used.
On the next (third) day, subjects performed a 30-s
Wingate test on a stationary bicycle ergometer
(Monark Model 894E, Monark, Vansbro, Sweden)
to measure lower body anaerobic power.
After cycling for ve minutes at 60 revolutions per
minute (rpm) for warm-up, participants increased
the pedaling rate to reach maximum cadence and
manually dropped the basket, holding a load of 0.075
kg per kg of body weight. Subjects also conducted a
30-s Wingate test on a modied electromagnetically
braked cycle ergometer (EE) (Technogym, Italy)
to measure upper body anaerobic power. Subjects
sat on a chair while they kept their feet at on the
ground. The seat height and backrest were adjusted
so that, while grasping the pedals of the ergometer,
the elbow joint was almost in full extension (165-
175°) and the shoulders aligned with the center
of the ergometer's shaft. On the last (fourth) day,
maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max) was
measured using an incremental running test on a
motorized treadmill (Pulsar ® 3p, h/p/Cosmos,
Nussdorf, Germany). The test started at 10 km/h for
3 minutes, followed by increments of 1 km/h every 1
minute at 1% inclination until voluntary exhaustion.
The maximum oxygen uptake and produced carbon
dioxide were analyzed breath-by-breath using a
calibrated ergo spirometer (MetaLyzer3B, CORTEX,
Germany).
Statistical analysis
Data were analyzed with the Statistical Package
of Social Sciences (SPSS, IBM, v20) and presented
in mean ± standard deviation (SD). Figures were
prepared in GraphPad Prism (Version 7.03,
GraphPad Software). An independent t-test was
performed to compare the dierences between the
two styles. The level of signicance was set at p ≤
0.05 for all analyses.
Results and discussion
Anthropometric characteristics of the Tatami
and Ring style athletes are presented in Table 1.
There were signicant dierences in arm span
(p=0.001), fat percentage (p=0.001), and body fat
mass (p=0.001) between the two styles.
Table 1
Anthropometry features of national adult kickboxers

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Due to the weight categories in this sport, relative
strength, calculated by dividing lift weight by body
weight, is a helpful indicator for comparing athletes.
Table 2 contains data on the relative strength of
squats, chest presses, deadlifts, handgrips, and
muscle endurance of modied pull-ups, Sweden
push-ups, and sit-ups. Independent t-test showed
that relative strength and muscle endurance in all
variables in Ring style athletes were signicantly
higher than in Tatami style athletes (p<0.05).
Table 2
Relative strength and muscle endurance in Iranian national kickboxers
The data for speed, agility, reaction time, vertical
jump (Sargent test), and exibility in the two styles
are presented in Table 3. There were no signicant
dierences between the two styles in speed (t=1.83,
p=0.29), agility (t=1.37, p=0.51), and reaction
time (t=1.04, p=0.33). However, the two groups
had signicant dierences in exibility (t=2.65,
p=0.001) and vertical jump test (t=3.57, p=0.001)
Table 3
Speed features and explosive power and core exibility of Iranian national kickboxers in Ring and Tatami
styles

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The independent t-test showed that Ring
athletes had signicantly higher aerobic power
than Tatami-style ones (Figure 1). The mean VO2
max of both styles was 49.9 ± 3.7 ml.kg-1.min-1. In
addition, Ring style athletes had signicantly higher
anaerobic power in their upper (t=1.23, p=0.001)
and lower (t=2.18, p=0.001) bodies compared to
their Tatami-style counterparts (Fig. 2).
Fig. 1. Aerobic power of Iranian national kick boxers in ring and tatami styles.
*Signicant dierences with Ring style group (p<0.05)
Fig. 2. Anaerobic power of Iranian national kickboxers in ring and tatami styles.
*Signicant dierences with Ring style group (p<0.05)

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The rst aim of this study was to provide
comprehensive information about the
anthropometric and performance levels of Iranian
elite kickboxers. By comparing our ndings to
similar studies in other countries, we can conclude
that the performance of Iranian kickboxers is
internationally competitive. However, they must
improve on some factors, such as aerobic power.
The study's second aim was to compare Ring and
Tatami-style kickboxers. Because of the demands
of competitions, Ring-style athletes perform better
than Tatami-style athletes in most physical tness
indicators (2).
In Kickboxing, all competitors are classied by
body mass. Despite the extensive range of weight
groups, it is impossible to consider a single body
type or anthropometry pro le for all competitive
Kickboxers. So, body composition (low body fat)
is an essential advantage, especially in Ring style
matches. Kickboxers must be matched with a body
mass limit and make the highest fat-free mass and
the lowest amount of body fat. Therefore, male and
female elite and amateur kickboxers should have low
body fat percentages (24, 25). Lean body mass and
body fat percentage of Iranian elite kickboxers were
the same as elite athletes in other sports. According
to the ndings, the Iranian elite kickboxers had
a mean body fat percentage of 12.8% (2.4), falling
within the range of 9-16% for male amateur boxers
(24) and 7-17% for Mixed Marital Arts (MMA)
athletes (25). The mean body fat percentage
of Iranian kickboxers was better than that of
Caucasian kickboxers, approximately 14% (26).
However, these values were out of the range of male
national, and elite kickboxers were 6.1-11.4% (1).
For example, the mean body fat percentage of elite
Canadian kickboxers was 8.1% (7), and Portuguese
kickboxers were 9.7% (27) . The lean mass values
were also similar to those of United States karate
athletes 12.9% (28) and Indian elite amateur boxers
12.2% (29). It appears that performing generic
and specic kickboxing training for many years
can lead to such changes in body composition. For
instance, a sixteen-week kickboxing training period
decreased young male subjects' body fat percentages
(30). In addition, our results showed that Tatami-
style kickboxers have a relatively higher body fat
percentage and lower fat-free body mass than Ring-
style kickboxers. The body fat percentage of Iranian
Ring-style kickboxers was 11.3%. The observed
decrease in body fat percentage could potentially
be attributed to the strict competition requirements
imposed on Ring-style kickboxers, which mandate
them to maintain a stable weight range throughout
the tournament (2).
Success for a kickboxer is deeply dependent
on muscle strength and muscle endurance in the
whole body, especially in the legs and arms. Thus,
improving muscle strength and endurance is
essential for ghters (31). Marković et al. (2005)
provided a prole of performance indices of elite
Croatian female taekwondo athletes (32). Elite
Croatian taekwondo athletes' mean relative back
squats (1.3) were similar to our measurement
(1.3). However, their relative bench press (0.9) was
below that of Iranian kickboxers (1.3). Notably,
this dierence in bench press could be attributed
to taekwondo mainly utilizing leg techniques.
While, Kickboxing requires both arms and legs,
potentially leading to greater upper-body strength
in kickboxers. In addition, Iranian kickboxers
demonstrated greater muscle endurance than elite
Croatian taekwondo athletes. In another study,
Slimani et al. (2017) assessed Tunisian kickboxers'
physiological and performance indices (3). Their
data on Tunisian kickboxers' strength show lower
performance than Iranian kickboxers. Therefore,
based on the ndings and comparison with other
athletes, Iranian kickboxers' muscle strength is
reasonable.
In comparing the two styles, Ring-style
kickboxers presented superiority in all relative
strength and muscle endurance. The relative
strength of the squat and chest press of the Ring-
style is more than 1.5 fold of their weights, which
is close to top athletes who compete in elite events
(3, 33). Higher relative strength in the Ring style is
probably due to higher fat-free mass (34). Each style
needs dierent demands that athletes train hard to
achieve them.
Kickboxing is a sport that requires high levels
of muscle endurance to perform the techniques
repetitively during the ght. Studies have shown
that kickboxers have superior levels of muscle
endurance compared to non-athletic individuals
(35). Kickboxing training is designed to enhance
muscular endurance by utilizing high-intensity
interval training and repetitive techniques, which
lead to an increase in the oxidative capacity of
muscles and improve endurance performance (30).
Furthermore, the striking and kicking techniques
employed in kickboxing require the use of large
muscle groups, which leads to the development of
high levels of muscle endurance in these areas (1).
The high levels of muscle endurance observed in
kickboxers can be attributed to the demands of the
sport and the training methods used to prepare for
competition.
The ability to produce high amounts of force
in short relative periods is represented by muscle
power. Kickboxing involves forceful kicking
and punching, classied as power movements
that demand signicant speed and power. This
underscores the signicance of power training
(25). Our measurements of explosive leg power,
as evaluated by vertical jump, are consistent with

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those of top athletes (36). Notably, the Ring-style
kickboxers in our study demonstrated a higher
vertical jump performance than the Tatami-style
kickboxers. This could be related to Ring-style
kickboxers' higher strength in the lower body, which
may contribute to their greater power output (37).
In the literature, Iranian elite kickboxers
demonstrated the same speed and reaction time as
other elite counterparts (13). In the defensive and
oensive phases, kickboxers have to work quickly
(38) so all kickboxers at the professional levels are
swift athletes. The two styles had no signicant
dierences in speed and reaction time. High speed
and reaction time are prerequisites for being elite
(39), suggesting that speed and reaction time are
key components of successful performance in
Kickboxing.
Aerobic power is one of the most critical
parameters of success during kickboxing matches,
in which athletes show repeated high-intensity
actions (40). They need well-developed aerobic
tness to recover faster and perform the action
with high quality during and until the last match
in tournaments (7). The average aerobic power of
Iranian elite kickboxers in the Ring and Tatami
style kickboxers were 52.3 and 47.7 ml.kg-1.min-
1 respectively. The aerobic power of Canadian
and Portuguese kickboxers were 61.5 and 57.99,
respectively, much higher than Iranian athletes
(7, 27) However, the aerobic power of Iranian
Ring-style kickboxers was higher than Serbian
and Turkish kickboxers, which were 49.81 and
48.5 ml.kg-1.min-1, respectively (8, 41). Although
no previous study directly compared Tatami and
Ring-style kickboxers, we can still compare our
measurements for each style with the results
reported in other studies. Our ndings indicate
that Ring-style kickboxers have a higher VO2 max
than Tatami-style kickboxers. Moreover, only the
Ring-style kickboxers were within the range of top
athletes in other countries. Therefore, over many
years of hard training, dierent aerobic levels were
formed in the athletes in two styles.
Anaerobic power plays a critical role in
kickboxing matches. Athletes typically perform at
maximal intensity for most of the match, resulting
in near-maximal heart rates (3). In comparison with
other relevant research, we nd further evidence
that our measurements are comparable to elite
athletics in other countries. Our research's arm
and leg Wingate test mean were 6.2 and 9.3 w/
kg, respectively. Slimani et al. (2017) assessed the
anaerobic power of Tunisian kickboxers with leg
and arm Wingate tests. The mean values of leg and
arm Wingate tests of male Tunisian kickboxers were
9.3 and 5.2 w/kg, below Iranian kickboxers (Figure
2). In another study, Ouergui et al. (2013) measured
upper and lower body anaerobic power using a
Wingate test for amateur and locally competitive
kickboxers (38). In the measurements from this
study, Wingate test values were signicantly lower
(5.2 w/kg) than we recorded for Iranian athletes.
This dierence could be since the athletes who
attended Ouergui's investigation were amateurs
from a local gym (38), However, Iranian kickboxers
were at the international level.
Moreover, as measured in this study, the upper
anaerobic power of Iranian kickboxers is close to
the top other athletes, like the Brazilian national
Judo team, which showed a mean of 5.8 w/kg (42).
However, the anaerobic power of elite Canadian
kickboxers measured by the Wingate test was higher
than Iranian kickboxers for upper (6.4 w/kg) and
lower body (14.1 w/kg) (7). Overall, the investigated
Iranian athletes show similar characteristics to
their counterparts in top National Kickboxing
Teams globally. Nevertheless, since anaerobic
power is crucial for kickboxers (1), Iranian athletes
should enhance this tness component during
their training. The ring-style kickboxers' mean leg
and arm Wingate tests were signicantly higher
than the Tatami style. This dierence may be due
to Ring-style athletes' greater lean body mass and
leg strength, essential factors contributing to an
athlete's power (3, 37).
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Submitted: 20.02.2023
Author’s information:
Hamid Amni - Ph.D. student of Physical Education, Department of Kinesiology, University of North
Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro, United States, e-mail: h_amni@uncg.edu
Azin Zargham - Master of Human Kinetics, School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, Laurentian
University, Greater Sudbury, Canada, e-mail: azargham@laurentian.ca
Behdad Tondpa - Master of Exercise Physiology, Department of Physical Education and Sports Science,
Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran, e-mail: behdadtondpa22@gmail.com
Sadegh Amani-Shalamzari - Associate Professor, Department of Physical Education and Sports
Science, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran; e-mail: amani_sadegh@khu.ac.ir