Taekwondo (TKD) and Tai Chi (TC) are promoted for enhancing the health of older people, yet few studies have compared their effects across multiple domains. This study aimed to compare the effects of TKD versus TC on health status in independent older women.
A randomized controlled trial was conducted with two parallel groups: TKD (n = 11) and TC (n = 10). Both groups trained three times per week for 8 weeks. Pre- and post-intervention assessments included anthropometry, submaximal CPX, 2-min step test, Timed Up-and-Go (TUG), isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP), maximal isometric handgrip strength (MIHS), 30 s chair stand, 30 s arm curl, sit-and-reach, and back scratch.
Compared with TC, the TKD group showed significantly greater improvements in several cardiorespiratory outcomes, including VO2 at VT1 and VT2, power output, VO2/HR, OUES, and VE/VCO2 slope (p < 0.05 to p < 0.001; d = 0.69–1.29). TKD participants also exhibited superior gains in maximal and relative IMTP, MIHS, relative MIHS, 30 s arm curl repetitions, and TUG performance (p < 0.05 to p < 0.001; d = 0.61–1.26). Both groups improved similarly in the 30 s chair stand test (p < 0.05). Flexibility outcomes diverged, with TKD improving sit-and-reach and TC showing greater gains in the back scratch test (p < 0.05).
The authors concluded that TKD was more effective than TC in improving cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, and balance in older women and may represent a valuable health-oriented training strategy for this population.
On the one hand, it is to be applauded that studies compare different forms of physical/mental exercise in order to find out which is more effective. On the other hand, this trial was worngly designed and therefore cannot provide a useful answer to the question.
- As an equivalence study, its sample size was at least one dimention too small.
- It employed to treatments with largely unproven efficacy, which is never a good idea for equivalence studies.
- If you want to determine the ‘health status’ of older women, you need more and different outcome measures.
- Eight weeks is too short a follow-up time for determining a relevant effect.
My conclusion is therefore (yet again):
If you design a nonsense study, you are bound to get a nonsense result.
2 Responses to The Effects of Taekwondo Versus Tai Chi on Health Status
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
So getting kicked in the head is the next health trend for older women?
Or adapted means no sparring?
The outcomes on “cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength” are completely unsurprising to anyone who is into martial arts. TKD is pretty high intensity and sweaty (lots of kicking), while TC is typically slow and sedate. Actually, eight weeks and n=21 should be more than enough to detect differing effects assuming participants didn’t do much sports at baseline.
The only not-obvious-in-advance outcome here is comparative improvements in balance. As you correctly note, n=21 can’t answer that question.
Coming next: an RCT to determine whether running or reading are better at improving “cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength”…