Ischemic preconditioning enhances energy supply during frequency speed kick test in Taekwondo athletes: A randomized crossover study

Abstract

Purpose This study aimed to examine the effect of ischemic preconditioning (IPC) on energy supply during sport-specific tests in male taekwondo athletes. To our knowledge, this is the first investigation of IPC’s efficacy in enhancing energy supply in a taekwondo context, underscoring its potential to optimize performance in combat sports. Methods Sixteen male taekwondo athletes completed a randomized crossover trial comparing an IPC condition (220 mmHg) with a sham condition (20 mmHg). Performance was evaluated via the frequency speed kick test (FSKT), and energy system contributions were quantified via the PCr–La–O₂ method. Two-way repeated-measures ANOVA and a generalized linear mixed model were used to analyze the data. Results IPC significantly increased the total number of kicks in each FSKT group (98.4 ± 6.6 vs. 94.0 ± 5.5, p = 0.049, d = 0.72; 94.4 ± 7.7 vs. 89.3 ± 5.5, p = 0.036, d = 0.77; 93.1 ± 7.5 vs. 86.8 ± 6.3, p = 0.015, d = 0.90) and the aerobic energy supply (294.09 ± 50.35 vs. 270.44 ± 49.30, P = 0.031, d = 0.47). The postexercise blood lactate clearance rate was greater in the IPC trial (14.07 ± 4.94 vs. 9.14 ± 6.84, p = 0.02, d = 0.81), despite no differences in glycolytic or phosphagen contributions (49.32 ± 13.11 vs. 43.00 ± 12.25, p = 0.055). Conclusion IPC appears to enhance taekwondo performance by improving aerobic metabolism and accelerating lactate clearance, thereby promoting synergistic interactions between anaerobic and aerobic energy systems and improving energy supply. Notably, the performance benefits of IPC became more pronounced as exercise duration increased, suggesting a cumulative ergogenic effect during prolonged high-intensity activity.