CHARACTERISTICS OF KENDO MATCHES FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF MAAI USING LOCOMOTION FLOOR PATTERNS

This study was undertaken to clarify the characteristics of Kendo matches by junior high school players, university student players, All Japan Kendo Championships players and eighth dan players. The Kendo matches were recorded with a video camera to depict locomotion traces of the left foot of players using the DLT method. Intervals between the two competitors (Maai) during a match were calculated with locomotion floor patterns to see how these intervals changed. Maai is one of the essential conditions for expertise in Kendo. Therefore this study compared the occurrence percentage and periodicity of Maai movement across four groups Kendo matches.<br>The results were as follows:<br>1. The occurrence percentage intervals of more than 1.0 m or less than 1.5 m during a match were the highest for junior high school players (25.9%), university student players (24.3%) and All Japan Kendo Championships players (24.2%); on the other side, intervals of eighth dan groups were 46.8% for more than 3.0 m less than 3.5 m, showing greatest occurrence.<br>2. The distribution curves for the occurrence of Maai were mainly classified into two patterns. One was the pattern which had higher peak at Maai of sword-guard tangle position compared to Issoku-itto-no-Maai (one-step-one-sword interval). Junior high school, university student and All Japan Kendo Championships players showed this type. The other pattern was demonstrated for the eighth dan group showing a larger percentage on Issoku-itto-no-Maai. This suggests that the occurrence percentage of time engaged in Issoku-itto-no-Maai increases with the improvement of Kendo performance.<br>3. Compared with high frequency power spectral densities, those with low power spectral densities are high. The transitional deviation of the Maai curve of the eighth dan group is small compared with other group.This suggests that the eighth dan group is consistently better distanced from the partner in Issoku-itto-no-Maai: they are neither too far nor too close for proper striking.<br>4. The auto-correlation coefficients of a transitional curve of the Maai of All Japan Kendo Championships players and eighth dan players were higher than that of junior high school players and university student players. This means that there is a natural distance-correcting rhythm in the matches of All Japan Kendo Championships players and eighth dan players. However, the curves of Maai in matches of junior high school players and university student players tended to be more random.