The effects of training and creatine malate supplementation during preparation period on physical capacity and special fitness in judo contestants

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of 6-weeks training and creatine malate supplementation demonstrated in anaerobic capacity and aerobic power and in special judo fitness test performance (Throws in Total and Index in SJFT). METHODS: Ten professional competitors aged 21.2+/-3.3 years and practicing judo for 11+/-4.5 years participated in a typical pre-competition training program. Their height and weight during the first measurement were 1.75+/-0.06 m and 76.09+/-14.85 kg, respectively. Subjects participated in the same training sessions. The contestants have been training for approximately 20 hours a week: 5 days for 2 two-hour-training sessions. They used their usual diets. They were randomly selected to a treatment group who were administered the creatine malate (n=5) whereas the controls were receiving a placebo (n=5). All subjects were tested for anaerobic capacity (the Wingate-test) and aerobic power (the progressive test), and in the SJFT test, pre and post a six-week training during preparation period. We have used double-blind placebo-controlled design. RESULTS: Multifaceted judo training before competition caused a significant (z=2.40, P<0.05) increase in body mass (76.09+/-14.85 kg, Me=70.73 kg vs. 78.52+/-14.53 kg, Me=75.30 kg, P<0.05, n=10). The significant difference (z=2.30, P<0.05) was observed in FM and FMI, but not in percent fat in body mass (PF%). FM and FMI contributed in increased body mass and BMI, repectively (z=2.40, P<0.05). There was observed an increment in anaerobic capacity indices, with particular focus on shortening in time to obtain peak power toPP (3.99+/-0.71, Me=4.20 sec vs. 3.68 +/-0.77, Me=3.78 sec, P<0.05). Diet supplementation with creatine malate did not cause an increase in body mass index higher than in the control group (P>0.05). However, the groups differed in the post-test moment in the fatigue index (FI) (T=48.7+/-5, Me=46.1 vs. C=41.1+/-3, Me=40.4%, Z=1.98, P<0.05), whereas no significant differences were observed between pre- and post-experiment levels of aerobic power (p>0.05). Percent at VO2max at the anaerobic threshold (%VO2max), in the first measurement showed no significant differences between two groups, while in the second measurement statistically significant differences were observed: in T group %VO2max was higher (85.43+/-6.35, Me=85.5% vs. 76.13+/-3.48, Me=75.3%, Z=2.09, P<0.05). In general, a significant differences were observed in pretests and post-test measurement results in SJFT expressed in Throws in Total (pre=26.9+/-2.7, Me=27.5 vs. post=27.9+/-2.4, Me=28.5 throws (z=2.67, P<0.01), but no such changes was found for the index of SJFT. These changes in SJFT were not found to be caused by the supplementation with creatine malate, neither to be reflected in Throws in Total nor in the index of SJFT (post-test measurements comparison, P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The multifaceted judo training is conducive to the development of both FM and FMI. Use of supplementation of the diets with creatine malate does not cause an increase in body mass greater than in the control group. Shorter time to obtain peak power (toPP) is conducive to faster execution of rapid planned actions in attack or defense. Pre and post-training aerobic power did not change so it was not supplementation-dependent. Creatine malate did not affect the results in SJFT. There are many determinants of the judo fight results e.g. technical, tactical, physiological and psychological factors, one of them could be supplementation but it cannot be treated as a separate improving factor. The significant improvement in Total Throws in SJFT with the unchanged Index in SJFT suggests better neuromuscular adaptations compared to those occurring in circulatory and respiratory systems. The results obtained during the SJFT test depend not only on energy resources but also on the exercises which improve the technique of performing typical grip-and-throw judo actions, despite the ensuing fatigue. Key words: judo, training effect, creatine malate supplementation, anaerobic capacity, aerobic power, special fitness.