Effect of imagery training on proprioceptive sense in kick boxing athletes

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of imagery training on the proprioception sense of kick boxing athletes. A total of 68 kick boxing athletes participated in the study, consisting of 40 males and 28 females, aged between 12 and 16, who trained regularly three days a week. For the study group, consisting of 20 males and 16 females, a 15-minute imagery training session was conducted prior to kick boxing training for eight weeks. The control group, on the other hand, only performed kick boxing training during this period without engaging in imagery training. A demographic questionnaire developed by the researchers was administered to the participants. The participants' proprioception was measured using a goniometer before and after the eight-week training program. Prior to the analysis, the normality assumption was tested on the data. Since the Shapiro-Wilk test results indicated that the data followed a normal distribution (p>0.05), parametric analysis was performed. Independent t-tests were conducted for pairwise group comparisons, ANOVA was used for comparisons involving more than two groups, and the Duncan test was employed to determine the direction of the differences. The targeted deviation in shoulder angle for the study group was measured as x̄=1.06 in the pre-test and x̄=0.21 in the post-test, revealing a statistically significant decrease (p<0.001). In contrast, the control group exhibited a significant increase in the targeted shoulder angle deviation, with a pre-test mean of x̄=0.44 and a post-test mean of x̄=1.18 (p<0.05). In conclusion, it was found that the imagery training, in addition to the training program, improved the athletes' proprioception. Considering the effects of proprioception on technical and overall performance, we believe that similar studies would contribute to the athletes' development.