Interesting. The physiological and psychological stress of sparring creates a hormonal response which is catabolic. Testosterone goes done....cortisol goes up.
So by all means train in martial arts, but be careful of the level of stress - physical and psychological - that you are using.
Hormonal response to Taekwondo fighting simulation in elite adolescent athletes
Exercise training efficiency depends on the training load, as well as on the athlete’s ability to tolerate it. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of fighting simulation (3 fights, 6 min each, 30 min rest between fights) on anabolic (IGF-I, LH, FSH, estradiol, and testosterone) and catabolic hormones (cortisol) in elite, male (n = 10) and female (n = 10) adolescent (12–17 years) Taekwondo fighters. Blood samples were collected before the first and immediately after the third fight. The fighting simulation practice led to significant (p < 0.05) decreases in IGF-I (males −27.1 ± 25.6, females −22.4 ± 36.3 ng/ml), LH (males −0.7 ± 1.2, females −2.3 ± 3.3 U/L), and FSH (males −0.9 ± 0.5, females −1.5 ± 1.1 U/L), and to a significant increase (p < 0.05) in cortisol (males 141.9 ± 30.1, females 64.1 ± 30.6 mcg/dL) in both genders. Fighting simulation decreases in testosterone (males −1.9 ± 1.6, females −0.02 ± 0.06 ng/mL), and free androgen index (males −20.1 ± 21.5, females −0.3 ± 0.5) were significant (p < 0.05) only in male fighters. Exercise had no significant effect on estradiol, sex-hormone-binding globulins or thyroid function tests. Our data demonstrate that the physiologic and psychologic strain of a Taekwondo fighting simulation day led to a catabolic-type circulating hormonal response.
So by all means train in martial arts, but be careful of the level of stress - physical and psychological - that you are using.
Hormonal response to Taekwondo fighting simulation in elite adolescent athletes
Exercise training efficiency depends on the training load, as well as on the athlete’s ability to tolerate it. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of fighting simulation (3 fights, 6 min each, 30 min rest between fights) on anabolic (IGF-I, LH, FSH, estradiol, and testosterone) and catabolic hormones (cortisol) in elite, male (n = 10) and female (n = 10) adolescent (12–17 years) Taekwondo fighters. Blood samples were collected before the first and immediately after the third fight. The fighting simulation practice led to significant (p < 0.05) decreases in IGF-I (males −27.1 ± 25.6, females −22.4 ± 36.3 ng/ml), LH (males −0.7 ± 1.2, females −2.3 ± 3.3 U/L), and FSH (males −0.9 ± 0.5, females −1.5 ± 1.1 U/L), and to a significant increase (p < 0.05) in cortisol (males 141.9 ± 30.1, females 64.1 ± 30.6 mcg/dL) in both genders. Fighting simulation decreases in testosterone (males −1.9 ± 1.6, females −0.02 ± 0.06 ng/mL), and free androgen index (males −20.1 ± 21.5, females −0.3 ± 0.5) were significant (p < 0.05) only in male fighters. Exercise had no significant effect on estradiol, sex-hormone-binding globulins or thyroid function tests. Our data demonstrate that the physiologic and psychologic strain of a Taekwondo fighting simulation day led to a catabolic-type circulating hormonal response.
Comments
The reason that I ask is that Tae Kwon Do sparring may be more stressful due to the nature of the art and how points are scored?
As with most "traditional" arts, there is a great degree of emphasis on the "correct form", rather than just knocking the guy (or girl) out.
How do you think this contributes to your findings if at all?
Interestingly though, this post makes me think of other sports and games. I wonder how stressful something like chess is where games can be long and demanding, and where there is an extreme element of competition?
OB
Otherwise it could just be a temporary side effect, or could correspond with an increased testosterone response post workout.
Cortisol could also just be going up to regulate blood sugar.
The hormonal response cited in the study is not unique to Taekwondo or martial arts, but to anything that invokes the fight or flight response.
Without subcribing to the page and reading the full article the results you have ncluded here prompt many questions.
How competent were the TKD practitioners? Were they confident? Were the sparring sessions very hard and full on?
Much of the hormonal releases during the practise of martial arts and combat sports are stimulated by mental stressor rather then the actual physical exertion. This is a key difference between normal strength and condictioning and S & C in say, a bjj match or even MMA match. Hormaones released via mental ressures are said to have far more degenerative effects than during simple S & C sessions such as slow motion time and tunnel vision to name just two.
I am not at all surprised by the results as combat, and even a simple TKD sparring session, is a toxic environmant, especially for the mind.