Children practitioners of martial arts have better motor coordination, attention and executive function
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31501/rbpe.v14i1.14240Abstract
Introduction: When we observe sports, we have the martial art as a fundamental tool to act in the development of the physical, motor and cognitive capacities of the child. Thus, it is possible to use the martial arts modalities for development in a broad way. Objective: To verify the influence of martial arts on body composition, motor coordination, attention and cognitive flexibility in children aged 7 to 11 years. Methods: The study sample consisted of 51 students from Brasília, aged 7 to 11 years old, of whom 23 were practicing martial arts - Group of Sportsmen (GE) (9.3 ± 2.3) and 28 practitioners of sports modalities - Control Group (CG) (8.1 ± 1.7). The following tests were applied; Anamnesis, A and B track test, attentional cancellation test (TAC), anthropometric evaluation and the KTK test. Results: The sports group obtained a better motor coordination, a greater speed to process information and execute it in relation to the non-practicing group. Conclusion: We can suggest through the results the importance of the modality for motor and cognitive development, and not just technical learning.