Models of anaerobic endurance measurement tests in combat sport: literature review

Abstract

Background and Study Aim. Combat sports require athletes to perform repetitive, high-intensity movements, such as kicks, punches, throws, grappling, body control, and rapid movement transitions under conditions of fatigue. These demands make anaerobic endurance, anaerobic capacity, anaerobic strength, and fatigue resistance critical components of martial arts performance. However, measuring anaerobic capacity in martial arts is complex because each sport has different movement patterns, energy requirements, technical characteristics, and competition structures. This study aimed to identify and analyze anaerobic endurance measurement models used in martial arts through a literature review.

Materials and Methods. This study used a literature review design with the PRISMA method. Articles were searched through Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Taylor & Francis Online, DOAJ, Garuda, and SINTA. The search was limited to articles published between January 2011 and April 2026. The article selection process followed the PRISMA procedure, including identification, removal of duplicates, screening of titles and abstracts, assessment of full-text eligibility, and final article selection. Of the 762 articles identified at the initial stage, 10 primary articles met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed using narrative synthesis.

Results. The analyzed articles covered taekwondo, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, karate, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, boxing, wrestling, general combat sports, and pencak silat. The identified testing models can be grouped into sport-specific tests, laboratory tests, general field tests, and fatigue index-based tests. Sport-specific tests include the Taekwondo Anaerobic Intermittent Kick Test, the Taekwondo-specific Aerobic-Anaerobic-Agility Test, the Kickboxing Anaerobic Speed Test, the MMA-Specific Anaerobic Assessment, and the Jiu-Jitsu-Specific Performance Test. General laboratory and field tests include the Wingate Anaerobic Test, the 30-second Continuous Jump Test, the Running-based Anaerobic Sprint Test, and fatigue index measurements. Some studies reported evidence of validity and reliability, whereas others used anaerobic tests primarily to profile athlete abilities.

Conclusions. Anaerobic endurance measurements in combat sports need to be selected based on the specific characteristics of each discipline. Discipline-specific tests are more relevant for evaluating performance patterns that mimic the demands of competition. Laboratory and general field tests remain useful for physiological profiling and practical field measurements. In the context of pencak silat, anaerobic endurance measurements are still dominated by general field tests and fatigue indices. Future research should develop and test more specific, valid, reliable, and practical anaerobic endurance tests for pencak silat and other martial arts or combat sports.

nsity movements, such as kicks, punches, throws, grappling, body control, and rapid movement transitions under conditions of fatigue. These demands make anaerobic endurance, anaerobic capacity, anaerobic strength, and fatigue resistance critical components of martial arts performance. However, measuring anaerobic capacity in martial arts is complex because each sport has different movement patterns, energy requirements, technical characteristics, and competition structures. This study aims to identify and analyze anaerobic endurance measurement models used in martial arts through a literature review.

Material and Methods. This study used a literature review design with the PRISMA method. Article searches were conducted through Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Taylor & Francis Online, DOAJ, Garuda, and SINTA. The search was limited to articles published between January 2011 and April 2026. The article selection process followed the PRISMA process, which includes identification, removal of duplications, screening of titles and abstracts, assessment of full-text eligibility, and final article selection. Of the 762 articles found in the initial stage, 10 primary articles met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed using narrative synthesis.

Results. The articles analyzed covered taekwondo, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, karate, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, boxing, wrestling, general combat sports, and pencak silat. The testing models found can be grouped into sport-specific tests, laboratory tests, general field tests, and fatigue index-based tests. Sport-specific tests include the Taekwondo Anaerobic Intermittent Kick Test, the Taekwondo-specific Aerobic-Anaerobic-Agility Test, the Kickboxing Anaerobic Speed ​​Test, the MMA-Specific Anaerobic Assessment, and the Jiu-Jitsu-Specific Performance Test. Meanwhile, general laboratory and field tests include the Wingate Anaerobic Test, the 30-second Continuous Jump Test, the Running-based Anaerobic Sprint Test, and fatigue index measurements. Some studies report evidence of validity and reliability, while others use anaerobic tests primarily to profile athlete abilities.

Conclusions. Anaerobic endurance measurements in combat sports need to be selected based on the specific characteristics of each discipline. While discipline-specific tests are more relevant for evaluating performance patterns that mimic the demands of competition, laboratory and general field tests remain useful for physiological profiling and practical field measurements. In the context of pencak silat, anaerobic endurance measurements are still dominated by general field tests and fatigue indices. Future research needs to develop and test more specific, valid, reliable, and practical anaerobic endurance tests for pencak silat and other martial arts or combat sports.