Physiological and Biomechanical Key Performance Indicators for Frontal Jab in Boxing

Abstract

Boxing is a complex contact sport that requires knowledge of technique and body control for proper execution. Previous works that evaluate strikes from martial arts focus on outcome parameters from the most dominant segments, leaving the rest of the body untended while hindering any learning possibility from the analysis. The objective of this work is to define a set of key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate the frontal jab and provide clear motion indications, based on said analysis, to improve. To accomplish this, the statistical significance is analyzed from 11 parameters of movement and muscle activity from seven variations of the jab. The resulting statistically significant KPIs are presented with complementary thresholds to identify the performance of new punches. Motion is recorded with inertial measurement units (IMUs) and electromyography (EMG) to evaluate the kinetics and kinematics as well as the physiological response. In addition, an optical capture system is integrated as a gold standard to validate the results. Finally, it is determined that the muscle activity and body usage parameters allow for identifying the different levels of technique and power in a frontal jab, addressing performance limitations. This system could help provide information for a virtual coach to evaluate performance and offer indications for improvement actions while maintaining portability.