Kinematic Comparison of the Seoi-nage Technique between Elite and College Judo Athletes

The purposes of the present study were to compare the biomechanics parameters of seoi-nage between elite and college judo athletes and to produce the standard motion models of elite and college judo athletes. The motion data of the seoi-nage were collected on three male elite judo athletes and nine male student judo athletes using a three-dimensional motion analysis technique and compared. The results demonstrated that the elite judo athletes flexed the knee of the pivot leg and showed less shoulder rotation angle during the latter half of seoi-nage than the college judo athletes. The present study also revealed that the standard motion model seemed to be valid to represent the characteristics of groups’ motions.