Lower limb mechanics in kendo men and kote strikes: a within-subject comparison of joint-torque and ground-reaction-force temporal coordination and timing strategies

Kendo striking depends on temporal coordination across joints from the ground to the upper limbs, and task demands differ between men and kote. We aimed to compare, within subjects, lowerlimb joint torques and groundreaction forces—and their temporal coordination—between kendo men and kote strikes. Nineteen trained collegiate kendo athletes performed both strikes. Three-dimensional kinematics (250 Hz) and GRF (1000 Hz) were synchronised from movement onset—defined as centre-of-mass speed ≥0.15 m·s−1 —to the instant before impact. Torques (hip, knee, ankle) and GRF (Fy, Fz, Fyz) were normalised to body mass; paired t-tests were used for discrete variables, and point-wise paired t-tests with Benjamini—Hochberg false-discovery-rate control (q < .05) for waveforms. Strike time was shorter in kote than men (0.745 ± 0.101 s vs. 0.818 ± 0.085 s). These findings suggest that men strikes rely more on a late, large impulse, whereas kote strikes rely on earlier, proximally initiated torques; therefore, both the magnitude and timing of lower‑limb mechanics should be considered when coaching and monitoring kendo performance.