Analysing the body pressure mapping during the Ushiro Ukemi fall technique by means of an e-textile sensor array.

Engineering of Sport 15 - Proceedings from the 15th International Conference on the Engineering of Sport (ISEA 2024)

Judo, often referred to as the "gentle way," is an Olympic and Paralympic sport founded by Jigoro Kano in the late 19th century, draws inspiration from traditional Japanese martial arts, practised in over 200 countries worldwide. Thissport has captivated practitioners and enthusiasts worldwide for over a century. The purpose of Judo is not to inflict harm on an opponent but rather to use an opponent's energy and force against them in order to throw him. Therefore, one of the key elements that set Judo is the emphasis on safe falling techniques (Ukemis). Ukemi is a fundamental component of Judo training, teaching practitioners how to land safely when thrown is mandatory. These techniques not only protect the Judoka from injury but also facilitate a seamless transition between defence and offence. In order to do a safe fall, some requirements must be fulfilled; Keep the head under control and close to the chin, flex legs to lower body gravity centre, arched back and hit with the hand on the ground with stretched elbows during landing. The aim of this work is to experimentally validate the functionality of an e-textile pressure sensor array to be used to analyse the Judo fall techniques.