The influence of neuromuscular training and Ca-Mg-Zn therapy on reaction time and electromechanical delay in taekwondo athletes

Neuromuscular training (NMT) and supplementation with essential minerals such as calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and zinc (Zn) may enhance muscular reaction time (RT) and electromechanical delay (EMD). However, research on this topic, particularly among taekwondo athletes, is limited.
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of NMT and Cal-Mg-Zn supplementation on RT and EMD in taekwondo athletes.
Sixty athletes from a single taekwondo club in Tabriz, Iran, were randomly assigned to four groups of fifteen: Control, Ca-Mg-Zn, NMT, and Cal-Mg-Zn + NMT. NMT was conducted in 60 min sessions, four times a week, for six consecutive weeks, prior to main taekwondo training. RT and EMD were measured using electromyography before the intervention (T1), three weeks after (T2), and six weeks after (T3). Data were analyzed using SPSS with a confidence level greater than 0.95, employing repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc tests.
No significant differences in RT and EMD were observed among the groups at baseline (P> 0.05). In both post-test assessments, the Cal-Mg-Zn + NMT group exhibited significantly lower RT and EMD compared to the other groups (P< 0.05).
The inclusion of NMT with zinc supplementation can effectively improve RT and EMD, thereby enhancing the athletic performance of taekwondo athletes.