Researchers assessed 215 high-performance male Muay Thai athletes aged 8–18 over five days and compared four age groups. Anthropometry, biological maturation, maximal strength, and several cognitive measures improved with age, while limb asymmetry, fatigue indices, Nordic hamstring performance, lower-limb dynamic strength index, and upper-limb push-up force did not differ by age. PCA suggested age-specific multidimensional profiles, but cross-sectional data do not prove an effect of age or training and do not constitute a validated talent-selection model.
Key findings
- Anthropometry, maturation, maximal strength, and several cognitive measures differed by age at p
- PCA factorability was high, with KMO 0.89–0.95 and Bartlett's χ² 2008.74–5231.22, all p
- One strength-related component explained 48.31% of neuromuscular variance, while two cognitive components explained 76.29% cumulative variance.
Why this matters globally
The study provides multidimensional reference information for youth striking sports and may help coaches distinguish age-associated measures from relatively stable ones. Talent selection, training prescription, or injury prevention requires longitudinal data, female athletes, broader performance levels, and validation against future competition outcomes.
Thai researcher contribution
Four Thailand-affiliated researchers from Burapha University, the Institute of Entrepreneurial Science, Thailand National Sports University, and the Department of Physical Education led data collection in youth Muay Thai, collaborating with researchers in Taiwan, Portugal, and Chile. Burapha University's Faculty of Sport Science partially funded the work.
Limitations to consider
Cross-sectional age-group comparisons cannot disentangle age, maturation, training exposure, and selection into high performance. The male elite sample does not represent female, novice, or general youth populations. Exploratory PCA may not replicate externally, and five-day testing does not establish injury risk, long-term development, competition outcomes, or training effects.