Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the effect of an active recovery technique based on proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) on parameters indicating fatigue among male and female karate athletes. Methods This research was a 2 × 2 factorial design in 60 karate athletes (50% male), assigned into four groups (i.e., male active recovery [AR], female AR, male passive recovery [PR], and female PR groups). Pre-test HR (heart rate), RPE (rating of perceived exertion), and TQR (total quality recovery) were assessed after a 60-minute submaximal karate-specific exercise. It was followed by a 15-minute recovery, in which the AR groups conducted a 2.5-minute light-intensity PNF and post-test. Paired t-tests were used to compare the pre- and post-test data in each group. Two-way ANOVA was used to assess the post-test data using recovery types and sex as fixed factors and pre-test as the covariate. Results Significant reductions in HR from pre- to post-test were found in all groups (P < 0.01). No main and interaction effect, however, was found for post-test HR. Improvements in RPE from pre-test to post-test were also found in all groups (P < 0.01). Post-test RPE, however, was significantly lower in the AR (P = 0.002) and in males (P = 0.005). Significant improvements in the post- from pre-test in TQR were also found in all groups (P < 0.01). Post-test QTR is significantly better in the AR (P < 0.001) and in both sexes (P = 0.368). Conclusion Both PNF-based recovery and passive recovery improve HR, RPE, and TQR. Although PNF-based recovery does not improve the post-test HR compared to PR, it improves RPE and TQR compared to PR. PNF-based recovery, thus, is recommended for improving fatigue recovery in karate athletes.
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