SUMMARY:Skinfold determinations from different body parts are occasionally used in prediction equations to calculate fatness. This is a critical parameter that conditions optimal sport performance. Reference values of skinfolds in top athletes do not exist. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to present skinfold reference values from a large population of athletes. Triceps, subscapu lar, suprailiac, abdominal, thigh and medial calf skinfolds were measured according to ISAK (International Society for Advancement of Kinanthropometry) norms in 2500 athletes. Six skinfold sums as well as partial sums from different body segments (upper, trunk and lower) were applied. Data show that the highest skinfold values were observed for thigh calf and abdominal, being the subscapular the lowest. Women presented higher skinfold values than men. Concerning partial sums, trunk and lower body segments presented the highest scores. Subjects practicing hockey, handball, indoor soccer, rowing, scuba diving and table tennis displayed the highest fat percents. In conclusion, fatty mass calculation in athletes should consider the six skinfold sum. In addition, body fat tends to be localized in the trunk and lower body segments in athletes and varies according to gender and sport discipline.

Optimal exercise performance in well trained athletes can be affected by arterial oxygen saturation failure. Noninvasive detection of this phenomenon when performing a routine ergometric test can be a valuable tool for subsequent planning of the athlete's training recovery, and nutrition. Oximetry has been used to this end. The authors studied 339 athletes performing a similar exercise trial under well controlled environmental conditions. Maximum speed, oxygen uptake, and heart rate levels were simultaneously measured. From the obtained data, six patterns were found: (a) athletes in whom oxygen saturation is constant (> or = 95%) during test execution; (b) athletes displaying a progressive desaturation with incremental exercise intensities; (c) athletes presenting a transient desaturation in the anaerobic threshold region; (d) athletes starting with a mild-to-moderate desaturation at the beginning of the test, but reaching normal saturation values at the end; (e) athletes displaying mild-to-moderate desaturation levels throughout the whole test; and (f) athletes displaying a transient desaturation in the anaerobic threshold region and a new desaturation at the end of the test. In conclusion, it is believed that establishment of desaturation patterns by validated oximetry could be a first approach to evaluate the adaptation of the cardiorespiratory system to exercise intensity, helping to improve results.