Physical abilities modelling has a profound connection with long-term athlete development and talent identification. There is not enough data to support evidence about age-related changes in volleyball players’ isometric strength. This study aimed to define the age-related model of volleyball players multidimensional muscles’ contractile characteristics. The participants were divided according to gender (male n = 112, female n = 371) and according to age into four groups: under 15 (U15), under 17 (U17), under 19 (U19), and under 21 (U21) years old. Participants performed three isometric strength tests: handgrip, lumbar extensors, and ankle extensors. Maximal force and rate of force development results from all three tests were transformed into a single Score value as a representation of contractile potentials using principal component analysis. The main findings were that Score values of both genders showed significant differences between age groups (male: F = 53.17, p < 0.001; Female: F = 41.61, p < 0.001). Trends of those yearly changes were slightly more balanced for female subjects (3.9%) compared to male subjects (6.3%). These findings could help in strength training adjustments when working with volleyball players of a certain age, and enable coaches to detect ones that stand out positively, considering them as strong in regard to their age.

This study aimed to explore whether a 16-week Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) volleyball intervention could improve primary school students’ physical fitness and body composition. Eighty-eight primary school students (age 13.3 ± 0.3 years) were randomized to a TGfU volleyball intervention group (VG) or a control group (CG). The CG attended three regular physical education (PE) classes per week, while the VG attended two regular PE classes and a TGfU volleyball intervention that was implemented in the third PE class. Body composition components (body weight, body mass index, skinfold thickness, body fat percentage, and muscle mass percentage) and physical fitness (flexibility, vertical jumps (squat and countermovement jump—SJ/CMJ), 30 m sprint, agility, and cardiorespiratory fitness) assessments were performed pre-and post-intervention period. Significant interaction effects between VG and CG and pre- and post-test were found for the sum of five skinfolds (p < 0.0005, ŋp2 = 0.168), body fat % (p < 0.0005, ŋp2 = 0.200), muscle mass % (p < 0.0005, ŋp2 = 0.247), SJ (p = 0.002, ŋp2 = 0.103), CMJ (p = 0.001, ŋp2 = 0.120), 30 m sprint (p = 0.019, ŋp2 = 0.062), agility T-test (p < 0.0005, ŋp2 = 0.238), and VO2max (p < 0.0005, ŋp2 = 0.253). Further examination revealed a greater improvement among VG students compared to CG students in certain body composition and physical fitness outcomes. Implementing a TGfU volleyball intervention in the physical education curriculum appears to have effective stimuli for reducing adiposity and promoting physical fitness levels in seventh-grade primary school students.

Background Volleyball is a sport where anthropometric measures strongly influence the level of play. Objective The aim of our study was to explore the differences in the anthropometric measures in volleyball players among different levels of play. Design Controlled laboratory study. Setting Elite national division (competitive). Participants and methods 301 volleyball player (115 males and 134 females) underwent the anthropometric testing at the Faculty of sport in Ljubljana at the end of competitive season 2006–2007. Players were recruited from Slovenian 1st (49 males, 66 females) and 2nd league (66 males, 68 females). Testing included body height, body mass and 9-site skinfold measurements. Later on body mass index and body composition (percentage fat, lean body mass, somatotyping …) was calculated. Multivariate analysis of variance with correction for age was used to evaluate the differences among different levels of play. Results On multivariate level the differences among the 1st and 2nd division existed in both sexes (males F=4.41, p=0.0001; females F=2.84, p=0.004). On univariate level the main differences in both sexes were related to the body height (males F=10.92, p=0.01; females 10.20, p=0.002) and lean body mass (males F=14.96, p=0.0002; females 8.13, p=0.005), while in males the differences existed in the bone mass as well (F=4.21, p=0.04). Conclusions Our results suggest that body height remains the important factor of success in volleyball players. While the body height is genetically determined and virtually impossible to modify, the lean body mass is the modifiable factor that should be regularly monitored and adjusted in volleyball players. Our study offers solid reference values for the anthropometric evaluation of volleyball players.

Certain morphological characteristics and motor abilities are systematically monitored in Slovenian volleyball teams of different age categories. The study aimed to determine selected anthropometric dimensions and the body composition of 46 members of the cadet, junior and senior women’s volleyball national teams. Anthropometric characteristics were measured using the NX-16 [TC]2 3D-technology for body scanning. Body height was measured using an anthropometer, body mass was weighed using scales, and the body mass index (BMI) was calculated. By using an electrical bioimpedance (EBI) Inbody 720 tetrapolar, 8-point electrode system (Biospace Co., Ltd.), we established percentages of skeletal muscle mass and fat mass as well as body water percentage. The differences among the results for female volleyball players of various categories in terms of body height and body mass are small. Likewise, the body composition results are similar in all three age categories. We also investigated whether the results of anthropometric variables of the upper body differ statistically significantly among individual categories. We identified statistically significant differences between cadet women and senior women in terms of right forearm circumference (p = 0.04). Cadet women (24,62 cm) have a smaller forearm circumference than senior women (25,08 cm). Statistically significant differences were also established between cadet women and junior women in terms of right upper arm circumference (p = 0.03). Junior women have a statistically significantly larger left upper arm circumference. No statistical significance was recorded with respect to other variables. The results obtained are generally similar to those from studies by other authors.

The aim of this study was to determine: (1) differences in anthropometric characteristics and agility between different functional classes of wheelchair basketball players and (2) the relationship between anthropometric characteristics and agility with the functional classification of wheelchair basketball players. The sample of participants consisted of 40 wheelchair basketball players, aged 33.9 ± 11.2 years. Anthropometric characteristics (longitudinal and circular dimensions, as well as skinfold thickness) were assessed, and agility was measured using the modified T-test and Figure-of-Eight test. The results of the one-way analysis of variance showed significant differences with very large effects between players of different functional classes in body mass, sitting height, and sitting reach height, while significant differences with large effects were recorded in the agility assessment tests: the T-test and the Figure-of-Eight test. Also, the results of the correlation analysis indicate that there are significant moderate positive correlations of sitting height and reaching height with functional classification.