Untitled

Abstract

Abstract:The aim of this study was to determine the anthropometric profiles of young male and female swimmers and to investigate the contribution of anthropometric characteristics to two determinants of swimming performance: critical velocity and estimated propulsive force. The study sample consisted of 25 female (age: 12.0 ± 0.9 years, height: 152.2 ± 8.3 cm, body mass: 42.0 ± 7.8 kg) and 25 male (age: 12.4 ± 1.2 years, height: 154.7 ± 11.3 cm, body mass: 49.1 ± 12.0 kg) swimmers. The swimmers were grouped in gender categories. For this study, the anthropometry was divided into 3 categories: length (cm), breadth (cm), and girth (cm) measurements. The critical velocity was estimated from 200-m and 400-m freestyle swimming performance. The estimated propulsive force was calculated using arm muscle area. Statistically significant correlation coefficients (ranging from 0.34 to 0.66) were found between the anthropometric characteristics (19 characteristics) and critical velocity for the female swimmers. Regarding swimming performance determinants, the highest correlations were between the hip girth and critical velocity (r = 0.66; p < 0.05) and between the flexed arm and estimated propulsive force (r = 0.87; p < 0.05). For the male swimmers, the highest correlations were between the transverse chest and critical velocity (r = 0.81; p < 0.05) and between the thoracic girth and estimated propulsive force (r = 0.90; p < 0.05). The somatotype analysis showed that the female swimmers were of the ectomesomorph type, and the male swimmers were of the endo-mesomorph type. The skinfold, length, girth and breadth could be used as predictors of critical velocity and estimated propulsive force in young swimmers. This study could help swimming coaches attain objective knowledge about the swimming performance of their athletes after basic anthropometric measurements and help them to benefit from this knowledge while monitoring the athletes' developmental process.

Somatotypes of athletes with physical disabilities and the type of activity they undertake

“…Tolga et al evaluated non-healthy and young swimmers (12 years old) dividing them by gender. They noticed that the swimming boys also presented a mixed type of somatotype, where the mesomorphic component was dominant, the endomorphic component was slightly less dominant while again the ectomorphic one had the smallest share[24]. Loo et al, using Sheldon's methodology in Heath-Carter modification, received results referring to able-bodied swimming athletes of varying degrees of competition.…”