Muscle mass of competitive male athletes

Abstract

The recent publication of the first validated equation for the estimation of muscle mass (MM) in men has made possible a comparison of MM in athletes from different sports. Limb girths and skinfold thicknesses were measured in 62 male athletes (aged 17-38 years) and 13 non-athletic males (aged 22-36 years). The MM (g) was calculated from the equation MM = S(0.0553 Gt2 + 0.0987 Gf2 + 0.0331 Gc2)-2445, where S is stature, Gt is the mid-thigh girth corrected for the front thigh skinfold thickness, Gc is the maximum calf girth corrected for the calf skinfold thickness and Gf is the uncorrected maximum forearm girth (all in cm). The athletes were classified as gymnasts (n = 10), basketball players (n = 10), body-builders (n = 10), track and field power athletes (n = 12), track and field long sprinters (n = 10) or distance runners (n = 10). The MM means ranged from 38.4 kg for the distance runners to 58.7 kg for the body-builders. Both body-builders and basketball players had significantly greater MM than gymnasts, long sprinters, non-athletic males and distance runners (P < 0.01). Also, MM was greater in track and field power athletes than in distance runners (P < 0.05). The MM as a percentage of body mass (%MM) ranged from 56.5% in the non-athletic group to 65.1% in the body-builders; body-builders scored higher than basketball players (P < 0.05), distance runners (P < 0.01) and the non-athletic group (P < 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Running performance has a structural basis

“…Sprinters clearly have not reached an upper adaptive limit to either muscle or body masses. Body builders and weight lifters of similar stature and body composition are considerably more massive than the elite sprinters in our sample (Spenst et al, 1993;Johnson et al, 1990). At present, we can conclude that the structural optimum for human speed is set at an intermediate level of massiveness, but we cannot identify the factors imposing this moderate upper limit from the data presented here.…”

“…Indeed, available evidence indicates that tissue adjustments necessary for modifying force production are present among runners of different performance specializations. The shorter distance specialists who are able to apply relatively greater mass-specific ground forces have proportionately more muscle in relation to body mass (Spenst et al, 1993), and apply force with individual leg muscles, and muscle fibers that are a quarter to a third larger in area than those of endurance specialists Sjostrom et al, 1988).…”

<a name="top"></a>Antropometria de atletas culturistas em relação à referência populacional

“…Peso, altura, circunferência braquial e medidas derivadas de atletas culturistas do sexo feminino. Atletas de culturismo são os que apresentam maior percentual de massa magra dentre todas as modalidades esportivas, atingindo cerca de 65,0% do corpo, valor 20,0% acima dos sedentários (Spenst et al, 1993). A adiposidade corpórea de atletas de força (culturistas, levantadores de peso) atinge em média 5,0 a 15,7% (Tabela 3).…”

Hominine morphology, climatic determinism and an alternative hypothesis

“…After Tanner (1964). The table shows that, in general, sprinters are mesomorphic but not particularly ectomorphic, distance runners (track events) have a balanced physique for mesomorphy and ectomorphy whereas throwers (field events) and wrestlers are mesomorphic and ectopenic (see also Spenst et al 1993). All are endopenic except for moderate end0morphy in some participants for field events.…”