Upper Body Skinfold Thickness is Related to Race Performance in Male Ironman Triathletes

Abstract

Upper body skinfold thickness is related to race performance in male Ironman triathletesKnechtle, B; Knechtle, P; Rosemann, T Abstract: We investigated the association between skinfold thickness and race performance in male and female Ironman triathletes. Skinfold thicknesses at 8 sites and percent body fat were correlated to total race time including the split times for the 3 sub disciplines, for 27 male and 16 female Ironman athletes.In the males, percent body fat (r=0.76; p<0.0001), the sum of upper body skinfolds (r=0.75; p<0.0001) and the sum of all 8 skinfolds (r=0.71; p<0.0001) were related to total race time. Percent body fat (r=-0.67; p<0.001), the sum of upper body skinfolds (r=-0.63, p=0.0004) and the sum of all 8 skinfolds (r=-0.59; p<0.001) were also associated with speed in cycling during the race. In the females, none of the skinfold thicknesses showed an association with total race time, average weekly training volume or speed in the sub disciplines in the race. AbstractWe investigated the association between skin-fold thickness and race performance in male and female Ironman triathletes. Skin-fold thicknesses at 8 sites and percent body fat were correlated to total race time including the split times for the 3 sub disciplines, for 27 male and 16 female Ironman athletes. In the males, percent body fat (r = 0.76; p < 0.0001), the sum of upper body skin-folds (r = 0.75; p < 0.0001) and the sum of all 8 skin-folds (r = 0.71; p < 0.0001) were related to total race time. Percent body fat (r = -0.67; p < 0.001), the sum of upper body skin-folds (r = -0.63, p = 0.0004) and the sum of all 8 skin-folds (r = -0.59; p < 0.001) were also associated with speed in cycling during the race. In the females, none of the skin-fold thicknesses showed an association with total race time, average weekly training volume or speed in the sub disciplines in the race. The results of this study indicate that low skin-fold thicknesses of the upper body are related to race performance in male Ironman triathletes, but not in females.

Leg Skinfold Thicknesses and Race Performance in Male 24-Hour Ultra-Marathoners

“…Also in the present ultra-marathoners, percentage body fat and the sum of nine skinfolds was signifi cantly and positively related to race performance in the bivariate analysis. Considering the adiposity of athletes, the skinfold thicknesses of the upper body were related to race performance in these male ultra-marathoners, as has recently been shown for male Ironman triathletes (20).…”

Age, Training, and Previous Experience Predict Race Performance in Long-Distance Inline Skaters, Not Anthropometry

“…For recreational cyclists, no association between skin-fold thicknesses and race performance has been reported in ultra-endurance road cyclists , or in ultra-endurance mountain-bikers . However, for recreational triathletes competing over the Ironman distance (Knechtle, et al, 2011b) and distances longer than the Ironman distance (Knechtle, et al, 2009c), the sum of eight skin-fold thicknesses was related to race performance.…”

“…Additionally, the sum of seven skin-folds was correlated to marathon performance times (Hagan, et al, 1981) and the sum of eight skinfolds was associated with race time (Knechtle, Knechtle, & Rosemann, 2009c). In contrast to the highly trained runners of Arrese and Ostáriz (2006), the skin-fold thicknesses of the upper body were related to half-marathon performance in recreational female runners (Knechtle, Knechtle, Rosemann, & Senn, 2010f;Knechtle, Knechtle, Barandun, Rosemann, & Lepers, 2011a) and Ironman performance times in recreational male Ironman triathletes (Knechtle, Knechtle, & Rosemann, 2011b).…”

A comparison of anthropometric and training characteristics of Ironman triathletes and Triple Iron ultra-triathletes

“…Although the Ironman distance is the most famous long-distance triathlon, there are limited data regarding the association between anthropometry and race performance (Knechtle, Wirth, Baumann, Knechtle, & Rosemann, 2010c;Knechtle et al, 2010d;Knechtle, Knechtle, & Rosemann, & Senn, 2011a;O'Toole, Hiller, Crosby, & Douglas, 1987). For male Ironman triathletes, percent body fat was significantly and positively correlated to race time (Knechtle et al, 2010c(Knechtle et al, , 2010d(Knechtle et al, , 2011a.…”