Original scientific paper
SWIMMERS SOMATOTYPE PROFILE
Goran Leko
; Kineziološki fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu
Klara Šiljeg
; Kineziološki fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu
Pavle Mikulić
; Kineziološki fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu
Abstract
The aim of this research was to determine the
somatotype profiles of 14-16-year-old male swimmers as
well to determine the relationship between various
somatotype components, body mass index, body fat
percentage and the sum of three skinfolds with 100-m
swimming performance using all 4 swimming techniques.
In that regard, 68 swimmers from swimming clubs in
Zagreb were examined using 10 anthropometric
measurements that were subsequently used to determine
the somatotype according to the method proposed by
Heath and Carter. The results point towards somewhat
increased body fat percentage in comparison to swimming
population. It was established that body fat percentage has
a very weak relationship with swimming performance. On
the contrary, body mass index exhibits the values in line
with previous research. The somatotype of the examined
swimmers indicates strong ectomorphic component while
the endomorphic and messomorphic components are
similar in their values. It was determined that the
ectomorphic component is inversely related to swimming
performance in all four techniques, while statistically
significant positive relationship was observed between
messomorphic components and 100-m butterfly
swimming performance. The body mass index variable is
significantly related to performance in all for techniques
which can be attributed mainly to the muscle mass
quantity because body fat percentage does not exhibit
positive relationships. The results indicate that all
swimmers evaluated in this research have not completed
their pubertal development and that the significant
positive relationship can be evident only in the
messomorphic component which is characterized by
larger muscle mass and butterfly technique which is the
most demanding in terms of energy expenditure.
Keywords
swimming; somatotype; swimming technique
Hrčak ID:
78032
URI
Publication date:
30.12.2011.
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