Abstract
e relationship between the anthropometric measurements and swimming performance is always a controversial topic. This study was designed to examine the relationship between the selected anthropometric measures of the body segments and the 100 mts swimming performance in the adolescent swimmers belonging to Chennai. Thirty five swimmers (N=35) aged between 15 and 18 and matched controls from Chennai participated in the study. The 100 meters free style sprinting test was conducted and six anthropometric measurements, including the height, weight, chest circumference, mid-arm circumference, waist circumference and mid-thigh circumference, were taken. Pearson correlation analysis found that there was no significant relationship between the 100-meter freestyle sprinting performance and the selected anthropometric variables (p> 0.05). The results suggested that the selected anthropometric variables were predictors of sprinting performance but when compared with the anthropometric measurements of the controls significant difference in certain measurements were seen. The better timings recorded amongst swimmers had a correlation to their anthropometric measurements. The best linear correlation was found between body height and swimming performance. I. Introduction The aquatic sport of swimming is based on the human act of swimming, that is, locomotion in water by self-propulsion, with the goal of completing a given distance in the shortest amount of time. In some competitions swimming is for the enhancement of endurance or precedence rather than speed, such as crossing a long distanced channel or other stretch of open water. The sprints referred to short and high intensive events required high anaerobic capacity .Indeed, the acquisition of speed is critical for the majority
a given distance in the shortest amount of time. In some competitions swimming is for the enhancement of endurance or precedence rather than speed, such as crossing a long distanced channel or other stretch of open water. The sprints referred to short and high intensive events required high anaerobic capacity .Indeed, the acquisition of speed is critical for the majority of sports. In the event of track athletics, 100-meter freestyle sprinting race was probably the most impressive event in worldwide competition. The praise of being the fastest person in the world could be claimed by the world-record holder because of the sheer speed of this race. People all over the countries strive to complete in the international events, such as the Olympics game since 1896. However, we could seldom find Indian or even Asian on the final of sprinting events. There were numerous studies investigating the inborn characteristics of athletes determined by ethnicity. Swimming performance depends on optimizing propulsion and minimizing opposing factor-drag. Factors that contribute to this drag include the anthropometric measurements and body composition. Researchers investigated the proportionality characteristics of Olympic athletes in which the gender, ethnic and particular event influences on the physique of the athlete were studied. It was found that Black athletes tended to have proportionally longer arms, longer tibial length and larger thigh girth than the White athlete. Therefore, anthropometric measures have been identified to be significant factors affecting sports performance. Sprinting, however, has shown limited percentage of improvement that can be made in other athletic events through prospering technical skills, strength and endurance. Therefore, identifying certain natural advantages of potential athletes is inevitable. Despite numerous researches and findings of identifying the factors of sprinting, it is a crucial question whether anthropometric variable of lower and upper limbs, including length, circumference and ratio are influential to sprinting performance. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between selected anthropometric measures of lower limbs and the sprinting performance of the 100 metre freestyle sprinting performance. LACUNAE Many studies have been reported in the previous times regarding the contribution of anthropometric measurements to sports.
lower and upper limbs, including length, circumference and ratio are influential to sprinting performance. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between selected anthropometric measures of lower limbs and the sprinting performance of the 100 metre freestyle sprinting performance. LACUNAE Many studies have been reported in the previous times regarding the contribution of anthropometric measurements to sports. Most of them have been conducted in the foreign population. Very few studies have been conducted in the Indian population. Our study has been done specifically on the swimmers as very few studies have been conducted on the adolescent Indian swimmers.
An investigation on the anthropometric profile and its relationship with physical performance of .. DOI: 10.9790/0853-160301118126 www.iosrjournals.org 119 | Page AIM AND OBJECTIVES The aim of the study is to establish a relationship between anthropometric profile and physical performance of adolescent Indian swimmers. The objectives are: 1. Measurement of stature. 2. Measurement of body weight. 3. Measurement of mid-arm circumference. 4. Measurement of chest circumference. 5. Measurement of mid-thigh circumference. 6. Measurement of waist circumference. 7. Timing of 100metres freestyle sprinting performance. MATERIAL AND METHODS The method of this study was divided into the following sections: (a) Selection of subjects; (b) Study design; (c) Testing procedures; and (d) Data Selection of Subjects Inclusion criteria Age: 15-18 yrs Study Group: Under formal training in swimming for not less than 1 year. n=35 Controls: Not under formal training in swimming. n=70 Exclusion criteria Cardio-respiratory illness. Endocrine disorders. Participation in any other form of sport. Intake of steroids. Intake of performance boosters like creatin or androgenic precursors. The study included a total of 105 subjects aged between 15 and 18 years. Participants were fully informed of the possible risks and stresses associated with the test and signed consent forms prior to participation. Written consents were obtained from parents also. They had to participate in the 100-meter freestyle sprint and undertake selected anthropometric measures. II. Methods The study group was selected from the various swimming pools located at Chennai. Prior to the study meetings were held to explain the participants and their parents the aim of the study and its importance. Those who volunteered were chosen with strict adherence to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The coaches were also informed duly. The same protocol was followed with the controls and the meetings (PIC:1) were held at SethuBhaskara Matriculation School. Written consent from the participants and parents were obtained. PIC 1: Meeting with the controls
An investigation on the anthropometric profile and its relationship with physical performance of .. DOI: 10.9790/0853-160301118126 www.iosrjournals.org 120 | Page Subjects were instructed to avoid vigorous exercise for at least 48 hours and consume their normal pre- training diet before the test session. All the selected anthropometric measurements were taken by the pool side. The 100-meter freestyle sprinting was then taken in various swimming clubs. The controls also participated in the performance testing. 40 volunteers out of 70 controls who had just the knowledge of swimming but no professional training were tested for 100 mts freestyle sprinting performance. Standard anthropometric instruments were suggested by Norton et al. (1996) and were supported by the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK). Testing Procedures The selected anthropometric measures were conducted by the pool side. The length and circumferences measurements were taken on the right side of the body. Every length and circumference variables was taken two times by the measurer, and the mean value was recorded for calculation. The advantage of taking multiple measurements was that random errors would tend to cancel out when the mean or median was used (Pederson & Gore, 1996). PIC 2: Measurement of height in swimmers PIC 3: Measurement of mid-thigh circumference
An investigation on the anthropometric profile and its relationship with physical performance of .. DOI: 10.9790/0853-160301118126 www.iosrjournals.org 121 | Page PIC 4: Measurement of chest circumference The anthropometric measurements for the control group were recorded in the school premises after due permission from school authorities. After all the anthropometric measurements were taken, subjects were asked to undergo a standardized warm-up, stretching routine, the 100-meter freestyle sprint and finally the cool down activity. Measurement of stature In this test, a stadiometer was used to check for height (Norton et al., 1996). The subjects were without footwear. Standing erect, subjects placed their feet flat on the floor with their heels together. While looking straight ahead, their arms should be placed naturally aside both thigh with the pales facing inwards. The posterior part of the body, including the head, scapula, and buttocks were touching to the wall. The reading was taken to the nearest 0.1 cm. Measurement of body weight An electronic weighing scale was suggested by Norton et al. (1996) to measure the body weight. As the body weight would fluctuate during different time of the day, all the readings were taken at the same time of a day (Norton et al., 1996). The subjects dressed in minimal clothing and barefoot, got on to the middle of the scale with the weight distributed evenly between the feet. The measurement was taken with the participant standing erect with the looking straight ahead. The body weight was measured to the nearest 0.1 kg. Measurement of thigh circumference (mid-thigh) The positioning of the tape for each specific circumference is important to ensure validity and reliability (Callaway et al., 1988). The thigh circumference was taken on the right leg perpendicular to the long axis of the thigh. The subject stood erect with the feet slightly apart and mass distributed evenly on both feet. The reading was measured at the level midway between the trochanter and tibial condyle (Norton et al., 1996), to the nearest 0.1 cm. The 100-meter freestyle sprinting protocol The subjects were required to perform prior exercise including warm-up by jogging, stretching, moderate- to
thigh. The subject stood erect with the feet slightly apart and mass distributed evenly on both feet. The reading was measured at the level midway between the trochanter and tibial condyle (Norton et al., 1996), to the nearest 0.1 cm. The 100-meter freestyle sprinting protocol The subjects were required to perform prior exercise including warm-up by jogging, stretching, moderate- to high-intensity striding and sprinting activities. The subject began from a starting position by lowering the centre of gravity and leaning slightly forward, ready to react to the command “Ready” and “Go”. The timer stood at the finish line, at a location suitable for viewing the subject’s start and finish. The starting helper stood at the starting line, gave the command “Go” while sweeping down his/ her arm. The timer started the stopwatch at the moment the sweeping down movement was seen. The subject would be encouraged to run in their maximal speed continuously through the finish line. The timer stopped the watch when the subjects’ chest passed through the finish line, the time would be recorded to 2 decimal places. The sprinter performed a proper analysis. The timer stopped the watch when the subjects’ chest passed through the finish line, the time would be recorded to 2 decimal places. The sprinter performed a proper cool-down by repeating the routine similar to the warm-up and by stretching the legs periodically afterwards to prevent delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
An investigation on the anthropometric profile and its relationship with physical performance of .. DOI: 10.9790/0853-160301118126 www.iosrjournals.org 122 | Page Statistical analysis was performed with Graph pad prism version 5. Mean and standard deviations were calculated for each variable. Selected anthropometric variables were correlated with sprinting times. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify the performance relevant predictor anthropometric variables. For all statistical tests, an alpha level of p< 0.05 level of significance was used. T-test was performed to compare the difference in proportionalities of all the variables in both groups and p value was obtained. Anova was perfomed to test the difference in variances. III. Analysis of Data And Results The descriptive statistics of the control and study group’s physical characteristics are shown in Table 1&2: TABLE 1 : General statistics for controls wt ht mac cc mtc waist Timings(n=40) Mean 53.921 161.014 24.907 86.35 47.342 73.371 103.252 SD 10.799 7.248 3.232 6.783 6.541 9.007 12.781 Variance( SD) 116.62 52.543 10.451 46.017 42.793 81.135 163.36 Population SD 10.721 7.196 3.209 6.734 6.494 8.942 12.62 Variance( Population SD) 114.954 51.792 10.302 45.359 42.182 79.976 159.272 Std error 1.29 0.87 0.38 0.81 0.78 1.076 1.326 TABLE 2 : General statistics for swimmers: wt ht mac cc mtc waist Timings(n=35) Mean 60.242 168.386 27.243 92.557 49.457 72.614 56.44 SD 9.713 8.404 2.25 6.171 4.045 7.077 1.299 Variance( SD) 94.358 70.634 5.064 38.085 16.358 50.089 1.788 Population SD 9.574 8.283 2.218 6.082 3.986 6.976 1.318 Variance( Population SD) 91.662 68.616 4.919 36.997 15.891 48.658 1.737 Std error 1.64 1.42 0.38 1.04 0.68 1.196 0.226 TABLE 3 : t-test results(2-tailed): wt ht mac cc mtc waist timings p value 0.00429 9.6909 0.00022 0.0032 0.00314 0.66491 0.0062 The general statistics for the selected anthropometric measurements was made for both the groups as seen in table 1&2. The tests revealed a significant difference in height, chest circumference, mid-thigh circumference and weight. The 100metres swimming performance was also assessed and the timings noted, the p value being less than 0.05. The MS difference in the mid-thigh circumference being the smallest indicates less deviation between the controls and
was made for both the groups as seen in table 1&2. The tests revealed a significant difference in height, chest circumference, mid-thigh circumference and weight. The 100metres swimming performance was also assessed and the timings noted, the p value being less than 0.05. The MS difference in the mid-thigh circumference being the smallest indicates less deviation between the controls and the swimmers. The p value (Table 3) for t-test in the weight, mid-arm circumference, mid-thigh circumference, chest circumference and timings being less than 0.001 providing strong evidence against null hypothesis. The comparative charts depict the difference in the Mean, SD, Variance in the anthropometric measurements and 100 meters performance timings between the controls and the swimmers. Comparative charts: Figure 1: comparative chart of weight Fig 1: Comparative chart of weight
An investigation on the anthropometric profile and its relationship with physical performance of .. DOI: 10.9790/0853-160301118126 www.iosrjournals.org 123 | Page Figure 2: comparative chart of height Fig 2: Comparative chart of height Figure 3: comparative chart of mid-arm circumference Fig 3: comparative chart of mid-arm circumference Figure 4: comparative chart of chest circumference Fig 4: comparative chart of chest circumference 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 Cms Height controls swimmers 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Mean SD Variance( SD) Population SD Variance( Population SD) Cms Mid-arm circumference
An investigation on the anthropometric profile and its relationship with physical performance of .. DOI: 10.9790/0853-160301118126 www.iosrjournals.org 124 | Page Figure 5: comparative chart of mid-thigh circumference Fig 5: comparative chart of mid-thigh circumference Figure 6: comparative chart of waist circumference Fig 6: comparative chart of waist circumference Figure 7: comparative chart of 100 mts timings Fig 7: comparative chart of 100 mts timings 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 Mean SD Variance( SD) Population SD Variance( Population SD) Cms Mid-thigh circumference controls swimmers 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 Mean SD Variance( SD) Population SD Variance( Population SD) Cms Waist circumference controls swimmers
An investigation on the anthropometric profile and its relationship with physical performance of .. DOI: 10.9790/0853-160301118126 www.iosrjournals.org 125 | Page IV. Discussion The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between selected anthropometric measures and the 100 meters sprinting performance in the adolescent age group Indian students. Several researchers have studied the morphologic and anthropometric characteristics of different populations of elite swimmers. One of the most extensive studies is Kinanthropometry in Aquatic Sports (A Study of World Class Athletes). This study, so-called KASP Study, was conducted during the 6th FINA World Championships in Perth (Australia) in 1991. In this study, body size, body fat, shape and proportionality of 922 elite aquatic athletes including 170 female swimmers and 231 male swimmers were measured by high quality and criterion anthropometries. Although there are different predictors of elite swimming performance (physiological, mental, and physical), anthropometric assessment is one of the vital parameters, especially in talent selection programs. Anthropometry is the science of human body measurements including skinfolds, lengths, diameters and circumferences. A study conducted by Galadas.ND et al in 2005 among Greek adolescent swimmers found a significant relationship of anthropometric measurements to 100metres sprint performance (r=0.22-0.31) p is lesser than 0.05. Similar association was found in our study too. Though the morphological variables are significantly better predictor of a swimming result in a sample of swimmers than in non-athletes, they would have more weightage in a comparative study within an athlete group. Study by Sekulic in 2007 observed that anthropometric variables predict the swimming results more significantly in the trained sample compared to non-athletic controls. This study had lots of similarities to ours. From the results presented in the table 1&2 it is obvious that anthropometric variables predict swimming results more significantly in the trained sample (athletes), comparing to non-athletes. Generally, it is not hard to explain. The sample of subjects we used in our study has a very similar swimming technique (e.g. their technique is excellent). In other words, if the swimming technique is not a component which differentiates the subjects in their swimming results – the greater part of