Kinanthropometric differences between english and spanish
1
Kinanthropometric differences between World
Championship senior and junior elite triathletes
G.J. Landers, B.A. Blanksby, T.R. Ackland and D.A. Smith*
Department of Human Movement and Exercise Science, The University of Western
Australia, Perth, Australia
*Queensland Academy of Sport, Brisbane, Australia
Proceedings from the Gatorade International Triathlon Science II Conference
Noosa, Australia, November 7-8, 1999
Maximising Olympic Distance Triathlon Performance,:
A multi disiplinary perspective
Pages 74-87
All correspondence to:
Grant Landers
Department of Human Movement and Exercise Science
The University of western Australia
Nedlands, WA 6907
Phone: (08) 9380 1385
Fax: (08) 9380 1036
email: [email protected]
2
Abstract
Eighty-seven triathletes who competed in the senior or junior elite categories at the 1997
Triathlon World Championships were measured on a battery of 30 anthropometric
dimensions. Analyses sought to clarify what physical differences existed between these
competitors at the highest level.
Generally, the senior triathletes were older, faster, heavier and had broader shoulders than
their junior counterparts. The junior females recorded a greater sum of 8 skinfolds,
endomorphy rating and had less muscle mass than their senior triathletes. The senior
males had significantly greater segmental lengths, girths and breadths than the junior
male triathletes.
However, most of these differences were removed when applying
dimensional scaling to the raw scores.
These results suggest that while the junior males have not fully matured they already
have many of the proportional physical characteristics of the senior male triathletes.
After full development, they may possess similar morphology. In contrast, the junior
female triathletes are closer to the senior females in physical maturity, except for a
greater sum of skinfolds and less muscle mass. A higher level of training may therefore
alter these characteristics and possibly improve their performance.
3
Introduction
Development of a sport at the elite level can be improved by knowing the physical,
physiological and psychological characteristics of current elite athletes and to assess
those factors that are important for high levels of performance. This then benefits
coaches in planning training programs and preparing their athletes for competition. It
also benefits the junior athletes who have self-selected themselves and who will one day
be the elite of the sport.
Triathlon during its brief existence has had much investigation into the physiological
characteristics of its participants, however, the physical morphology has not yet had such
a vigorous inquiry. Laurenson et al. (1993), Leake and Carter (1991) and Travill et al.
(1994) have all examined small samples of classic distance triathletes in terms of
physique and body composition through comparisons with individual sport athletes or
between different ability level triathletes.
Ackland et al. (1998) reported complete
anthropometric data for senior and junior elite triathletes at the 1997 Triathlon World
Championships (TWC). This has research has been expanded to include investigations
into the effect of these anthropometric dimensions on the outcome performance of this
race (Ackland et al., 1999; Landers et al., 1999).
The aim of this paper is to further understand the age-related kinanthropometric
differences, of male and female elite level competitors at the 1997 TWC. It is envisaged
that this data will help to improve training practices, possibly form the basis of talent
identification or allow understanding of self selection for the sport of triathlon and
improve the interpretation of the body shape of triathletes.
Methods
Senior and junior elite, male and female triathletes participating in the 1997 TWC were
invited to take part in the study.
Eighty-seven triathletes from 11 nations were
measured. The male sample consisted of 20 senior male triathletes, eight of whom
finished in the top 20; and 29 junior male triathletes, three of whom finished in the top
20. The female sample comprised 18 senior female triathletes, six of whom were placed
in the top 20; and 20 junior female triathletes, of whom eight placed in the top 10.
Only volunteers participated in the research. All testing was carried out one week prior
4
to competition to minimise disruption to the final championship preparation.
Testing protocol
The Human Rights Committee of the University of Western Australia granted approval
for the study and all participants signed a consent form after being informed of the study
requirements. Data were collected at the Department of Human Movement and Exercise
Science, or at other suitable accommodation sites using a mobile testing unit.
All
equipment other than electronic scales and stadiometer could be transported. For these
occasions a mobile stadiometer and beam balance scale were used.
Personal details and demographic data were obtained at the first test station and
anatomical landmarking of the subject by a criterion anthropometrist (ISAK level-4) took
place.
The triathletes then moved through five measurement stations.
One station
recorded seven skinfold thickness, another for height, weight and five segmental lengths;
two stations were available for four girth measurements each and another for five
segment breadths. To allow continuous testing by the anthropometrist, a scribe was
posted at each measurement station to record values. The data were then entered into a
computer on an SPSS spreadsheet (SPSS Inc.) for subsequent analysis.
Standard measurements were undertaken in accordance with those approved by the
International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK) and reported in
Bloomfield et al. (1994) and Norton and Olds (1996).
The same investigator was posted at each station for the entire testing program. This
strategy was adopted to limit inter-observer variability and to maximise the reliability of
results. The technical error of measurement (TEM) was calculated on a sample of 20
subjects randomly chosen. The TEM for all variables was within the standards set by
ISAK for level-2 anthropometrists (Norton and Olds, 1996).
Data analysis
Data were entered onto a spreadsheet from which descriptive statistics for each
characteristic were calculated. Standard formulae were employed to derive brachial and
crural indices (BI & CI) (equation 1 & 2), relative sitting height (RSH) and relative lower
limb length (RLLL) (equation 3 & 4). Somatotype was calculated using the Carter and
5
Heath (1990) somatotype formulae, while proportionality variables were computed via
the phantom stratagem for all measurements (Ross and Ward, 1986). Body composition
was also determined using the five compartment fractionation model (Ross & Kerr,
1991).
Insert equation 1 about here
Insert equation 2 about here
Insert equation 3 about here
Insert equation 4 about here
Data were initially split by gender and analysis was by one-way ANOVA of each
variable comparing the senior and junior elite competitors. Tables containing all of the
measures and derived variables were constructed for males and females separately, as
well as senior and junior groups. Due to the large number of ANOVA conducted, the
possibility of type one and two errors exist. All results were significant at p
Kinanthropometric differences between World
Championship senior and junior elite triathletes
G.J. Landers, B.A. Blanksby, T.R. Ackland and D.A. Smith*
Department of Human Movement and Exercise Science, The University of Western
Australia, Perth, Australia
*Queensland Academy of Sport, Brisbane, Australia
Proceedings from the Gatorade International Triathlon Science II Conference
Noosa, Australia, November 7-8, 1999
Maximising Olympic Distance Triathlon Performance,:
A multi disiplinary perspective
Pages 74-87
All correspondence to:
Grant Landers
Department of Human Movement and Exercise Science
The University of western Australia
Nedlands, WA 6907
Phone: (08) 9380 1385
Fax: (08) 9380 1036
email: [email protected]
2
Abstract
Eighty-seven triathletes who competed in the senior or junior elite categories at the 1997
Triathlon World Championships were measured on a battery of 30 anthropometric
dimensions. Analyses sought to clarify what physical differences existed between these
competitors at the highest level.
Generally, the senior triathletes were older, faster, heavier and had broader shoulders than
their junior counterparts. The junior females recorded a greater sum of 8 skinfolds,
endomorphy rating and had less muscle mass than their senior triathletes. The senior
males had significantly greater segmental lengths, girths and breadths than the junior
male triathletes.
However, most of these differences were removed when applying
dimensional scaling to the raw scores.
These results suggest that while the junior males have not fully matured they already
have many of the proportional physical characteristics of the senior male triathletes.
After full development, they may possess similar morphology. In contrast, the junior
female triathletes are closer to the senior females in physical maturity, except for a
greater sum of skinfolds and less muscle mass. A higher level of training may therefore
alter these characteristics and possibly improve their performance.
3
Introduction
Development of a sport at the elite level can be improved by knowing the physical,
physiological and psychological characteristics of current elite athletes and to assess
those factors that are important for high levels of performance. This then benefits
coaches in planning training programs and preparing their athletes for competition. It
also benefits the junior athletes who have self-selected themselves and who will one day
be the elite of the sport.
Triathlon during its brief existence has had much investigation into the physiological
characteristics of its participants, however, the physical morphology has not yet had such
a vigorous inquiry. Laurenson et al. (1993), Leake and Carter (1991) and Travill et al.
(1994) have all examined small samples of classic distance triathletes in terms of
physique and body composition through comparisons with individual sport athletes or
between different ability level triathletes.
Ackland et al. (1998) reported complete
anthropometric data for senior and junior elite triathletes at the 1997 Triathlon World
Championships (TWC). This has research has been expanded to include investigations
into the effect of these anthropometric dimensions on the outcome performance of this
race (Ackland et al., 1999; Landers et al., 1999).
The aim of this paper is to further understand the age-related kinanthropometric
differences, of male and female elite level competitors at the 1997 TWC. It is envisaged
that this data will help to improve training practices, possibly form the basis of talent
identification or allow understanding of self selection for the sport of triathlon and
improve the interpretation of the body shape of triathletes.
Methods
Senior and junior elite, male and female triathletes participating in the 1997 TWC were
invited to take part in the study.
Eighty-seven triathletes from 11 nations were
measured. The male sample consisted of 20 senior male triathletes, eight of whom
finished in the top 20; and 29 junior male triathletes, three of whom finished in the top
20. The female sample comprised 18 senior female triathletes, six of whom were placed
in the top 20; and 20 junior female triathletes, of whom eight placed in the top 10.
Only volunteers participated in the research. All testing was carried out one week prior
4
to competition to minimise disruption to the final championship preparation.
Testing protocol
The Human Rights Committee of the University of Western Australia granted approval
for the study and all participants signed a consent form after being informed of the study
requirements. Data were collected at the Department of Human Movement and Exercise
Science, or at other suitable accommodation sites using a mobile testing unit.
All
equipment other than electronic scales and stadiometer could be transported. For these
occasions a mobile stadiometer and beam balance scale were used.
Personal details and demographic data were obtained at the first test station and
anatomical landmarking of the subject by a criterion anthropometrist (ISAK level-4) took
place.
The triathletes then moved through five measurement stations.
One station
recorded seven skinfold thickness, another for height, weight and five segmental lengths;
two stations were available for four girth measurements each and another for five
segment breadths. To allow continuous testing by the anthropometrist, a scribe was
posted at each measurement station to record values. The data were then entered into a
computer on an SPSS spreadsheet (SPSS Inc.) for subsequent analysis.
Standard measurements were undertaken in accordance with those approved by the
International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK) and reported in
Bloomfield et al. (1994) and Norton and Olds (1996).
The same investigator was posted at each station for the entire testing program. This
strategy was adopted to limit inter-observer variability and to maximise the reliability of
results. The technical error of measurement (TEM) was calculated on a sample of 20
subjects randomly chosen. The TEM for all variables was within the standards set by
ISAK for level-2 anthropometrists (Norton and Olds, 1996).
Data analysis
Data were entered onto a spreadsheet from which descriptive statistics for each
characteristic were calculated. Standard formulae were employed to derive brachial and
crural indices (BI & CI) (equation 1 & 2), relative sitting height (RSH) and relative lower
limb length (RLLL) (equation 3 & 4). Somatotype was calculated using the Carter and
5
Heath (1990) somatotype formulae, while proportionality variables were computed via
the phantom stratagem for all measurements (Ross and Ward, 1986). Body composition
was also determined using the five compartment fractionation model (Ross & Kerr,
1991).
Insert equation 1 about here
Insert equation 2 about here
Insert equation 3 about here
Insert equation 4 about here
Data were initially split by gender and analysis was by one-way ANOVA of each
variable comparing the senior and junior elite competitors. Tables containing all of the
measures and derived variables were constructed for males and females separately, as
well as senior and junior groups. Due to the large number of ANOVA conducted, the
possibility of type one and two errors exist. All results were significant at p