Vladan Markovic1, Miloš Miloševic1
1Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Management, Singidunum University, Belgrade, Serbia
Associations between morphological dimensions and swimming time in different swimming styles
J. Anthr. Sport Phys. Educ. 2023, 7(4), 7-12 | DOI: 10.26773/jaspe.231002
Abstract
The morphology of young athletes is an important selection factor when choosing sports and sports disciplines. In swimming, morphology has an influence on the choice of swimming style and is somewhat related to the improvement of results. In this research, 27 anthropometric dimensions were measured on a sample of 132 young swimmers. The swimmers were members of several Belgrade swimming clubs (aged 10-18), and were divided into three age-subsamples. The aim of this research is to determine the relationship between different age-groups morphology and the swimming time at 50m for different swimming styles. Descriptive indicators showed deviations from the measures of the general population, which describes the training adaptations of young swimmers' bodies. The results of correlation analysis show significant positive and negative correlations (p<0.01) of morphological dimensions and swimming results in all age groups and swimming styles. Strong positive correlations were obtained between swimming time in breaststroke style: with foot wide (r=0.97) in second and third age groups, as well as in butterfly style with thickness of skin fold of biceps (r=0.80), chest (r=0.95), stomach (r=0.92), upper leg (r=0.88) and back (r=0.83) in second age group. A strong significant negative correlation was observed between swimming time in butterfly style and shoulders width (r=-0.85) in third age group. This research can help professors of physical education and sports coaches to facilitate the process of selection and categorization of their students or athletes.
Keywords
Swimmers, morphology, anthropometrics, swimming styles, swimming time
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