Strength profile in young male athletes from different sports

Abstract

Study aim: The aim of the present study was to determine a strength profile which characterizes young male athletes from different sports and to use the method of allometry to synthetically evaluate the muscular strength with respect to body mass. Material and methods: The study included 85 men who practiced taekwondo (8 subjects), 20 judoists, 10 weightlifters, 35 canoeists and 12 speed skaters. Measurements of maximal muscle torques in 10 groups of flexors and extensors of the elbow, shoulder, hip, knee and trunk were carried out in a testing station for muscle torque measurements under static conditions. In order to determine the relationships between the body mass and muscle torques in each muscle group, the authors used a procedure of linear regression for the data expressed as logarithms. Hence, the allometric relationship scaled with body mass was obtained. Results: The study demonstrated that the mean values of logarithms of maximal muscle torques are significantly different for the representatives of individual sports and they depend on the logarithm of body mass. The analysis of residuals was employed for the evaluation of maximal muscle torques. The highest strength profiles were observed in athletes who practice judo and the lowest in those who represented weightlifting and taekwondo. Conclusion: The authors propose to use an allometric relationship which takes body mass into consideration during evaluation of strength in individual muscle groups, because the values of muscle torques are not in direct proportion to body mass and their mutual proportions change with an increase in body mass.