title: Relationship of the anthropometric and physical characteristics of male junior gymnasts to performance.
abstract: To evaluate the structural characteristics concomitant to excellence in gymnastics performance, body composition, anthropometric measurements, power, strength, and flexibility were determined in Junior Olympic gymnastics competitors. Physical parameter measurements were performed on 65 male Class I and II all-around gymnasts. National team qualifiers, top 10 Class I and II, were compared to those who placed 11th to 34th in the all-around scoring at the 1987 U.S. Gymnastics Federation Junior Olympic National Championships. The mean percent body fat, 7.1 +/- 1.6%, compared favorably with European gymnasts (7.07 +/- 1.7%). Top Class II gymnasts were significantly leaner (6.1 +/- 0.8% fat) than Class I (6.9 +/- 1.5% fat) and Class II (8.8 +/- 3.2% fat). The mean strength to body ratio was 138.8 +/- 16.8% while the Top Class I exhibited the highest ratio of 148.2 +/- 21.1%. Class II recorded a significantly higher absolute jump and reach (66.8 +/- 19.3 cm) and polyometric (66.2 +/- 6.4 cm) than the other classes. Class I and Top Class II gymnasts exhibited the greatest shoulder rotation while Top Class I exhibited the greatest hip flexion. Grip strength was low for all groups. To Class I and Top Class II when compared to other classes were characterized as shorter in stature, stronger in both relative and absolute strength, possessed greater flexibility through the hip region, shoulder girdle, back, were leaner, and possessed more muscle mass.
authors.forename: I E
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Faria
authors.forename: E W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Faria
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000886:Anthropometry; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D001824:Body Constitution / Q000502:physiology*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006173:Gymnastics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009132:Muscles / Q000502:physiology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*