title: Effects of a competitive wrestling season on body composition, strength, and power in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III college wrestlers.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a competitive wrestling season on body composition, muscular strength, and muscular power in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III college wrestlers. A total of 10 wrestlers were assessed throughout 2 consecutive wrestling seasons in late October, late January (midseason), and late March (postseason). Measurements included body weight, body composition (6-site skinfold), muscular strength (back squats and bench press), and muscular power (e.g., power cleans, vertical jump, seated medicine ball put). A repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed no significant changes in body weight, percentage of body fat, or fat-free mass (FFM) from pre- to mid- to postseason (body weight, 77.9 +/- 12.4, 75.7 +/- 11.0, and 79.9 +/- 12.8 kg; percentage of body fat, 11.6 +/- 3.9, 10.5 +/- 3.0, and 12.0 +/- 3.4; FFM, 68.5 +/- 8.7, 67.5 +/- 8.2, and 70.0 +/- 9.0 kg). A statistically significant main effect of time (p < 0.01) was observed for muscular strength, as both the back squat and bench press measures were lower at midseason (back squat, 150.8 +/- 25.2 kg; bench press, 98.3 +/- 25.4 kg) than at pre- and postseason (back squat, 157.9 +/- 25.5 and 161.4 +/- 25.6; bench press, 103.4 +/- 25.5 and 106.4 +/- 26.0). Muscular power did not change significantly throughout the wrestling season. These data indicate that Division III college wrestlers remain relatively weight stable with little change in body composition during a competitive wrestling season. While muscular power is apparently maintained, muscular strength may decline slightly. Our findings suggest that these wrestlers benefit from a training program that emphasizes in-season strength maintenance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Education and Health Promotion, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901, USA. schmidtw@uwosh.edu
authors.forename: W Daniel
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Connon L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Piencikowski
authors.forename: Ryan E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Vandervest
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology*; D012885:Skinfold Thickness; D014922:Wisconsin; D014952:Wrestling / Q000502:physiology*