ANTHROPOMETRIC PROFILE OF FEMALE GYMNASTS

Abstract

Certain body types may be advantageous for championship performances. Tanner (1964) has even suggested that there exists a strong relationship between the mechanical and physiological requirements of a particular event and the physique of successful participants. Physiological and anthropometric profiles have been developed to describe the qualities and characteristics of elite athletes in their respective sports (see Wilmore, 1983). Such data can be useful in identifying areas of training that should be emphasized and those areas that require little, if any attention. Descriptive profiles also provide data against which information from aspiring athletes can be compared for the identification and selection of potential championship athletes. Little anthropometric data are available on gymnasts and even less exists pertaining to women gymnasts (see Kreighbaum, 1983, for a review). Sinning (1978; Sinning & Lindberg , 1972) collected data on five Springfield College (SC) women's gymnastics teams at a time when these teams dominated women's gymnastics (1970-1974). This research found women gymnasts to comprise a distinct physical group (also see Parizkova & Poupa, 1963; Pool, Binkhorst & Vos, 1969). The purpose of the present study was to provide further anthropometric data on highly skilled collegiate female gymnasts with reference to norms for other gymnasts, dancers, and nonathletes of the same age.