COMPARISON OF ANTHROPOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS AND BODY TYPES OF HIGH PERFORMER AND LOW PERFORMER HAMMER THROWERS

SINGH, S.; SINGH, K.; SINGH, M. Anthropometric characteristics and body types of high performer and low performer hammer throwers. Brazilian Journal of Biomotricity, v. 5, n. 2, p. 80-86, 2011. The purpose of this study was to find out anthropometric measurements, body composition and somatotyping differences in high performer and low performer hammer throwers. 20 male hammer throwers of age 18 to 25 years were assessed for the study. Out of which 10 were high performers and 10 were low performers. All subjects were assessed for height, weight, widths, girths and skinfold thicknesses. The independent samples t-test revealed that high performer hammer throwers had significantly higher weight (p<0.01), sitting height (p<0.05), BMI (p<0.01) and lower leg length (p<0.01) as compared to low performers. The high performer hammer throwers were also found to have significantly greater all circumferences and skinfold measurements. High performers hammer throwers also had significantly higher % body fat (p<0.01), total body fat (p<0.01) and lean body mass (p<0.01) as compared to low performers. Endomorphy (p<0.01) and mesomorphy (p<0.01) were significantly higher in high performer hammer throwers whereas ectomorphy (p<0.01) was significantly greater among low performers. It is concluded that in most of the parameters there were significant differences between high performer hammer throwers and low performer hammer throwers, and the high performer athletes showed better anthropometric measurements and somatotyping scores.