Anthropometric and performance characteristics of rhythmic gymnasts belonging to different category Italian national teams

Several studied showed the importance of anthropometric parameters and indices of flexibility and strength in rhythmic gymnastics (Hume 1993, Classens 1999, Di Cagno 2008). This study aimed to compare the anthropometric and performance characteristics of rhythmic gymnasts belonging to national teams of different category, namely the A (n=9, 17.5 +-2.3yrs), B (junior) (n=9, 13.7+-1.2 yrs) and C (n=14, 13.7+-1.6 yrs) Italian national teams. Explosive strength (vertical jump and hopping tests) and flexibility at the knee and hip joints were assessed together with body mass, height, upper and lower limbs length, various segmental circumferences and width, and body fat percentage (FM and FFM) estimated through skinfolds measurements (Thorland 1984, Brozek 1963). Compared to the B and C teams, the athletes belonging to the A team showed significantly (p<0.05) higher explosive strength (jump’s height: 35.3 +- 2.4 cm vs. B:25.3 +- 2.4 and C:28.1+-3.1 cm), height (165.8 +- 3.7 cm vs. B:152.3+-7.1 cm and C:154.5 +-11cm), body mass (47.73+- .5 kg +- vs. B: 36.65+- .2 kg, C:39.5+-7.8 kg), thigh circumference (45.3 +-3.1 cm vs. B:40.0 +-2.2 cm, C:40.53 cm), FFM (42.8 2+- .9 kg vs. B:33.5+-4.6 kg, C:35.4+-6.7kg). Conversely, the differences among the groups were not statistically significant for body fat percentage (A:10.2 +-1.0%, B:8.5 +-1.2%, C:10.2 +-2.0%), humerus, femur and biacromial widths. Multivariate analyses allowed to individuate two anthropometric factors (“length”, including body height and limbs lengths, and “mass”, including body mass, body density, and many segmental circumferences) and one performance factor. The anthropometric and performance differences between the A national team and the other two may be linked to the selection of athletes by the coaching staffs, and the training volume (A:37.1 +-7.2 hrs/week, B:24.0+-3.9, hrs/week, C:18.2+-3.6 hrs/week). Factor analysis allowed to clearly distinguish the A, B and C groups and individuate the athletes having characteristics similar to those of the A national team.