Determination of physical fitness profiles of female basketball players in the universities’ super league and associating the profiles with the body compositions

Abstract

The object of the present study is to determine physical fitness profiles of female basketball players playing in the universities’ super league and to associate them with the body compositions.

38 volunteer sportswomen 38 (age: 21.06±1.46 years) dealing with basketball were included in the study. Body mass index (BMI) of each subject was calculated by dividing her body weight in kilogram by square of her height in meter. In determination of physical fitness, their body compositions, reaction times and anaerobic performances were assessed. Body fat percentage was calculated by Zorba formula and somatotype features were estimated by using Heath-Carter method. Vertical jumping test was used in anaerobic performance while La Fayette multi-option reaction time scale was employed to determine reaction. It was found that the subjects had endomorphic- ectomorphy (4.2-1.6-3.2) somatotype feature, normal body mass index (BMI) (21.43±1.81), normal body fat percentage (FP) (15.01±2.32), average anaerobic power (AP) (88.30±13.06kgm.s^-1;883.04±130.06N.ms^-1=watt), relative anaerobic power (RAP) (1.34±.96; 13.46±.9606N.ms^-1=watt), average left visual reaction (205.68±31.53), right visual reaction (193.02±24.15), left audio reaction (180.73±24.11), right audio reaction (174.78±21.93). A significant correlation was found between the obtained FP and left visual reaction (r=.464; p<0.01) as well as left visual reaction and endomorph (r=.434; p<0.01) according to the conducted Pearson Multiplications’ Moment while any significant correlation was not seen between BMI and AP (r=.593; p<0.01). A significant correlation between fat-free body mass and AP (r=.895; p<0.01) was found while any significant correlation between mesomorph and AP (r=-.330; p<0.05) was not found. A similar correlation was found between ectomorph and AP (r=-.332; p<0.05).

As a result, the findings of the study have indicated that female basketball players’ body mass indexes, fat-free body masses and mesomorphic and ectomorphic features have a determinative role in their anaerobic performances and also, that an association exists between their physical fitness profiles and body compositions.