Comparative Analysis of Athletes: An Anthropometric Profiles in Different Sports

Abstract

Introduction: An athlete's capacity to succeed in their chosen sport is greatly influenced by their anthropometric traits, which are essential to sports performance. This cross-sectional study investigates how the anthropometric characteristics of athletes who play football, cycling, and athletics compare. This study looks into the distinct physical aspects of football, cycling, and sports to identify patterns and linkages that provide light on the relationship between specific body measures and athletic aptitude. Method: The present study used precise anthropometric measurements, such as height, weight, BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference, WHR, arm span, and various skinfold measurements (biceps, triceps, supraspinal, and subscapular), along with 60 male participants, ages 18 to 25 yr , who were selected from the athletics, football, and cycling demographics. Results: The football, cycling, and athletics athletes were compared morphologically using ANOVA tests and post hoc comparisons. The findings showed notable variations in the athletes' triceps skinfold, supraspinal skinfold, sitting height, fat mass, fat-free mass, and fat percentage. Compared to their counterparts in football and athletics, cyclists showed notably larger biceps skinfold, supraspinal skinfold, and fat percentages. This is probably because cycling is an endurance sport. Conversely, the athletes' group had higher sitting heights and football players had more body fat. Athletes also have greater fat-free mass than their counterparts in cycling and football. Conclusions: Findings of the present study demonstrate how an athlete's performance is influenced by anthropometric characteristics that are specific to a given sport. These variations may impact training regimens, methods for identifying talent, and customized treatments depending on the physical attributes of athletes in football, cycling, and athletics. Sports science will benefit from this study's filling in gaps in the literature and laying the groundwork for future research on enhancing athletic performance.