Body Composition differences in Offensive and Defensive Roles among Male Kabaddi Players

Abstract

Introduction: This study explores the correlation between Kabaddi players' playing positions and body composition characteristics. Methods: Anthropometric parameters, Body composition, performance were measured with standard recognized methods Results: Offensive players exhibited significantly higher weight, BMI, and body fat % compared to defensive players. Body composition influences playing style but is not the sole determinant of position selection in Kabaddi. Position-specific training programs can enhance performance by focusing on agility for offensive players and strength for defensive players. Offensive players may get the benefit from fat loss and agility training to improve rapid movements, whereas, defensive players should prioritize strength and endurance training to enhance tackling power. Identifying the muscle-to-fat ratio rather than simply relaying on BMI, is necessary to individualize the training programs effectively among Kabaddi players. Talent identification process should incorporate agility, endurance, and strength along with body composition for a more comprehensive assessment. Conclusion: The study address the limitations, such as a small sample size, lack of muscle mass data, and absence of in game performance metrics like sprint speed and reaction time. Despite of these constraints, the findings emphasize that body composition plays an important role in performance but should not be the sole criterion for position assignment. Future research in this directions should integrate other additional physical and physiological fitness components to optimize talent identification and performance enhancement in Kabaddi.