Figure - available via license: CC BY-ND
Content may be subject to copyright.
Source publication
Somatotyping is the overall quantification of the morphology and categorization of physique using three numeral rating. Application of anthropometry and somatotype is well recognized in designing training programs and identifying talented athletes for different sports. 165 Indian elite athletes of different sports (football, wrestling, hockey, comb...
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... gives the variables with significant and non-significant intergroup differences. Three components of somatotype i.e. endomorphy, mesomorphy and ectomorphy are described in terms of means and standard deviation for different sports with ANOVA in Table 2. Table 3 refers to the post hoc analysis for determining significant and non-significant intragroup differences. Figure 1 shows the distribution of somatotype of different sports group on a somatoplot. ...Context 2
... stature and adequate somatotype are not the only attributes determining athletic performance, but they are important prerequisites for sports participation and success. [21,22] In the present study, wrestlers had the highest mesomorphy component as well as the least ectomorphy value as compared to other studied sports group (Table 2). Wrestlers and footballers were categorized as endomorphic mesomorph (Figure1). ...Context 3
... can also be utilized as a prescription of training programmes in physically active males. [12] Control group mean somatotype categorized as mesomorphic endomorph among all the groups showed the highest endomorphy value (Table 2). A similar study among Indian college students showed mean somatotype as endomorphic mesomorph (3.78-4.73-2.87). ...Context 4
... Various studies have assessed that in general football players have a mesomorphic character falling in balanced mesomorph category. [30][31][32] Within-group variability (Standard deviation) in somatotype components in sports groups are markedly lower than that of the control group (Table 2). It suggests that athletes of same sports cluster narrowly in a particular area on the somatochart or it can be said that there is little variability among athletes of the same sport. ...Citations
... Table 2 details the contextual specifics of studies and somatotypes related to Indian combat athletes. Choudhary et al. (2019) found that mesomorphy levels were highest in wrestlers, while heavyweight Greco-Roman wrestlers (Neogi et al. 2019) displayed the highest endomorphy. It is worth noting that there was significant diversity among wrestlers in terms of ectomorphy, with Naga wrestlers ) recording the lowest scores. ...
... However, comprehensive comparisons involving factors such as gender, weight class, and age could not be undertaken due to the absence of pertinent data. Conversely, Choudhary et al. (2019) reported on combat sports athletes without specifying or segregating the particular combat discipline. Table 3 outlines the key attributes of studies and somatotypes concerning Indian athletes participating in track and field events. ...
... Further comprehensive studies, encompassing a broader spectrum of kinanthropometry considerations, including different weight categories and wrestling styles, are imperative to establish a more conclusive stance on the ideal somatotype for wrestlers. Source: Wrestlers (Madhvan 2013;Neogi et al. 2019;Armendariz et al. 2023;Choudhary et al. 2019;. Boxers: (Khanna & Manna, 2006;Armendariz et al. 2023;Singh et al. 2023). ...
Introducción: La utilización del somatotipo antropométrico es prevalente en el deporte. Es ampliamente aceptado el reconocimiento de un prototipo físico compartido y su vínculo con el rendimiento deportivo en los deportistas. Por lo tanto, es crucial explorar este aspecto entre los atletas indios. El estudio intentó recopilar y analizar sistemáticamente la literatura publicada existente que cubre el período comprendido entre 2003 y junio de 2023, enfatizando particularmente la somatotipificación de los atletas indios que participan en deportes de combate y eventos de atletismo. Además, se hicieron esfuerzos para evaluar los logros destacados y las limitaciones evidentes en los trabajos publicados durante el período especificado. Métodos: Los estudios publicados se recopilaron de varias bases de datos académicas, a saber, Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, SCISPASE y Semantic Scholar. Se redactaron criterios de inclusión y exclusión apropiados y los estudios se seleccionaron en consecuencia. Las categorías de somatotipo de los estudios individuales se calcularon y representaron en los diagramas de somatograma siguiendo el método de Carter. Resultados: Se consideraron adecuados para su inclusión en esta revisión dieciséis estudios que incluyeron a 887 atletas (746 hombres y 141 mujeres). El subgrupo de deportes de combate estuvo integrado por 361 atletas y el subgrupo de atletismo, por 526 atletas. Los luchadores exhibieron los niveles más altos de endomorfia y mesomorfia en los deportes de combate, mientras que los boxeadores junior mostraron la ectomorfia más alta. En atletismo, los lanzadores de martillo demostraron la mayor endomorfia, los lanzadores de peso exhibieron la mayor mesomorfia y la mayor ectomorfia caracterizó a los saltadores de altura. Conclusión: Las cartas somatográficas resaltan un prototipo físico compartido entre atletas dentro del mismo deporte, particularmente evidente en las pruebas de lucha libre, lanzamiento de martillo, lanzamiento de peso y salto. Sin embargo, la investigación sobre deportes de combate respalda los estudios en atletismo. La escasez de investigaciones sobre somatotipado entre atletas de élite y atletas femeninas de la India, junto con una deficiencia en los enfoques interdisciplinarios en los estudios de cineantropometría en la India, subraya la necesidad de intensificar las investigaciones integradoras.
Introduction: The utilization of anthropometric somatotyping is prevalent in sports. Recognizing a shared physical prototype and its link to athletic performance in athletes is widely accepted. Therefore, it is crucial to explore this aspect among Indian athletes. The study attempted to systematically collect and analyse existing published literature covering the timeframe from 2003 to June 2023, particularly emphasizing the somatotyping of Indian athletes engaged in combat sports and track and field events. Additionally, efforts were made to assess the prominent accomplishments and constraints evident in the published works during the specified period. Methods: Published studies were collected from various academic databases viz., Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, SCISPASE, and Semantic Scholar. Appropriate inclusion and exclusion criteria were drafted, and the studies were selected accordingly. Somatotype categories of individual studies were computed and plotted in the somatocharts following Carter's method. Results: Sixteen studies comprising 887 athletes (746 males and 141 females) were deemed suitable for inclusion in this review. The combat sports subgroup constituted 361 athletes, and the track and field subgroup comprised 526 athletes. Wrestlers exhibited the highest levels of endomorphy and mesomorphy in combat sports, while junior boxers displayed the highest ectomorphy. In track and field, hammer throwers demonstrated the
highest endomorphy, shot putters exhibited the greatest mesomorphy, and the highest ectomorphy characterized high jumpers. Conclusion: The somatocharts highlight a shared physical prototype among athletes within the same sport, notably evident in wrestling, hammer throw, shot put, and jump events. However, research on combat sports trails behind studies in track and field. The scarcity of research on somatotyping among Indian elite athletes and female athletes, coupled with a deficiency in interdisciplinary approaches in kinanthropometry studies in India, underscores the need for heightened integrative investigations.
... The mean BMI of Naga wrestlers is remarkably higher than the general male population of northeast India belonging to diverse ethnic groups, as reported in various studies (Ghosh and Dawhou, 2016;Limbu and Khual, 2020;Mungreiphy et al., 2011;Singh and Dkhar, 2013). Intriguingly, the mean height and weight of Naga wrestlers were found to be higher than the Indian national wrestlers (Choudhary et al., 2019). BMI values of Naga wrestlers were also found to be exceptionally more elevated than the Italian national wrestlers (Zaccagni, 2012), but much lower than Sumo wrestlers (Hattori et al., 1999). ...
Naga wrestling is an indigenous wrestling style played by the menfolk of Tenyimi tribes of Nagaland and Manipur. The present study aims to find the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Naga wrestlers, and examine the influence of height, weight, and BMI on performance. For this study, we have utilized the data of Nagaland Wrestling Association (NWA) on age, height, weight, and positions achieved from 2017 to 2020. A total of 170 wrestlers aged between 18-37 years were included in the present study. The wrestlers were divided into two categories based on age: younger wrestlers (18-25 years) and older wrestlers (26-37 years). BMI was classified using Asian cut-off points given by WHO. The mean height, weight, and BMI of Naga wrestlers are 172.74 cm, 79.51 kg, and 26.57 kg/m2, respectively. Baring height, significant variation in weight (p<0.001), and BMI (p<0.001) was observed between younger wrestlers and older wrestlers. The present study showed a high prevalence of overweight (51.8%) and obesity (34.1%) among the wrestlers. The prevalence of overweight and obesity between younger and older wrestlers was also highly significant (p<0.001). Thus, there is a positive association between BMI and its categories with advancing age. Additionally, taller and heavier wrestlers were more successful in achieving positions at wrestling tournaments. The absence of weight category in this wrestling style could be the causal factor for high incidences of overweight and obesity among the wrestlers.
... more, field tests are used by sportsmen and their coaches due to their high availability, sensitivity, validity and reliability. 6 in their study, choudhary et al. 4 pointed out that a sportsman's somatotype can be shifted to a certain extent. however, it should be kept in mind that bodybuilding must be considered specifically due to high variability of sportsmen's weight during annual mesocycle, which can reach 20-25 kg. ...
... on the other hand, an elite sportsman can often differ from the standard model in one or several indicators. 4 three scales represent ectomorphy, mesomorphy and endomorphy, and show body dimensions. Sportswomen's somatotype can be changed due to nutrition and caloric outtake and with high probability changes during annual cycle. ...
... From the time of the inception of the somatotyping method and its modifications by the likes of Sheldon, Carter, Heath and their associates, the importance of studying body physique in relation to sports was widely recognized and numerous studies have been reported in different disciplines. On the somatotype studies of the wrestlers in India, Kapoor and Singh [9] reported among the Indian wrestlers and Olympic wrestlers, Madhavan [10] among the adolescent wrestlers of Kerala, while, Choudhary et al. [11] showed the somatotype distribution of sportsmen specializing in different events including wrestling. In North-East India, very few anthropological studies have been conducted on sports viz., Dkhar [12] on male footballers of Meghalaya, Blah [13] on female basketball players of Meghalaya, Devi [14] on female weightlifters of Manipur and Devi and Singh [15] on footballers of Manipur. ...
... The wrestlers are taller, significantly heavier with a larger body built and broader epiphysis than the controlled group. Previous studies have also reported similar difference in physical built between athletes and non-athlete groups in different sport disciplines [11,15,19] . The finding of the present study shows that the Naga wrestlers possess a fat but muscular body physique (4.15 -5.31 -1.18). ...
... Such dominance of the mesomorphy component is expected among the wrestlers because of the physical built demand of the game accomplished by regular exercise and a protein-rich diet. On comparing the mean somatotype ratings of the Naga wrestlers with the Indian wrestlers (3.18 -6.0 -1.22) [11] , Naga wrestlers exhibit a much higher relative fatness and lesser musculoskeletal development in their body physique. The Naga wrestlers of the present study have marked relative fatness and a muscular body physique as most wrestlers were grouped in the subcategories of endomorphy and mesomorphy components. ...
The present study was conducted among the Chakhesang wrestlers and the controlled group of Phek district, Nagaland. This study aims to describe the variation in body physique and nutritional status of the traditional Naga-style wrestlers and the controlled group. Altogether, 52 each prominent wrestlers and non-wrestlers aged between 18 and 34 years were included in the present study. Heath-Carter method of somatotyping was employed to determine body physique. Nutritional status was determined using BMI classification for the Asian population given by WHO. Significant variations at different levels of probability were observed in all the anthropometric measurements included in the present study between the wrestlers and the controlled group. Significant variations were also found in BMI (p<0.01), endomorphy (p<0.01), mesomorphy (p<0.05) and ectomorphy (p<0.01). Wrestlers are generally mesomorph-ectomorph and the controlled group is ectomorphic-mesomorph. High percentages occurrence of overweight (38.5%) and obesity (53.8%) was observed among the wrestlers. Despite the coexistence of undernutrition and overnutrition, nutritional status of the controlled group is relatively good. In both the studied groups, age effect on body physique and BMI was observed. Further, it was observed that both the endomorphy and mesomorphy components show increment with the increase in BMI levels, whereas, ectomorphy decreases as BMI increases.
... Mesomorphic component is linked to individual sports that require muscle strength, such as ball games [29], while ectomorphy is predominant in runners, especially those involved in long distance running [30]. Then, anthropometry and morphological features play a crucial role in determining potential success in sports [31]. Furthermore, being that soccer players vary in morphology according to the player's position [1,11], somatotype assessment in young athletes can prove useful in game choices and talent prediction. ...
The accurate body composition assessment comprises several variables, causing it to be a time consuming evaluation as well as requiring different and sometimes costly measurement instruments. The aim of this study was to develop new equations for the somatotype prediction, reducing the number of normal measurements required by the Heath and Carter approach. A group of 173 male soccer players (age, 13.6 ± 2.2 years, mean ± standard deviation; body mass index, BMI, 19.9 ± 2.5 kg/m 2), members of the academy of a professional Italian soccer team participating in the first division (Serie A), participated in this study. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) was performed using the single frequency of 50 kHz and fat-free mass (FFM) was calculated using a BIA specific, impedance based equation. Somatotype components were estimated according to the Heath-Carter method. The participants were randomly split into development (n = 117) and validation groups (n = 56). New anthropometric and BIA based models were developed (endomorphy = −1.953 − 0.011 × stature 2/ resistance + 0.135 × BMI + 0.232 × triceps skinfold, R 2 = 0.86, SEE = 0.28; mesomorphy = 6.848 + 0.138 × phase angle + 0.232 × contracted arm circumference + 0.166 × calf circumference − 0.093 × stature, R 2 = 0.87, SEE = 0.40; ectomorphy = − 5.592 − 38.237 × FFM/stature + 0.123 × stature, R 2 = 0.86, SEE = 0.37). Cross validation revealed R 2 of 0.84, 0.80, and 0.87 for endomorphy, mesomorphy, and ectomorphy, respectively. The new proposed equations allow for the integration of the somatotype assessment into BIA, reducing the number of collected measurements, the instruments used, and the time normally required to obtain a complete body composition analysis.
... Nutrition and exercise have been demonstrated to influence somatotype [4]. Thus, anthropometry and body composition features play a crucial role in determining potential success in a particular sport [1,2,5]. Athletes vary in morphology and physical features according to the player's position in the team. ...
Background: Bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) is a body composition assessment method based on the interpretation of the raw bioimpedance parameters. While it was initially proposed in clinical settings, its use in the sports field has grown considerably. The aim of this study was: (i) to explore the role of somatotype on BIVA patterns and (ii) to propose a new target zone to improve BIVA analysis in ball games athletes. Methods: One hundred and sixty-four male volleyball, soccer, and rugby players (age 26.2 ± 4.4 yrs; body mass index (BMI) 25.4 ± 2.4 kg/m 2) were included in this study. Somatotype and BIVA were measured from anthropometric and bioelectrical data, respectively. Results: Forty-six athletes were classified with an endomorphic mesomorphic somatotype, 26 showed a balanced mesomorphy, 55 were ectomorphic mesomorph, 10 resulted as mesomorph ectomorphs, 13 with a mesomorphic ectomorph somatotype, and in 14 athletes a balanced ectomorphy was assessed. The results of the Hotelling's T 2 test showed significant differences in BIVA patterns for the endomorphic mesomorph group (p < 0.001) in comparison with all the other groups, while mesomorphic balanced athletes presented a more inclined vector compared to the athletes with a balanced ectomorphy (p < 0.003). In addition, the endomorphic mesomorph group showed a greater BMI (p < 0.001) with respect to the athletes grouped in the other somatotype categories. Discriminant analysis revealed two significant functions (p < 0.001). The first discriminant function primarily represented differences based on the bioelectrical standardized resistance parameter (R/H) measure, while the second function reflected differences based on the bioelectrical standardized reactance parameter (Xc/H). Conclusions: Athletes presenting a higher endomorphic component have a lower vector, whereas those with a larger mesomorphic component display higher vector inclinations on the R/Xc graph. We propose a new target zone to improve the interpretation of BIVA analysis in athletes engaged in team sports.
This systematic review with a meta-analysis was conducted to compare the effects of small-sided games (SSGs)-based interventions with the effects of running-based high-intensity interval training (HIIT) interventions on soccer players’ repeated sprint ability (RSA). The data sources utilized were Web of Science, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, and PubMed. The study eligibility criteria were: (i) parallel studies (SSG-based programs vs. running-based HIIT) conducted in soccer players with no restrictions on age, sex, or competitive level; (ii) isolated intervention programs (i.e., only SSG vs. only running-based HIIT as individual forms) with no restrictions on duration; (iii) a pre–post outcome for RSA; (iv) original, full-text, peer-reviewed articles written in English. An electronic search yielded 513 articles, four of which were included in the present study. There was no significant difference between the effects of SSG-based and HIIT-based training interventions on RSA (effect size (ES) = 0.30; p = 0.181). The within-group analysis revealed no significant effect of SSG-based training interventions (ES = −0.23; p = 0.697) or HIIT-based training interventions (ES = 0.08; p = 0.899) on RSA. The meta-comparison revealed that neither SSGs nor HIIT-based interventions were effective in improving RSA in soccer players, and no differences were found between the two types of training. This suggests that complementary training may be performed to improve the effects of SSGs and
HIIT. It also suggests that different forms of HIIT can be used because of the range of opportunities that such training affords.
