A Comparison of Anthropometry between Ironman Triathletes and Ultra-swimmers

• Authors: Beat Knechtle , Barbara Baumann , Patrizia Knechtle , Andrea Wirth , Thomas Rosemann
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

We intended to compare the anthropometry of male and female Ironman triathletes with the anthropometry of male and female ultra-swimmers. Body mass, body mass index and body fat were lower in both male and female triathletes compared to swimmers. Body height and length of limbs were no different between the two groups. In the multi-variate analysis, in male triathletes, body mass (p=0.015) and percent body fat (p=0.0003) were related to race time; percent body fat was also related to the swim split (p=0.0036). In male swimmers, length of the arm was related to race time (p=0.0089). In female triathletes and swimmers, none of the investigated anthropometric variables showed an association with race time. We concluded that Ironman triathletes and ultra-swimmers were different regarding anthropometry and that different anthropometric variables were related to race time. We assume that other factors, such as training and equipment, as opposed to anthropometry, may better predict race time in male and female Ironman triathletes.

Keywords

EN

body fat; body mass; body height; skin-fold thickness

• Publisher: De Gruyter Open
• Journal: Journal of Human Kinetics
• Year: 2010
• Volume: 24
• Pages: 57-64

Dates

published

1 - 1 - 2010

online

21 - 6 - 2010

Contributors

author

Beat Knechtle

author

Barbara Baumann

• Gesundheitszentrum St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland

author

Patrizia Knechtle

• Gesundheitszentrum St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland

author

Andrea Wirth

• Gesundheitszentrum St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland

author

Thomas Rosemann

• Institute of General Practice and Health Services Research, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

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Identifiers

DOI

10.2478/v10078-010-0020-7