Abstract

Well-trained young swimmers seem to have different physical characteristics as compared with non-athletes of the same age group. The purpose of this study was to determine physical characteristics of well-trained young competitive swimmers from a standpoint of differences in training, sex, and growth and development. A total of 47 boy and girl swimmers and 124 untrained boys and girls were selected as subjects. All swimmers began to swim regularly in an elementary school age and continued hard swimming training for at least 2 years. A battery of 54 parameters representing each physical domain such as physique, muscular strength, flexibility, neuromuscular function, cadiorespiratory function, were selected to examine subjects physical characteristics. The following results were found: boy swimmers have less body fat, superior physique, muscular strength, flexibility, agility, and also superior cardio-respiratory function as compared with untrained boys. Also girl swimmers have almost the same physical characteristics except for physique and general static strength. Boy swimmers possess larger stature and bone width, and superior muscular strength and cardio-respiratory function as compared with girl swimmers. A similar sex difference is found in non-athletes. High school swimmers have more solid body mass, and superior dynamic and static strength, relating to an achievement of swimming speed, than junior high school swimmers. Verf.-Referat