The body composition of elite swimmers may significantly affect their performance. The purposes of this study was to understand the body composition of elite swimmers in Taiwan, and to compare the difference among sex, level, specializing strokes, and body composition. Body composition was estimated via formula of percentage body fat (measurement subscapular and triceps skinfold) and Brozek’s body density formula to take the body density and percent of body fat. Sixty-two male and sixty-seven female were participated in this study. All subjects were joined the swimming competition of R.O.C. 88’s Game and Their best performance were last eighth. One-way ANOVA and Tukey post hoc comparison were to compare the difference between each swimming events and body composition. The results was showed that the percentage body fat of all male swimmers were 13%-15% and female were 21.6%-26.1 %. The body composition was no significant difference in the events of Male backstroke, breaststroke, medley, Female breaststroke, and short/long distance of freestyle. Other events had significant difference (p<.05). There was significant difference between male and female swimmers in age, height, weight, lean body mass, body density, and percentage body fat. There was no significant difference between body composition and each competitive event for male athletes (p>.05), and the same as female athletes excludes the height. Compare with elite swimmers of the world, these findings indicated that our athletes had higher-level percentage body fat. The variant factors of body composition may affects swimming performance in difference swimming events. Therefore, the coaches should chose difference training program to adapted each swimming events with the anthropomentric variabres.
The body composition of elite swimmers may significantly affect their performance. The purposes of this study was to understand the body composition of elite swimmers in Taiwan, and to compare the difference among sex, level, specializing strokes, and body composition. Body composition was estimated via formula of percentage body fat (measurement subscapular and triceps skinfold) and Brozek’s body density formula to take the body density and percent of body fat. Sixty-two male and sixty-seven female were participated in this study. All subjects were joined the swimming competition of R.O.C. 88’s Game and Their best performance were last eighth. One-way ANOVA and Tukey post hoc comparison were to compare the difference between each swimming events and body composition. The results was showed that the percentage body fat of all male swimmers were 13%-15% and female were 21.6%-26.1 %. The body composition was no significant difference in the events of Male backstroke, breaststroke, medley, Female breaststroke, and short/long distance of freestyle. Other events had significant difference (p<.05). There was significant difference between male and female swimmers in age, height, weight, lean body mass, body density, and percentage body fat. There was no significant difference between body composition and each competitive event for male athletes (p>.05), and the same as female athletes excludes the height. Compare with elite swimmers of the world, these findings indicated that our athletes had higher-level percentage body fat. The variant factors of body composition may affects swimming performance in difference swimming events. Therefore, the coaches should chose difference training program to adapted each swimming events with the anthropomentric variabres.