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Archive > Year 2009, Number 1

Physical And Physiological Status In American Football Players In Turkiye


Authors

Nalçakan Gülbin, School of Physical Education and Sports, Ege University
Özkol Mehmet Zeki, School of Physical Education and Sports, Ege University
Vural Faik, School of Physical Education and Sports, Ege University

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the physical and physiological status of American football players in Turkiye. Forty-two American football players (age 22.7±2.3) participated in the study. The subjects were divided into 5 positional categories. All 42 subjects performed a comprehensive battery of tests, during two periods of testing. The first period included Anthropometric evaluation - there stature, body mass, body fat ratio (% fat), body mass index, waist-hip ratio (%), field tests - speed (10 yard, 40 yard) and VO2 max (20 m shuttle-run) were the field tests selected. The second period of testing involved Laboratory Test, which included counter movement jump, vertical jump, hand-grip test and flexibility test. Anthropometric and physiological characteristics broken down in five groups were compared statistically using a Kruskal-Wallis test. The mean (±) age and playing experience of all players (n=42) were: 22.7 ± 2.3 and 2.7 ± 2.2 years, respectively. The mean (±) stature, body mass, %fat, body mass index and waist/hip ratio for all players were: 181.4 ± 6.3 cm, 96.1 ± 24.7 kg, 18.8 ± 5.8 %, 29.1 ± 7.0 kg/m2 and 0.86 ± 0.06 %, respectively. The mean (±) 10-yard speed, 40-yard speed and estimated VO2 max of all players were: 1.71 ± 0.13 s, 5.02 ± 0.77 s and 38.0 ± 8.2 kg/ml/m respectively. The mean (±) vertical jump, CMJ and right/left hand strength of all players were: 54.5 ± 7.7 cm, 45.7 ± 6.0 cm, 47.7 ± 10.2 kg and 44.9 ± 9.4 kg respectively. There were no significant differences (p>0.05) among individual positions for vertical jump, CMJ, right/left hand strength, flexibility, 10 yard, 40 yard or VO2 max parameters. We suggest that AF training should be systematically incorporated into training science and we also think that there should be periodical evaluation of players through physical and physiological tests.

Keywords

american football, training, physiological status

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