Physical fitness profiles of elite freestyle male and female wrestlers

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PhD Dariusz Gierczuk, 1
PhD Igor Cieśliński 1
Master Mariusz Buszta1
professor Jerzy Sadowski 1
1 University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Poland; Faculty of Physical Education and Health in Biala Podlaska, Poland

Keywords: motor abilities, male wrestling, female wrestling.

Introduction. Many studies point to an association between physical preparation and wrestlers’ performance [4, 5, 8]. According to some authors, high performance in wrestling is related to strength and endurance [6]. Others give priority to speed, suppleness and agility [5, 7], and still others emphasise the role of suppleness as an ability making possible the execution of wrestling techniques, mainly those aimed to bring the opponent down [1].

The main reason for this is the use of different research methods and subject selection approaches by their authors, as well as changes to competitive wrestling rules [8]. Another problem in this research field is the shortage of studies investigating the physical fitness of elite female wrestlers [2].

This study analyses the motor abilities and agility of elite male and female wrestlers taking account of their weight classes and sports achievements in order to determine the profiles of modern, top-performing wrestlers.

Methods and structure of research. The study was carried out with 138 elite freestyle wrestlers (66 men aged 21.47 ± 2.66 years with training experience of 8.71 ± 2.77 years and 72 women aged 20.57 ± 2.10 years with training experience of 8.11 ± 1.94 years) competing in the senior category. Based on the body mass criterion, subjects were divided into lightweight and heavyweight wrestlers and within these two groups into medal winners and non-winners who had placed fifth to eighth at Poland Senior Championships or other major tournaments.

Subjects’ motor abilities (explosive strength, strength endurance, suppleness, special endurance) and agility were assessed by the following tests: standing broad jump (indicator I), pull-ups (indicator II), push-ups (indicator III), wall bar hanging leg raises (indicator IV), a zigzag run (indicator V), suplexes on a wrestling dummy (indicator VI), wrestling carousel (indicator VII), standing gymnastic bridge with return (indicator VIII) [3]. All tests were carried out after a 15-minute standard warm-up during a regular training session. The reliability of the tests as established by the “test-retest” method ranged from 0.63 to 0.91.

The results of the tests were normalised to z-scores for the whole group and the subgroups of male and female wrestlers. Because neither athletes’ gender nor weight class was found to be associated with their performance in wrestling matches (X2 = 0, p = 1; X2 = 0.03, p=0.84), the statistical analysis was performed separately for male and female wrestlers in both weight classes. Inter-group differences were assessed by one-factor analysis of variance, assuming that they were statistically significant at p < 0.05. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Physical Education in Warsaw.

Results and discussion. The analysis of tests’ results found differences between the profiles of male and female wrestlers and between the profiles of lightweight and heavyweight athletes of the same gender (Fig. 1). The levels of all motor abilities were higher in men (p < 0.001), but their scores on the agility test were lower than women’s (p < 0.001).

Differences between lightweight and heavyweight male athletes proved bigger than between lightweight and heavyweight female wrestlers (Fig. 2). The latter were only different in the levels agility and suppleness which were higher for the lightweight wrestlers (p < 0.001), whereas lightweight male athletes were not only more agile and supple than their heavyweight counterparts (p < 0.001) but also scored higher on the strength endurance test (p < 0.01).

Figure 1. The female wrestlers’ values of motor ability and agility indicators normalised to the male wrestlers’ values.

Figure 2. The values of motor ability and agility indicators for male and female wrestlers in the lightweight and heavyweight classes (normalised to the whole group’s values)

Female medal winners in the lightweight classes were significantly different from non-winners in strength endurance (p < 0.05) and special endurance (p < 0.01). In the heavyweight classes, the third factor differentiating medal winners from non-winners was explosive strength (p < 0.05) (Fig. 3).

Figure 3. The physical fitness profiles of female medal winners and non-winners (normalised to the whole group’s data)

Among the male wrestlers, medal winners and non-winners in the lightweight classes (p < 0.05) only differed in the level of agility. More differences were found for the heavyweight classes, where medal winners differed from non-winners in strength endurance and special endurance (p < 0.001) and explosive strength (p < 0.05) (Fig. 4).

Figure 4. The physical fitness profiles of male medal winners and non-winners (normalised to the whole group’s values).

The values of both motor ability and agility indicators differentiated female wrestlers from male wrestlers. Women had lower levels of explosive strength, strength endurance, suppleness and special endurance, but, like in other studies [2], they proved more agile than men.

The comparison of subjects in terms of their weight classes demonstrated that the lightweight female athletes were significantly more supple and agile than their heavier counterparts. Male wrestlers competing in the lightweight classes were also characterised by higher levels of suppleness and agility but did not match the heavyweight wrestlers in strength endurance.

Conclusions. The physical fitness profiles of wrestlers differ because of their gender and weight class. The focus of motor training should be on the wrestlers’ key fitness abilities, which are different for male wrestlers and female wrestlers. The knowledge of the key fitness abilities of male and female wrestlers who compete in different weight classes and win medals can be instrumental in improving the wrestling training process. It should be considered in selecting training mean and methods aimed to nurture and master the key abilities of male and female wrestlers.

References

  1. Baić M., Sertić H., Starosta W. Differences in physical fitness levels between the classical and the free style wrestlers. Kinesiology, 2007, no. 39(2), pp. 142-149.                                                                                                                           
  2. García-Pallarés J., López-Gullón J.M., Torres-Bonete M.D., Izquierdo M. Physical fitness factors to predict female Olympic wrestling performance and sex differences. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2012, no. 26(3), pp. 794-803.
  3. Gierczuk D. The somatic and fitness determinants of sports performance in elite male and female wrestlers. University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport in Biala Podlaska. 2019, 150 p. [in Polish]
  4. Kostovski Ž., Georgiev G., Shala S., Ibri L. Relations between motor abilities and the wrestler’s competitive effectiveness. Acta Kinesiologica, 2011, no. 5(2), pp. 72-75.
  5. Mirzaei B., Curby D.G., Barbas I.,  Lotfi N. Anthropometric and physical fitness traits of four-time world Greco-Roman wrestling champion in relation to national norms: A case study. Journal of Human Sport and Exercise, 2011, no. 6, pp. 406-413.
  6. Nikooie R., Cheraghi M., Mohamadipour F. Physiological determinants of wrestling success in elite Iranian senior and junior Greco-Roman wrestlers. The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 2017, no. 57(3), pp. 219-226.
  7. Platonov V., Nikitenko A. Agility and coordination testing in hand-to-hand combat sport. Polish Journal of Sport and Tourism, 2019, no. 26(2), pp. 7-13.
  8. Tumanân G.S. Sportivnaâ borˊba: teoriâ, metodika, organizaciâ trenirovki. Sovetskij sport, Moskva, 1997, 285 p.

Corresponding author: darekgierczuk@op.pl

Abstract

Objective of the study was to determine the physical fitness profiles of elite freestyle wrestlers taking account of their weight classes and performance in tournaments. The study participants were 72 female wrestlers and 66 male wrestlers who had won medals or had placed fifth to eighth at Poland Senior Championships or other major sports events. Subjects’ physical fitness profiles were assessed by measuring their explosive strength, strength endurance, suppleness, special endurance and agility. Differences were found between the profiles of male and female wrestlers, and of lightweight and heavyweight wrestlers of the same gender. Female wrestlers had lower scores than men for explosive strength, special endurance, strength endurance and suppleness while being more agile. The analysis of wrestlers’ profiles with respect to their body mass showed that both male and female wrestlers in the lightweight classes were more agile and supple than their counterparts in the heavyweight classes, with the lightweight male wrestlers also having higher scores on the strength endurance test. The study demonstrated that the key abilities that both male and female wrestlers need to win medals are strength endurance, special endurance and explosive strength. The performance of lightweight female wrestlers primarily depends on their strength endurance and special endurance. In the case of lightweight male wrestlers, agility is an essential ability.