Anthropometric And Physiological Changes In Elite Female Water Polo Players During A Training Year

The aim of the current study was to monitor physiological and anthropometric characteristics of elite female water polo players within the periodized training year. Fourteen subjects participated in the current study. However, only six subjects (Mean ± SD: Age 22.8 ± 3.7 years, Height 171.0 ± 10.8 cm, Body Mass 66.3 ± 4.7 kg) completed all sessions and thus were used for subsequent analyses. Subjects undertook testing in the general preparation, specific preparation and competition phases, with the final session being during the peaking component of the competition phase. Laboratory-based physiological measurements comprised peak oxygen uptake, anaerobic power, leg power, strength and flexibility, while anthropometric measurements included body fat percentage. Sport-specific tests involved the Multistage Swimming Shuttle Test (MSST) and the 30-second crossbar jumps. A repeated measures ANOVA revealed significant differences between testing sessions for body mass (F3,15 = 4.025, P = 0.028), body fat (F3,15 = 9.194, P = 0.001), MSST (F3,15 = 5.050, P = 0.017) and crossbar jumps (F2,10= 16.034, P = 0.001). No statistically significant differences were found for any other variables. The results of the study suggest that changes in anthropometric characteristics and performance parameters of elite female water polo players over a periodized training year occur with no changes in laboratory-based physiological measurements.