Identifying the physical and anthropometric qualities explanatory of paddling adolescents

Objectives: This study aimed to identify the physical and/or anthropometric qualities explanatory of adolescent surf lifesavers participating in paddling activities. Design: Cross-sectional observational study. Methods: A total of 53 (14-18 y) male participants were recruited and classified into two groups; paddlers (n = 30; actively participating in paddling), non-paddlers (n = 23; not actively participating in paddling). All participants completed a testing battery that consisted of 16 physical (isometric strength and muscular endurance) and anthropometric (height, mass, segment lengths and breadths) assessments. Binary logistic regression models and receiver operating characteristic curves were built to identify the physical and/or anthropometric qualities most explanatory of paddling status (two levels: 1 = paddlers, 0 = non-paddlers). Results: Significant between group differences were noted for 13 of the 16 assessments (P