Sprinters anthropometric, biomechanical and physiological indicator change in different mesocycles during process of preparation for competition

The object of the study: variation of anthropometric, biomechanical and power indicators for sprinters. The aim of the study: to investigate and evaluate how anthropometric, biomechanical and physiological indicators shift during training for competition in different mesocycles for Lithuanian athletes. Study tasks: 1. To ascertain how athlete's leg scale and body mass anthropometric indicators change during a process of preparation for competition in a gender perspective. 2. To ascertain how athlete’s step length, ground contact time and knee angle of travel biomechanical indicators change during a process of preparation for competition in a gender perspective. 3. To ascertain how athlete’s power tests indicators change during a process of preparation for competition in a gender perspective. Study problems: How the anthropometric, biomechanical and power indicators change for beginner, intermediate and professional level of sprinters during preparation process for the most important competition? Does power indicator‘s growth has a direct influence for sprinter‘s biomechanical change? Does anthropometric and biomechanical indicators change has a significant connection and influence for achievements? Study methods: Sprinter‘s biomechanical testing was performed using a high-speed digital camera Panasonic GH5. The camera is able to capture 180 frames in a second. Sprinters had to make a 10 meters sprint while the whole distance was in a high-speed camera frame. Sprinter‘s results were recorded using a Browe timing system. When sprinter runs through the electronic gate the finish time is captured in a 1/000 seconds of accuracy. Power indicators testing was carried out using a standing triple jump test. Vertical jump testing was accomplished using a high jump testing platform. Each athlete had three attempts for each testing. The best shown attempt was used for biomechanical analysis. Hypothesis: Athletes under this research will show increased biomechanical and power indicators when the competition is near compared to the indicators shown in the beginning of preparation for competition. Results and conclusions: 1. Compared to the initial testing athlete’s body mass, hip scale and shin scale have increased in women’s group, but no statistically significant change was noticed. Compared to the initial testing results athlete’s body mass has also increased as well as hip scale and shin scale in men’s group but no statistically significant change was noticed. 2. Sprinters in women’s group had shown an increase of ground contact time, knee angle of travel and step length at the end of competition preparation process. Though only statistically significant increase was noticed for step length during second testing and statistically significant increase for left foot knee angle of travel was noticed during second and third tests. Running results had a trend to improve while statistically significant change for running times was recorded in the second testing. In men’s group at the end of the competition preparation process athletes had a tendency to show better results in running step length and knee angle of travel, but statistically significant results were not recorded. Ground contact time remained the same. Running times were statistically increasing during second and third tests. 3. In women’s group sprinters showed statistically significant increasing power indicators for vertical jump and standing triple jump during every testing. In men’s group sprinters shown statistically significant change in testing results for standing triple jump and vertical jump tests