Anthropometric profile, somatotype, and body composition of young table tennis players

The aim of this investigation is to determine the anthropometric characteristics of Spanish young table tennis players with national and international competition level. Sixty-three players (thirty-eight males and twenty-five females), were divided in three age-groups (G1, until 11 years; G2: 11-12 years and G3: 13-14 years old). Different body measures were registered: body mass, height, skinfolds (biceps, triceps, subscapular, suprailiac, supraspinale, abdominal, anterior thigh, and medial calf), girths (arm flexed and relaxed; arm flexed and tensed, thigh, and calf) and breadths (biepicondylar of the humerus, bistyloid, and biepicondylar of the femur). In addition to anthropometric analysis, several calculations were performed to determine body composition and somatotype of participants. In this sense, a mesomorph - endomorph somatotype was registered for total group, coinciding with somatotype of G2 and G3 groups. Anlysis take into account the gender factor revealed a balanced mesomorph somatotype for males and a mesomorphic endomorph somatotype for females. Data corresponding to body composition and contrasted with gender show higher body fat percentage in females than in males and higher bone mass percentage in males than in males. This results are, in part, similar to those in other studies carried out with table tennis players in which it has been observed a prevalence of mesomorph and endomorph components over ectomorph one.