Associations Between Body Composition and Performance in Elite Endurance Athletes.

IF 4.3 2区医学 Q1 PHYSIOLOGY

International journal of sports physiology and performance Pub Date : 2025-09-17 DOI:10.1123/ijspp.2024-0506

Oona Kettunen, Jussi Mikkola, Johanna K Ihalainen

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate if elite endurance athletes periodized their body mass (BM) and composition from preparation (T1) to specific preparation period (T2) and if changes in BM and body composition were associated with improved endurance performance.

Methods: Fifty-two elite endurance athletes participated in this study. Thirteen cross-country skiers, 7 biathletes, and 3 Nordic Combined athletes formed a group of skiers (16 men and 7 women), and 5 endurance runners, 22 orienteers, and 2 triathletes formed a group of runners (17 men and 12 women). Anthropometric (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) and performance (sport-specific incremental treadmill test) measurements were completed in T1 and T2.

Results: No changes in BM or body composition were detected from T1 to T2 except for lean mass (LM), which increased in only runners (P = .03). Peak running speed (Vpeak; P < .001) and relative peak oxygen uptake (P = .04) increased from T1 to T2 regardless of the sport or sex. Decreased body fat mass and percentage were associated with increased Vpeak (r = -.41, P = .002; r = -.45, P < .001) and relative peak oxygen uptake (r = -.31, P = .03; r = -.32, P = .02). Changes in LM were positively associated with changes in Vpeak in female skiers (r = .80, P = .03), while almost all the female runners increased both LM and Vpeak.

Conclusions: Elite endurance athletes did not systematically periodize their BM from T1 to T2. Decreases in body fat mass and percentage may be beneficial for endurance performance. Since increases in LM were associated with improved endurance performance in female athletes, body-composition manipulations should not lead to a decrease in LM.

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优秀耐力运动员身体成分与表现之间的关系。

目的：调查优秀耐力运动员是否将他们的体重（BM）和身体成分从准备阶段（T1）到特定的准备阶段（T2）进行分期，以及BM和身体成分的变化是否与耐力表现的提高有关。方法：对52名优秀耐力运动员进行研究。13名越野滑雪运动员、7名两项运动员和3名北欧联合运动员组成了一组滑雪运动员（16名男子和7名女子），5名耐力运动员、22名定向运动员和2名铁人三项运动员组成了一组跑步运动员（17名男子和12名女子）。在T1和T2完成人体测量（双能x线吸收测量）和运动表现（运动特定的增量跑步机测试）测量。结果：从T1到T2，除了瘦质量（LM）外，BM和身体成分没有变化，只有跑步者增加（P = .03）。无论运动和性别，从T1到T2，峰值跑步速度（Vpeak; P < .001）和相对峰值摄氧量（P = .04）都有所增加。体脂质量和百分比的降低与Vpeak （r = - 0.41, P = 0.002; r = - 0.45, P < 0.001）和相对峰值摄氧量（r = - 0.31, P = 0.03; r = - 0.32, P = 0.02）升高相关。女性滑雪者的LM变化与Vpeak变化呈正相关（r = 0.80, P = 0.03），而几乎所有的女性跑步者的LM和Vpeak都增加了。结论：优秀的耐力运动员没有系统地将他们的BM从T1到T2进行分期。减少体脂量和百分比可能有利于耐力表现。由于LM的增加与女性运动员耐力表现的提高有关，因此身体成分操作不应导致LM的减少。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

International journal of sports physiology and performance PHYSIOLOGY-SPORT SCIENCES

CiteScore

5.80

自引率

12.10%

发文量

199

审稿时长

6-12 weeks

期刊介绍： The International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance (IJSPP) focuses on sport physiology and performance and is dedicated to advancing the knowledge of sport and exercise physiologists, sport-performance researchers, and other sport scientists. The journal publishes authoritative peer-reviewed research in sport physiology and related disciplines, with an emphasis on work having direct practical applications in enhancing sport performance in sport physiology and related disciplines. IJSPP publishes 10 issues per year: January, February, March, April, May, July, August, September, October, and November.