Anthropometrical changes of highly-skilled female bodybuilders during basic mesocycle of annual preparation

Abstract

BACKGROUND: To track and analyze anthropometric alterations in female bodybuilders during basic mesocycle. METHODS: Nine highly-skilled female bodybuilders underwent hyper caloric diet which consisted: protein 2.56±0.35 g/kg, carbohydrates 3.49±0.31 g/kg, fat 1.24±0.23 g/kg and anaerobic training four times a week during basic mesocycle which lasted 12 weeks. Interventions: The following measurements were conducted before and at the 12th week of the mesocycle: body mass, height, four skinfolds (triceps, subscapular, supraspinale, and medial calf), circumferences of the flexed biceps and the calf muscle, breadths of the elbow joint and knee joint. levels of ectomorphy, mesomorphy and endomorphy were calculated using Heat-Carter`s method. The combination of the last three factors enabled the place on somathochart to be determined. The nonparametric Wilcoxon criteria was used in all comparisons, since normal distribution of data was unconfirmed by the Shapiro-Wilk test. RESULTS: A significant (P<0.01) 5.10 kg body mass gain by the bodybuilders during basic mesocycle was caused by gaining muscle mass along with body fat mass. Circumferences of the flexed biceps and calf increased by 2.6 cm and 3.1cm respectively (P<0.01). Scinfolds rised to the next extents: triceps - 2.7mm (P<0.01), subscapular - 3.5 mm (P<0.01), supraspinal - 7.4 mm (P<0.01), calf - 3.0 mm (P<0.01). The endomorphy level increased significantly (P<0.01) by 1.5 points due to the reduction of the ectomorphy level by 0.9 point (P<0.01). No changes of mesomorphy level were found. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the fact that the bodybuilders presented in the study were of national level, they still significantly shifted their anthropometric profile during the 12 weeks basic mesocycle and most of alterations was due to movement toward endomorphy.