Abstract
The aim of the study was to examine physical, physiological and some performance parameters of the elite orienteers in our country. 39 elite orienteers (20 female orienteers and 19 male orienteers) who joined national orienteering team and improvement camp and had at least two-year experience voluntarily participated in our study. It was seen that mean age for female orienteers was 16.35±2.18 years while it was 15.63±3.07 years for male orienteers. The participant orienteers’ body weights, heights, resting heart rates, systolic / diastolic blood pressures, body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage, body's fat free mass (FFM), fat mass, body water, circumference and diameters were measured. Performance tests were 20 m. shuttle run, vertical jump, 20 m. sprint, T-test, hand grip strength-back strength, standing long jump, sit-up, push-up, sit-reach, reaction time, flamingo balance and star balance tests. Somatotype characteristics of the orienteers were determined through Heath-Carter method. Means and standard deviations of the participant orienteers were found using SPSS package software. It was found out that the participant female orienteers’ body fat percentage was 17.92±6.34% while the participant male orienteers’ body fat percentage was 11.09±3.28%. As for the participant female orienteers’ somatotype means; endomorphy was 4.40±1.19, mesomorphy was 3.12±1.29 and ectomorphy was 3.48±1.18 whereas endomorphy was 2.58±.84, mesomorphy was 3.86±.85 and ectomorphy was 4.49±1.15 for the participant male orienteers. It was found out that the participant female orienteers’ leg strength was 104.60±40.47kg, T-test was 12.11±6.81 and mean VO2max was 43.66±4.83 (ml.kg-1.min-1) while the participant male orienteers’ leg strength was 168.39±73.22kg;T-test was 11.47±1.04 and VO2max mean was 52.46±5.28 (ml.kg-1.min-1). It is very important to investigate body structures and performance limits of the athletes in orienteering sport which is a new and developing sportive activity and requires such physical capacities as high level of endurance, strength and speed. On the other hand; performance tests including physical and antropometric characteristics of the orienteers play a key role in determining abilities. Therefore; we are of the opinion that our study will make contribution to the early period orienteer-recruitment and the prospective studies on this field.
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