PHYSIOLOGICAL PROFILE OF TRAINED WEIGHTLIFTERS

Bhavana S. Masale and Vijay A. Sawant

ABSTRACT

Weightlifting is one of the major sports in India. In the present

study, men and women weightlifters of state and national level
category (55 men and 35 women) have been studied considering
anthropometric variables such as height, weight, skin fold along with
other physiological parameters such as heart rate, blood pressure,
cardiovascular efficiency, etc. The study revealed that stature of
athlete plays crucial role in the performance of the athlete. The
changes in the values of various physiological variables have found to
be significant
Key words: Weightlifting; cardiovascular efficiency; aerobic strength and power; sport physiology.

INTRODUCTION physical structures of the Meitei

Weightlifting is a major sport in
India. It is one of the oldest games.
Physical strength plays a vital role
in weightlifting. In fact, weight
training is an integral part of many
resistances training program of
athletes as well as non-athletes as a
part of an exercise regimen. Many
sport scientists, Malhotra et al
(1084), Ghosh et al. (1983), Khanna
et al. (1983) have carried out studies
on body composition, static strength
and cardiovascular efficiency in
terms of aerobic capacity on Indian
national sportsmen.
Venkateshshwarulu et al (1990)
have studied relationship of muscle
mass and fat mass to strength on
national and international
weightlifters and wrestlers. Devi
Sarojini (2006) has recently done a
comparative study of variations in
women weightlifters and control
group of non-athlete women. Byrd et
al (2003) reported longitudinal data
over approximately two years in
children training and competing in
weightlifting. Performance improved
in these children, who participated in
an average of eight competitions. Fry
et al (2003) carried study on muscle
fiber characteristics and performance
correlates of male Olympic-style
weightlifters. However, the data on
body composition, efficiency of
physically trained weightlifters, who
had participated into various local
weightlifting competitions, is scanty.
The importance of scientific
theory in the design of training and
coaching program was the motive-
tional force behind the present study.
Attempts have been made to
determine the level of physical fitness
of trained weightlifters, who had

78

participated at least to the university
level weightlifting com-petitions by
performing simple tests.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The samples of the present
study consists of 53 male and 35
female trained weightlifters, classi-
fied into two cate-gories, viz.
national level and state level
according to their involvement in
sport events or competitions. The
weightlifters under training from
various training centers of western
Maharashtra (India) volunteered
themselves for the present study.
Total of six (6) anthropometric
measurements were collected from each
individual following the norms of
Weiner and Lourie (1969). The
anthropometric measurements are body
weight, standing height, and skinfolds
at four sites i.e. Biceps, Triceps, supraliac
and subscapular. The skinfolds
measurements were recorded with help
of skinfold caliper. The body density
and fat percentage were calculated by
formulae of Durnin and Rahaman
(1966); Siri (1961) respectively.
Table -1
Weightlifting: Body Composition
Parameter Men
State Level National Level
Age (yrs) 17.8 ± 1.9 19.43 ± 1.35
Height (cm) 161.4 ± 9.2 164.72 ± 6.86
Weight (kg) 68.4 ± 21.6 67.08 ± 18.03
79
The Shield (ISSN-1991-8410) Vol. 06, 2011
The cardiovascular efficiency was
determined by Harvard’s modified step
test method. The measurements of grip
strength were recorded by using grip
dynamometer for both right and left
hands. The blood pressures of the
weightlifters were recorded by
‘Sphygmomanometer’ before exercise
and after exercise. The lung function test
was carried out by using peak flow
meter. Statistical constants such as
mean, standard deviation (S.D.),
standard error of mean (S.E.) of each
variable were calculated. The t-test was
applied for bi-variate comparison of the
two groups.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The weightlifters were separated
into two groups on the basis of their
involvement in the events or
competitions with help of professional
experts (coaches).The physical charac-
teristics of the weightlifters are pre-
sented in table-2. Mean age of the
subjects was 17.8 yrs and 19.43 yrs for
state and national level respectively
with little variation. Very low
variation in age indicates that the
sample of subjects under study was a
homogeneous group.
Women
State Level National Level
18.67 ± 3.67 18.85 ± 1.46
155.6 ± 5.2 155.15 ± 7.30
56.5 ± 12.3 56.04 ± 8.29
Physiological Profile of Trained Weightlifters

Table-2: Muscular Strength and Power

Parameter Men Women
Grip Strength State Level National Level State Level National Level
Vertical Right 32.3 ± 13.3 56.93 ± 10.10 26.87 ± 4.22 41.30 ± 5.36
Left 29.2 ± 12.2 54.30 ± 8.85 25.20 ± 6.44 39.45 ± 5.27
t-value 0.82 0.76 0.84 1.10
Horizontal Right 32.1 ± 12.3 51.83 ± 10.06 24.73 ± 3.92 40.30 ± 5.22
Left 32.3 ± 11.0 49.48 ± 9.26 24.00 ± 3.36 38.05 ± 5.11
t-value -0.06 0.67 0.55 1.38
Grip strength of the weightlifters is exhibited in the table-2. Mean vertical grip strength of national
level male weightlifters was 56.93 kg and 54.30 kg for right and left hands respectively, but when it was
measured in horizontally corresponding values were decreased. The difference between right and left
hand grip is not statistically significant but the difference between the grip strengths of state and
national weightlifters has clearly seen to be significant.

Table-3: Aerobic Capacity

Parameter Men Women
State Level National Level State Level National Level
Max. Heart Rate 112.20 ± 10.80 103.90 ± 5.35 93.93 ± 10.55 106.90 ± 5.98
(b. p. m)
P.E.F.R. 493.3 ± 93.00 514.00 ± 61.80 400.70 ± 36.10 434.8 ± 38.30
Systolic B.P. 140 .60 ± 8.00 141.77 ± 4.13 119.53 ± 7.39 139.40 ± 4.76
Diastolic B.P. 86.80 ± 5.30 84.00 ± 3.75 79.73 ± 6.31 86.20 ± 3.19

The static heart rates of the there are marked changes in BP

weightlifters were measured
immediately after a bout of exercise.
It was observed that heart rate
increase but the quantities by which
it increases for state and national
level and also for men and women
weightlifters were quite significant,
which may be due regular exercise.
The peak expiratory flow rate values
for all categories of weightlifters
were found to be higher than the
standard values which indicates that
weightlifters were having very good
lung capacity. Huy Phun (2006)
have reported that during resistive
challenge such as weightlifting,
80
which rapidly abate once the
challenge is discontinued. In the
present study, it has been observed
that both systolic and diastolic B.P.
increased from baseline mean of
117 ± 11 mm Hg to various
quantities with maximum of
141.77±4.13 mmHg for national
level male weightlifters.
According to the classification of
Brouha (1943), the cardiovascular
efficiency of the weightlifters, as mea-
sured by Harvard’s modified step test
was found to be of good category for
national male weightlifters and for
others it was of high averages category.
 The Shield (ISSN-1991-8410) Vol. 06, 2011

Table-4
Anaerobic Capacity
Men Women
Parameter National National
State Level State Level
Level Level
Fitness Score
( Harvard step Test) 74.70 ± 9.10 87.07 ± 8.06 70.28 ± 7.41 76.94 ± 6.71

Table-5 and 6 exhibits body composition of men and women

weightlifters. The mean values of percent body fat, total body fat
and lean body mass determined from the skin fold measurements.
The difference between national level and state level male and female
weightlifters for each of these three components are not significant
except for lean body mass of national level male weightlifters.
Table-5
Distribution of Mean, S.D. and t-values for Body composition of
Male Weightlifters

Sr. State Level National Level

No. Component Mean S.D. Mean S.D. t-value
1 Fat Percent 21.56 4.5 20.75 3.75 0.56
2 Total Body Fat (kg) 13.97 2.5 13.92 3 0.05
3 Lean Body Mass(kg) 50.83 2.95 53.16 3.75 -1.93*
* P < 0.05 statistically significant.

Table-6
Distribution of Mean, S.D. and t-values for Body composition of
Female Weightlifters

Sr. State Level National Level

No. Component Mean S.D. Mean S.D. t-value
1 Fat Percent 24.55 5.45 23.15 4.65 0.79
2 Total Body Fat (kg) 13.87 10.2 12.97 8.5 0.28
3 Lean Body Mass(kg) 42.63 9.5 43.07 7.88 -0.14

81
Physiological Profile of Trained Weightlifters
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