Physical Fitness Profiles of Elite Ball Game Athletes

The purpose of this study was to compare physical characteristics between elite ball game athletes and university students, and then make physical profiles of elite ball game athletes. For this purpose, four physiques and ten physical fitness data that were obtained from 113 elite male athletes of four ball games and 49 university male students were analyzed by using One-Way ANOVA and T-Interval Profiling. T-Interval means the difference of the elite`s T-score and the university students` T-score as a general population that were calculated on the basis of the average and the standard deviation of the university students` raw scores. The results were as follows; 1. The physical characteristics of elite soccer athletes were identified as superiority of sitting height, percent body fat, arm muscle strength & endurance, arm power, abdominal muscle endurance, leg muscle strength & endurance, leg power, aerobic capacity, speed, agility, and flexibility, which distinguish them clearly. 2. The physical characteristics of elite basketball athletes were identified as superiority of height, sitting height, weight, chest circumference, arm power, abdominal muscle endurance, leg power, aerobic capacity, speed, and agility. 3. The physical characteristics of elite volleyball athletes were identified as superiority of height, sitting height, weight, chest circumference, arm power, abdominal muscle endurance, leg power, aerobic capacity, speed, agility, and flexibility. 4. The physical characteristics of elite baseball athletes were identified by superiority of height, sitting height, weight, chest circumference, arm muscle strength & endurance, arm power, abdominal muscle endurance, leg power, aerobic capacity, speed, agility, and flexibility. Consequently, elite ball game athletes present physical characteristics that distinguish them from the general population. From a practical point of view, these profiles can serve as useful criteria for identification of talent and selection of ball game players.