The role of upper and lower extremity strength and dynamic balance skills in the sports performance of 12-15 year-old wrestlers

Aim: This research aimed to investigate the role of upper and lower extremity strength and dynamic balance skills in the sports performance of 12-15-year-old wrestlers. Methods: The research involved 39 wrestlers in the 12-15 age group. Measurements included height, weight, flexibility, vertical jump, standing long jump, Y-balance test, dominant and non-dominant hand grip strength, and health ball throw performance. The normality assumption for all variables was tested using the Shapiro-Wilk test, and it was found that the data showed a normal distribution. The equality of variances between groups was assessed using Levene's test, and the homogeneity of variances was confirmed. Under these conditions, an İndependent Samples T-Test was used to determine whether the two groups had statistically significant mean differences. Result: Analysis between successful and inexperienced wrestlers revealed no significant differences in dominant and non-dominant hand grip strength or health ball throw test performance. However, horizontal and vertical jump performances were significantly better in successful wrestlers. Additionally, the OJUT test performance index showed better performance in successful wrestlers. Correlation analysis revealed that OJUT performance was significantly related to lower extremity explosive strength (horizontal and vertical jumps). A negative relationship was also found between balance test performance and OJUT. Conclusion: Successful wrestlers achieved higher results in lower extremity explosive strength and OJUT performance, indicating that these factors are critical in determining wrestling performance. The strong relationship between horizontal and vertical jumps and the OJUT test suggests that lower extremity strength and balance skills are decisive for better wrestling performance. These findings indicate that successful wrestlers can enhance their performance by focusing on lower extremity strength-based strategies. Keywords: Dynamic Balance, Wrestling, Athletic Performance, Upper and Lower Extremity Strength