Physical and physiological profiles of the elite underwater rugby players and the relationship between classic laboratory tests and sport-specific tests

Introduction: Considering physical and physiological parameters of the athletes is important for training science. Any research has not been studied on identifying physical and physiological parameters of the underwater rugby players, yet. This study investigated physical and physiological parameters of the underwater rugby players. Also this study investigated whether there was a relationship between some pool tests designed for the underwater rugby players and classic laboratory tests.Methods: Eleven male athletes participated to this study. Body weight, height, body fat proportion, skinfold thickness, length and girth measurements, strength, flexibility, respiratory functions, anaerobic capacity (with Wingate and vertical jumping test), aerobic capacity (directly VO2max) of the athletes were measured. As pool tests, 50 m and 8x25 m underwater swimmings and, 50 m and 400 m swimmings were done.Results and Discussion: Body mass index, body fat proportion, skinfold thickness of the underwater rugby players were higher than literature findings in water polo players and swimmers. There was a positive correlation between the 50 m underwater swimming time and body fat proportion of the players (r=0,71, P=0,03). There was a positive correlation between the 400 m swimming time and body fat proportion and body weight of the players (r=0,73, P=0,02 and r=0,71, P=0,03). There was a significant positive correlation between skinfold thickness and the 50 m swimming time (r=0,75, P=0,02), 50 m underwater swimming time (r=0,83, P=0,006), 8x25 m underwater swimming time (r=0,76, P=0,01) and 400 m swimming time (r=0,86, P=0,002). Excessive body fat proportion and body weight affected the swimming performance of the athletes negatively.Chest girths were higher in under water rugby players when compared with those of the water polo players and swimmers in the literature. Breathing against water resistance, increasing the vital capacity, hypoxia occurred by breath hold and hyperventilation following an apnea may ensure such increase.Pulmonary volume and capacity of the athletes were higher when compared with those of the water polo players and swimmers. Hyperventilation of the underwater players before and after breath hold and blowing out the water in the snorkel after diving, may increase the work of breathing muscles.There was a no significant correlation between swimming tests made in the pool and laboratory anaerobic tests.There was a significant negative correlation between VO2max values of the athletes and the 400 m swimming time (r=-0,68, P=0,04).Key Words: Underwater, rugby, antropometry, swimming, anaerobic test, aerobic capacity