Original articles  EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOMECHANICS 

The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2002 September;42(3):315-9

Copyright © 2009 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Physiological characteristics of Singapore national water polo team players

Aziz A. R., Lee H. C., Teh K. C.

From the Sport Medicine and Research Centre Sport Medicine and Fitness Division Singapore Sports Council, Singapore

Background. The pur­pose of ­this ­study is to ­describe the phys­io­log­i­cal char­ac­ter­is­tics of mem­bers of the Singapore nation­al ­water ­polo ­team.
Methods. Experimental ­design: a descrip­tive ­study on the phys­io­log­i­cal char­ac­ter­is­tics of mem­bers of a win­ning ­water ­polo ­team. Setting: the ­study was con­duct­ed at the Sports Medicine and Research Centre. Participants: 13 ­male ­players (22.5±7.2 yrs; 178.5±3.9 cm and 71.0±8.4 kg). Measures: ­players com­plet­ed ­body fat meas­ure­ments, a sub­max­i­mal ­cycling ­test to deter­mine aero­bic fit­ness and all-out max­i­mal ­efforts (of arm-crank­ing and ­cycling) for 10 and 30 sec dura­tion to deter­mine anaer­o­bic ­peak pow­er, alac­tic and lac­tic ­acid ­work capac­ity for the ­upper and low­er ­body.
Results. The phys­i­cal meas­ure­ments ­were com­pared ­with ­data of nation­al ­players of var­i­ous coun­tries. The exer­cise ­test ­results ­were com­pared ­with avail­able pub­lished ­data.
Conclusions. Compared ­with ­elite ­water ­polo ­players ­from oth­er coun­tries, the Singapore ­water ­polo ­players are small­er in stat­ure ­with a low­er ­body ­mass. Relative to the lim­it­ed pub­lished ­data, ­they are ­shown to pos­sess a ­high lev­el of aero­bic fit­ness and anaer­o­bic pow­er and capac­ity for ­short-­term ­work.