The Relationship Between Body Composition and Preseason Performance Tests of Collegiate Male Lacrosse Players

• Published in: Journal of strength and conditioning research 2014-09, Vol.28 (9), p.2673-2679
• Main Authors: Collins, Sean M, Silberlicht, Max, Perzinski, Chris, Smith, Stephen P, Davidson, Patrick W
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Anaerobic Threshold; Athletes; Athletic Performance - physiology; Body Composition - physiology; College sports; Exercise Test; Human body; Human performance; Humans; Lacrosse; Male; Men; Muscle Strength; Muscle, Skeletal - physiology; Physical Endurance - physiology; Plethysmography; Racquet Sports - physiology; Running - physiology; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1064-8011; 1533-4287
• DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000454

ABSTRACTCollins, SM, Silberlicht, M, Perzinski, C, Smith, SP, and Davidson, PW. The relationship between body composition and preseason performance tests of collegiate male lacrosse players. J Strength Cond Res 28(9)2673–2679, 2014—Numerous studies have examined the effects that body composition has on performance in football, soccer, and ice hockey; yet, there are no similar studies examining this relationship in menʼs lacrosse. The purpose of the study was to examine the physiological profiles and the relationship between body composition and performance in aerobic and anaerobic tests. Fifty-four (19.63 ± 1.21 years; 178.53 ± 6.17 cm; 81.66 ± 14.96 kg) Division III intercollegiate athletes participated. Performance tests, including a 1 repetition maximum power clean (PC), body weight (lbs), bench press repetitions, parallel bar triceps dips to fatigue (DR), two 300-yard shuttles, and a 1-mile run (MT), were completed after the completion of fall preseason practices. Body composition was estimated using air-displacement plethysmography. Correlation coefficients determined relationships between percent body fat (%BF), fat-free mass (FFM), and testing variables. Increased %BF was negatively correlated to DR (r = −0.36, p = 0.01) whereas positively correlated to each 300-yard shuttle time (T1 and T2), total 300-yard shuttle time (TT), and MT (r = 0.64, p = 0.00; r = 0.68, p = 0.00; r = 0.69, p = 0.00; and r = 0.44, p = 0.00, respectively). Increased FFM was positively correlated with PC (r = 0.58, p = 0.00) yet not correlated (p ≥ 0.05) with other variables. Results indicated that increased %BF might be a detriment to the repetitive anaerobic performance and aerobic capacity vital to on-field lacrosse performance. Body composition also demonstrated a significant relationship to moving internal vs. external resistances.