Investigation of the Anthropometric Features, Vertical Jump Height, and Spine Flexibility of Elite Kickboxers According to the Categories

This study was conducted to determine whether there is a difference in anthropometric characteristics, vertical jump height, and spine flexibility of elite kickboxers between the categories. Approximately 225 randomly selected elite athletes, women between the ages of 18-36 and men aged 18-40, from different sports clubs in Turkey, participated in the study. Athletes were divided into three groups, point fighting (n=75), light contact (n=75), and kick light (n=75), according to the branches they participated in kickboxing competitions. An anthropometric set and tape measure were used in the measurements. The height, body weight, circumference measurements, length measurements, diameter measurements, skinfold thickness, vertical jump height, and spine flexibility were determined, and the differences were compared between the branches. SPSS 25.0 statistical package program was used in data analysis, and the significance level was accepted as p<0.05 in all statistics. While the differences between the anthropometric characteristics of female athletes mainly resulted from the groups of Light Contact and Point Fighting, these differences in male athletes vary in all three groups. Spinal flexibility was found lowest in the Point Fighting group while it was found to be highest in the Light Contact group in both genders. Vertical jump height was found to be significantly highest in the Light Contact group in males and significantly lowest in the Point Fighting group in females (p<0.05). As a result, it is seen that the anthropometric characteristics, vertical jump height, and spine flexibility of kickboxers may differ according to the competition categories in which they were specialized. It was concluded that these differences according to the genders should be taken into account when choosing a competition category.