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Somatotype, training and performance in Ironman athletes
Michel Kandel1, Jean Pierre Baeyens, Peter Clarys
1a University College Physiotherapy , Landquart , Switzerland.
European Journal of Sport Science
|July 10, 2013
Summary
Body composition, or somatotype, significantly impacts male Ironman athlete performance, with specific endomorphy and ectomorphy levels improving race times. Training volume did not predict performance in males or females.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Human Physiology
- Endurance Sports Research
Background:
- Understanding the physiological factors influencing ultra-endurance performance is crucial for athlete optimization.
- Somatotype, the quantitative description of body type, has been explored in various sports but less so in ultra-endurance events like the Ironman.
- Previous research has not definitively established the relationship between somatotype, training, and performance in elite Ironman competitors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between somatotype, training variables, and race performance in male and female Ironman athletes.
- To identify specific somatotype components that predict Ironman performance.
- To establish an ideal somatotype for optimal Ironman race results.
Main Methods:
- 165 male and 22 female Ironman Switzerland competitors volunteered for the study.
- Ten anthropometric dimensions were measured to determine somatotype.
- A questionnaire recorded 12 training and history variables, which were compared with race performance data.
Main Results:
- Somatotype was a strong predictor of Ironman performance in male athletes (R=0.535, R²=0.286, p<0.001), explaining 28.6% of the variance.
- Endomorphy was the most substantial predictor; reducing endomorphy and increasing ectomorphy significantly improved performance.
- An ideal male somatotype was identified as 1.7-4.9-2.8. Age and training volume were not significant predictors for males or females.
- No significant relationship was found between somatotype, training, and performance in female athletes.
Conclusions:
- Somatotype is a key determinant of male Ironman performance, particularly influencing the run discipline and overall race time.
- Athletes can potentially improve Ironman performance by modifying their somatotype towards the identified ideal (1.7-4.9-2.8).
- The influence of somatotype on performance appears sex-specific, with no discernible relationship found in the female athletes studied.
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