Association between trunk and gluteus muscle size and long jump performance

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Biomechanics
• Human Physiology

Background:

• Muscle size is a key factor in athletic performance.
• Understanding the specific muscle adaptations in elite athletes is important for training and injury prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the muscle sizes of the trunk and gluteus in male long jumpers.
• To determine the relationship between these muscle sizes and long jump performance.

Main Methods:

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to measure the cross-sectional areas of various trunk and gluteus muscles in 23 male long jumpers and 22 untrained men.
• Statistical analyses, including correlation and stepwise multiple regression, were performed to assess the relationship between muscle size and long jump performance.

Main Results:

• Long jumpers exhibited significantly larger relative muscle cross-sectional areas compared to untrained individuals, with exceptions in gluteus medius and minimus.
• The relative cross-sectional area of the rectus abdominis on the takeoff leg side showed a significant correlation with the personal best long jump record.
• Rectus abdominis and iliacus muscle size, along with 100-m sprint performance, were significant predictors of long jump distance.

Conclusions:

• Trunk and gluteus muscle hypertrophy is evident in elite long jumpers.
• The size of the rectus abdominis and iliacus muscles are independently associated with long jump performance, highlighting their importance beyond sprint capacity.