Anthropometric and physical performance characteristics of male volleyball players

Fourteen Finnish and ten Russian elite male volleyball players were studied for their anthropometric dimensions, maximal isometric trunk extension and flexion, leg extension strength and vertical jumping height. In addition, the height of rise of the body centre of gravity h (C.G.), and the height of the hand and ball were analyzed from a video tape in spike and block jumps taken during actual competition. The two teams were found to differ significantly in the h (C.G.) during a vertical jumping test where a preliminary counter movement was allowed and in the lengths of lower limbs and legs; the Russian volleyball players jumped higher and had longer lower extremities. In actual competition, the hands of the Russian players while performing a spike were on the average ten centimeters higher (p less than .01) than the hand of the Finnish players. No significant differences were found, however, between the teams in the h (C.G.) during spiking. This finding seems to suggest that the Russians have better spike technique.