Abstract
M.Phil. (Sport Science)
In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the morphological and physiological characteristics for many sporting codes. Morphological and physiological testing is an important tool for cross-country athletes and coaches and assists in the training intensity prescription, monitoring of training adaptation and profiling athletes for specific competitions. So far, however, there has been few reports on senior male cross-country athletes. The aim of this research was to determine the relationship between morphological and physiological characteristics of senior male cross-country athletes in Gauteng province, South Africa. Forty males (age: 20-35 years; height: 173.09 cm; weight: 63.05 kg) who competed in the Central Gauteng Senior Cross-Country Championships competition were invited to participate in this study. Parameters tested included stature, body weight, seven skinfolds, body fat percentage, lean body mass, somatotype and 10km time measured. The maximal oxygen consumption, running economy and two ventilatory thresholds (VT1 and VT2) were calculated using online assessments of each participant as explained in the methods of this study. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics (SPSS, v.21) and Pearson coefficient of correlation procedures. A significant difference was observed between athletes who trained for <45 minutes and those who trained for >45 minutes per day by an independent t-test. An independent t-test was used to determine significant differences between the two groups. The data were collected experimentally by using a self-administered questionnaire for the medical and sporting status of the runners. The results of this study indicated mean values of body weight (63.05 kg), body fat percentage (8.04 %), sum of seven skinfolds (34.12 mm), lean body mass (59.24 kg) and somatotype (i.e., endomorph, mesomorph, and ectomorph ratios) (1.80, 1.40. and 2.80) respectively. The mean values for maximum oxygen consumption (V̇ O2max) (63.50 mlO2 .kg˗1.min-1), running economy (at 12 km·hr-1 32.8 L/min, 14.5 km·hr-1 41.70 L/min, 16 km·hr-1 56 L/min, 19.2 km·hr-1 30.60 L/min), ventilatory threshold (2.95 L/min-1), maximum heart rate (191.00 bpm), respiratory exchange ratio (1.23) and average 10 km running speed (16.24 km·hr-1) were also determined. The VT1 and VT2 were calculated and at the intensities corresponding to the last point before a first non-linear increase in both VT1 and VT2. The senior male cross-country athletes showed higher values for O2 expressed relative to morphological and physiological factor. The above measurements were captured in Johannesburg at the following altitude (1753 m), barometric pressure (82.54 kPa), air density (0.98 kg/m2 at 20 ºC/ (293 k). These characteristics are generally associated with cross-country...