Abstract

The purpose of the study was to compare the anthropometric characteristics and somatotype of the Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar’s male basketball players and volleyball players. Sixty three sportspersons (volleyball = 36 and basketball = 27) of age group 18-25 years were selected from different colleges affiliated to Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, India. All the participants were assessed for height, weight, breadths, girths and skin fold thickness. An independent samples t-test revealed that basketball players had significantly higher height (p<0.01), weight (p<0.01) and body surface area (p<0.01) as compared to volleyball players. The basketball players were also found to have significantly greater biceps (p<0.01) and suprailliac (p<0.01) skin fold thicknesses, calf circumference (p<0.05), percent body fat (p<0.01), total body fat (p<0.01), fat free mass (p<0.05) and endomorphic component (p<0.05) as compared to volleyball players. Volleyball players had significantly greater body density (p<0.01) as compared to basketball players. The basketball and volleyball players of this study were found to have higher percentage body fat with lower body height and body weight than their international counterparts. Further investigations are needed on the above studied variables along with fitness and physiological variables to assess relationships among them and with performances in volleyball and basketball.

Key words: Anthropometric characteristics, basketball, body composition, somatotyping, volleyball.