Association Between Anthropometry and Motor Performance With Competitive Indicators of Women Athletes in the Capoeira World Games: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to verify the association of anthropometric and motor variables with the competitive indicators of female athletes in the ABADÁ-Capoeira (Associação Brasileira de Apoio e Desenvolvimento da Arte Capoeira) World Games.

Methods: Forty-two capoeira athletes from 15 countries (capoeira experience = 15.1 [7.9] y, age = 32.1 [8.8] y, body mass = 63.2 [6.3] kg, and height = 161.8 [4.4] cm) were recruited for anthropometric and motor evaluation of sit and reach, push-up, trunk flexion, countermovement jump (CMJ), and quadrant jump (QDJ). Each athlete's ranking and stage scores in the competition were obtained as indicators of competitive performance.

Results: There were inverse correlations between abdominal circumference, body mass index, body fat percentage, and endomorphy with motor variables (rho = -.36 to -.46; P < .05). Positive correlations of motor performance with competitive performance indicators were evidenced, being between the average increment score with the CMJ (rho = .33; P < .05) and the QDJ (rho = .35; P < .05), and between the competition score with the CMJ (rho = .32; P < .05) and the QDJ (rho = .32; P < .05). Additionally, the motor performance of trunk flexion (β = 0.11; odds ratio = 1.126; 95% CI, 1.025-1.238), QDJ (β = 0.21; odds ratio = 1.239; 95% CI, 1.022-1.503), and CMJ (β = 0.20; odds ratio = 1.230; 95% CI, 1.029-1.471) predicted competition stage advancement.

Conclusions: Associations occurred between anthropometry and motor performance, and this was predictive of competitive indicators of female capoeira athletes in international competition. Such information may contribute to an optimized and effective training process aimed at the integral improvement of capoeira practitioners' body composition and motor skills, especially to improve localized muscular endurance of the upper limbs and abdomen, as well as agility and power of the lower limbs.