Physical and Physiological Characteristics of Female Artistic Roller Skaters Based on Discipline and Level of Expertise

Abstract Introduction. In artistic roller skating, athletes use shoes fitted with small wheels to be used in rinks. The sport consists of seven disciplines characterized by different physical demands. Roller skaters are judged on content and manner of performance, and this includes the skater’s ability to do jumps, spins, and footwork. To date, no study has analyzed the different physical qualities in artistic roller skaters based on their skating discipline and skating level. Thus, the purpose of this study was to compare the body composition, flexibility, balance, reactive strength, maximal strength and aerobic capacity based on skating discipline and skating level. Material and methods. A total of 108 female athletes from the three individual disciplines (figures, freestyle, and solo dance) and three different levels (elite, sub-elite, and non-elite) volunteered to participate in this study. All subjects completed the sit-and-reach, front split, Y-Balance, countermovement jump, squat jump, drop jump, isometric mid-thigh pull and 20-metre multistage shuttle roller skate tests. Six multivariate analyses of variance were performed to identify differences between disciplines and levels. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results. The findings showed that freestyle skaters have less body fat, and higher levels of reactive and maximal strength than figure and solo dance skaters. Elite skaters demonstrate greater values of flexibility, balance, strength and aerobic capacity compared to their sub-elite and non-elite counterparts. Conclusions. The results of this study showed that there are differences between elite and non-elite athletes and between skating disciplines. Strength and conditioning professionals should take that into consideration when training these athletes.