Body composition and physical fitness of female volleyball and basketball players of the Japan inter-high school championship teams

This study evaluated the body composition (underwater weighing) and cardiorespiratory function (V̇O ₂max and O ₂debt max measured by the treadmill exercise test) in 12 members of the women's volleyball team (mean age 17.4 years) and 11 members of the women's basketball team (mean age 17.6 years) that won the championship in the Japan Inter-high School Meeting. We also examined differences in the physical abilities between the members of the top teams of different events. The following results were obtained. 1. The mean values of the height and body weight were 168.7 ± 5.89 cm and 59.7 ± 5.73 kg in the volleyball players and 166.5 ± 7.87 cm and 58.8 ± 6.85 kg in the basketball players. 2. The mean %Fat was 18.4 ± 3.29% in the volleyball players and 15.7 ± 5.05% in the basketball players, and was similar to the reported values in elite adult players. 3. The mean V̇O ₂max was 2.78 ± 0.32 L·min ^-1 (46.5±2.90 ml·kg ^-1·min ^-1) in the volleyball players and 3.32 ± 0.31 L·min ^-1 (56.7 ± 4.17 ml·kg ^-1·min ^-1) in the basketball players, and was similar to the reported values in elite adult players. 4. The mean O ₂debt max was 6.18 ± 1.15 L (103.2 ± 12.40 ml·kg ^-1) in the volleyball players and 7.92 ± 1.80 L (134.3 ± 23.24 ml·kg ^-1) in the basketball players. These values were 2.6 times and 3.3 times as high as the average values in high school students in general. 5. No significant difference was observed in any measured item of the physique, skinfold thickness, or body composition between the volleyball players and basketball players. 6. The V̇O ₂max and O ₂debt max were 22% and 28% higher in the basketball players than in the volleyball players. From these results, the female volleyball players and basketball players evaluated in this study had the physical abilities needed to win the championship in the Japan Interhigh School Meets, i.e. a large FFM and excellent aerobic and anaerobic work capacities. Also, basketball appears to require higher aerobic and anaerobic work capacities than volleyball.