ASSOCIATION OF BODY COMPOSITION WITH LEG STRENGTH, BALANCE CAPACITY AND DROP JUMP ABILITY IN CAPOEIRA ATHLETES: A PILOT STUDY

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the association of body composition (BC) with leg strength, balance capacity, and drop jump ability in capoeira athletes. A total of 10 male (age: 26.5±2.6 years) and 5 female (age: 25.0±2.9 years) capoeira athletes participated in this study. BC measurement of the participants was performed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Performance measurements consisted of 30º, 60º, 90º leg strength measurement, anterior-posterior balance, medial-lateral balance capacity measurement, and drop jumps from heights of 20 (DJ20), 40 (DJ40), and 50 cm (DJ50). Reactive strength index (RSI) was calculated as jump height/contact time (mm·ms-1). Statistical results showed that there was no significant association between BC with balance (p > 0.05). Fat-free mass (FFM) was found to be correlated with RSI for DJ20 (r = 0.52; p = 0.049) and DJ40 (r = 0.66; p = 0.01), while there was a negative association between fat mass (FM) with DJ40 (r = -0.65; p = 0.01) and DJ50 (r = -0.59; p = 0.02). In addition, FM was negatively associated with 90º right leg strength (r = -0.59; p = 0.02), 90º left leg strength (r = -0.62; p =0.01), and 60º left leg strength (r = -0.57; p = 0.03), while there was a positive association between FFM and 90º right leg strength (r = 0.59; p = 0.02). As a result, FM and lean mass (LM) exert profound effects on leg strength and drop jump ability, while BC doesn’t seem to affect balance capacity in capoeira athletes, showing that possessing low FM and high LM likely leads to better athletic performance in capoeira athletes.