Investigatıon of Body Compositions and Performance Values of Veterans and Young Long Distance Runners

Abstract

This study aims to examine the body composition and performance values of veterans and young long-distance runners and to investigate the differences between them. Fifteen athletes, including seven veterans (mean age: 54.,42 ±5.,99 years; mean body weight: 72.,28±3.,72 kg; mean height: 171.,42±5.,34 cm) and eight young-distance runners (mean age: 16.12±0.83 years; mean body weight: 59.,12±5.,35 kg; mean height: 166.,50±3.,84 cm) participated in this study voluntarily. Body mass index, Hand grip strength, Flexibility measurements, Back strength test, Aerobic capacity test and Anaerobic Power test were used for obtaining the data. IBM SPSS 26 version program was used for statistical analyses and the Mann-Whitney U Test, one of the non-parametric tests, was used for pairwise comparisons between groups. It was determined that while the difference between the flexibility, hand grip, back strength and vertical jump values was not significant (p>0.,05), there was a significant difference in the participants’ back strength and aerobic capacity values in favour of the young athletes (p<0.,05). According to the body composition values of the participants, it was determined that there was a significant difference in favour of young athletes in body mass index, liquid kg, fat mass and fat percentage values, and a significant difference in favour of veterans in lean body mass, muscle kg and bone mineral values (p<0.,05). While the aerobic and anaerobic capacities of veteran athletes were lower than young athletes, lean mass, muscle kg and bone mineral density values were found to be higher.