Abstract

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This cross sectional study was conducted to analyze the role of effective physical training for minimizing gender differences between trained young male and female swimmers in their body composition and motor fitness level. Height, weight, body fat quantity, flexibility tests for lower back, hamstring, ankle, trunk and neck, elastic leg strength and agility of male and female trained swimmers were measured using standard techniques. Critical swim speed (CSS), 50m swimming and 400m swimming time were taken into consideration to assess their performance level. Mean, standard deviations, t-test and correlation co-efficient were calculated for selected variables to justify the results statistically (p < 0.05). Insignificant differences were found in body composition between male and female trained young swimmers. Elastic leg strength and agility were significantly (p< 0.05) higher in male than female trained swimmer whereas flexibility of lower back and hamstring was significantly (p< 0.05) higher in female than male swimmer. Significant positive correlation of CSS (p< 0.05) with height (m), elastic leg strength, flexibility of lower back and hamstring, and ankle in both male and female trained swimmers were found. Effective physical training can minimize body compositional gender differences in trained swimmers. Significant positive correlations of CSS with height, flexibility of lower back, hamstrings and ankle, and elastic leg strength in both male and female trained swimmers suggest musculoskeletal and motor fitness have important role to discriminate male and female swimmers in their performance level and that can definitely be minimize by proper training in female swimmers