Comparison of rectus femoris architecture and somatotype between well-trained bodybuilders and soccer players
Fahri Safa Çınarlı1
,
Muhammed Emin Kafkas1,
Tülay Yıldırım2
1Department of Movement and Training Science, Faculty of Sport Sciences, İnönü University, Malatya, Türkiye
2Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, İnönü University, Malatya, Türkiye
Keywords: Bodybuilding, soccer, ultrasonography, muscle morphology, somatotype
Abstract
Objective: Training has different adaptive effects on muscle architecture and body types in the long term. The purpose of this study was to compare rectus femoris architecture and somatotypes of well-trained bodybuilders and soccer players.
Material and Methods: A total of thirty male athletes (15 bodybuilders and 15 soccer players, with at least 5 years of training experience) were included in the study. The thickness of the rectus femoris muscle (MT), pennation angle (PA), and fascicle length (FL) were measured using B-mode ultrasound and somatotyping has been performed by the Heath-Carter method.
Results: PA (19.1%, p=0.007) and MT (11.5%, p=0.039) were greater in bodybuilders than soccer players, while FL was similar (5%, p=0.220) between athletes. A moderate effect size (ES) was found at MT (ES = 1.06; 95% CI) and a large ES at PA (ES = 1.55; 95% CI). Somatotyping has revealed that bodybuilders were endomorphic mesomorph (3.01-5.74-2.05) and soccer players were mesomorph-ectomorph (2.52-3.58-3.80).
Conclusion: Training affects muscle morphology and somatotype of athletes with regard to sport specific training patterns in long term. Revealing the adaptive characteristics of muscle architecture and somatotypes may help sports scientists and coaches in train planning and modification.
Cite this article as: Cinarli FS, Kafkas ME, Yildirim T. Comparison of rectus femoris architecture and somatotype between well-trained bodybuilders and soccer players. Turk J Sports Med. 2022, 57(4):183-8; https://doi.org/10.47447/tjsm.0674
Approval for this study was obtained from the Institutional Ethics Committee of Inonu University, Malatya, Turkey (Decision No: 2017/60 Date: 10/05/2017).
Concept: FSÇ, MEK, TY; Design: FSÇ, MEK, TY; Supervision: FSÇ, MEK, TY; Materials: FSÇ, MEK, TY; Data Collection and/or Processing: TY; Analysis and İnterprepation: FSÇ, TY; Literature Review: FSÇ; MEK; Writing Manuscript: FSÇ, MEK; Critical Reviews: FSÇ, MEK, TY
The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to authorship and/or publication of the article.
The authors received no financial support for the research and/or publication of this article.
