Fitness Profile in Male Boxers of Kolkata, India

Abstract

Forty light weight and forty medium weight Indian male boxers (age: 19–24 yrs) were selected for the study to evaluate their fitness profile parameters and to compare the data with their sedentary control group (n=40, age: 21–25 yrs) and their national and overseas counterparts. Boxer groups had significantly higher (p <0.05) values of absolute and relative VO2max, flexibility, VJT scores, body density, % lean body mass (LBM) and significantly lower (p<0.05) values of pre-exercise heart rate, diastolic blood pressure, high intensity effort (HIE), agility, fat mass and %fat compared to their sedentary counterparts. The light weight boxers (LWB) showed significant differences in body weight, BMI, BSA and LBM when compared against the sedentary control group. Significant intra-group variation for LWB and middle weight Boxers (MWB) were seen in case of body weight, BMI, BSA, BD, FM, % fat, % LBM, absolute VO2max and VJT scores. Correlation statistic revealed significant relationship of motor fitness parameters, absolute VO2max and relative VO2max with physical parameters and different components of body composition in all the three groups and accordingly the group specific regression equations have been computed for the prediction of different fitness parameter from the concerned morphological parameter. It can be concluded from the study that boxing training improved the fitness profile in LWB and MWB. LWB and MWB had significant intra–group difference in some fitness parameters probably due to the difference in their training modules. Present database will act as a reference to promote and improve boxing training among eastern India

Key words:

boxing, fitness, VO_2max, agility, lean body mass

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