Comparative analysis of anthropometric indices of female students in cyclic sports
The article presents the morphological parameters of the University of Physical Education female students aged 18-23 years, active in cyclic sports: cross-country skiing, track and field athletics (cross) and swimming in comparison with students of the same age group but not involved in professional sports. The purpose is to determine the characteristics of anthropometric parameters among the female athletes aged 18-23 years with regard to their motor activity. When comparing athletes sample and female sample not involved in sports, it was found that female athletes differed from the control sample by a number of anthropometric characteristics marking the masculinization. Female representatives in cyclic sports showed high values of total body size, width of shoulders, muscular component and less fat compared to the control group. It was shown that the proportional correlation between the size of the pelvis and shoulder width (masculinization index) is an important criterion in the assessment of morphological constitution of female athletes in this age group. Anthropometric data obtained indicate the different physical characteristics of female athletes, formed in the process of training of a certain motor activity, and can be used as morphological criteria in the sports selection and specialization.