PHYSIOLOGICAL-CHANGES ARISING FROM A TRAINING-PROGRAM IN UNDER-21 INTERNATIONAL NETBALL PLAYERS

Physiological and anthropometric measurements were taken on 21 members of an under-21 international squad of mean age 18.9 years. The aims o f the investigation were (i) to examine the physiological status of pl ayers according to playing unit; and (ii) to quantify the changes aris ing from a four-month training programme. Maximal/peak oxygen uptake w as assessed using an incremental test to exhaustion during treadmill r unning. Anaerobic performance was measured using the 30s Wingate test. Significant differences occurred between playing units in height (p < 0.001), body mass and FVC (p < 0.05), but not in skinfolds or any of the expressions of aerobic or anaerobic performance (p > 0.05). As a c onsequence of the training programme significant differences were evid ent in height (169.7 v 170.1 cm, p < 0.01), body mass (62 v 64 kg, p < 0.05), FVC (4.3 v 4.51, p < 0.01), and anaerobic performance (p < 0.0 1). Increases in VO2 max (3.3 v 3.51. min-1) were not significant (p > 0.05). Standard deviation scores illustrated that aerobic and anaerob ic performances were of roughly the same magnitude before training ( - 0.35 v - 0.29, p > 0.05), but that after training the dominant perfor mance was anaerobic (+ 0.11 v + 1.48, p < 0.01).