Differences in Some Physical Fitness and Anthropometric Measures Between Greco-Roman and Freestyle Wrestlers

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in physical fitness and anthropometric measures between Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestlers. Thirty three Iranian elite wrestlers (Freestyle, age: 24.54±3.43 years, N=13) and (Greco-Roman, age: 23.05±1.95 years, N=20) who were invited to the training camps participated in this study. The anthropometric traits included height, sitting height, arm-span, and the physical fitness traits included flexibility (sit-and-reach test), muscular endurance (pull-ups and bent-knee sit-ups), agility (4×9 m shuttle run), speed (40-yd sprint), and bilateral visual reaction time. Statistical comparison of the freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestlers groups was carried out using independent samples t test (P ≤ 0.05). The results indicated that in speed, reaction time, flexibility and pull-ups tests, Greco-Roman wrestlers were better than freestyle wrestlers, and in agility and bent-knee sit-ups tests the freestyle wrestlers were better than Greco-Roman wrestlers. However, these differences were not statistically significant.