Seasonal changes in body composition of inter-county Gaelic Athletic Association hurlers |
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| Authors: | Robert W Davies Clodagh Toomey William McCormack Cian O’Neill Katie Hughes Philip Jakeman |
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| Institution: | 1. Human Science Research Group, Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland;2. Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada;3. Department of Sport, Leisure, and Childhood Studies, Cork Institute of Technology, Cork, Ireland;4. Centre for Intervention in Inflammation, Infection and Immunity, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland |
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| Abstract: | Longitudinal change in body composition for elite-level inter-county hurlers was reported over a single season and four consecutive seasons. Body composition measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) of 66 senior, male, outfield players was obtained. Four successive measurements were taken: off-season (OFF1), pre-season (PRE), mid-season (MID) and the off-season of the following season (OFF2). A subsample of 11 hurlers were measured at all time points over 4 consecutive seasons. DXA-derived estimates of fat and lean mass were normalised to stature for analysis (kg?m?2); data are (mean lower: upper, 95% confidence interval]). A concurrent increase of lean mass (0.31 0.19: 0.43] kg?m?2) and loss of fat mass occurred (?0.38 ?0.50: ?0.26] kg?m?2) OFF1 to PRE. Lean mass accrual was maintained PRE to OFF2 while the initial loss of fat mass was restored MID to OFF2 (0.52 0.40: 0.64] kg ? m?2), with the trunk acting as the primary region of change. Over the four seasons, a net increase of lean mass was observed (~ 0.9 0.4: 1.4] kg per annum) with a negligible overall change for fat mass over time. However, the cycling of fat mass (OFF to PRE and MID to OFF) within each season was recurrent season-to-season. |
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| Keywords: | Hurling Gaelic games body composition DXA seasonal |
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