Associations between anthropometric measurements and vertical jump with 20m front crawl swimming time among young swimmers

Abstract

The relationships between anthropometric characteristics and fitness abilities is paramount for optimizing training and improving performance. This study investigated the relationships be- tween anthropometric measurements and time to cover 20 m in front crawl swimming. Eight- een participants aged 7 to 14 years (6 boys and 12 girls) were recruited. Anthropometric meas- urements (height and arm span), vertical jump height, and 20 m front crawl swimming time were assessed. No sex-based differences were observed regarding anthropometric character- istics or performance variables (e.g., 20 m swimming time = 17.8 ± 4.0 seconds, boys; 19.1 ± 5.1 seconds, girls) (all p = .60). Negative partial correlations were found between swimming time with arm span (r = -.51; p = .04) and vertical jump height (r = -.53; p = .04), but not with height (p = .08). These results indicate that participants with greater arm spans (mean 142.8 ± 15.6 cm) and higher vertical (mean 64.4 ± 12.8 cm) jump heights tend to exhibit faster swimming speeds. These findings highlight the importance of arm span and lower limb explosive power in swim- ming performance among young athletes.