Author(s): Sagar Singh, Vipin Tiwari, Rabiya Husain, and Indu Majumdar

Abstract:
Sports participation fosters physical, psychological, and social well-being, with distinct physiological adaptations occurring in different disciplines. Judo, a combat sport, emphasizes strength and anaerobic endurance, while football, a field sport, requires sustained aerobic activity and tactical agility. Understanding how these differing physiological demands shape athlete fitness is crucial for optimizing training and performance. The study aimed to compare selected physiological and anthropometric variables between university-level male football and judo players. Specifically, it sought to assess differences in VO₂ max, resting systolic blood pressure, resting diastolic blood pressure, pulse rate, and body fat percentage to provide insights into sport-specific adaptations. Sixty male University athletes (30 judo players, 30 football players) aged between 18 to 21 years were selected through purposive sampling. VO₂ max was estimated using the Cooper 12-minute run test, blood pressure and pulse rate were measured using standard medical instruments, and body fat percentage was determined via the Jackson & Pollock 7-site skinfold method. Independent samples t-tests were used for statistical comparisons. Football players exhibited significantly higher VO₂ max than judo players (P=0.009), indicating superior aerobic capacity. Differences in body fat percentage, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and pulse rate were not statistically significant, suggesting both groups maintain similar cardiovascular and body composition markers. The study highlights the differing physiological profiles of football and judo players. While footballers display better aerobic conditioning, both groups show stable cardiovascular health and lean body composition. These findings support sport-specific training approaches for optimizing performance.

DOI: 10.22271/kheljournal.2025.v12.i5h.4028

Pages: 527-533  |  123 Views  64 Downloads

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