Some results of anthropological study of highly qualified athletes, members of Russian National team for rock-climbing
Sports of high achievements can be considered as an extreme model of the definitive manifestation of a phenotype resulting from genotype-environment interactions. The aim of the present paper was to study morphological characteristics in rock-climbers of high qualification. 32 rock-climbers (14 women and 18 men), members of the Russian National team, aged from 16 to 33 years, took part in the investigation. 56 women and 72 men, non-athletes, aged from 16 to 35 years, formed a control group. The program included anthropometric measurements (30) and bioimpedance analysis. Significant differences were revealed in morphological traits: in male athletes body height and leg length, as well as knee and ankle breadths were decreased, while corpus length and elbow breadth were increased. Skinfold thickness (measured at 9 points) had significantly lower values both in male and female athletes. Muscle mass was increased, but only in women athletes the differences were statistically significant. Hand grip strength in rock-climbers was almost doubled when compared to the control group.