Anthropometry as a predictor of front squat performance in American college football players

Abstract

To assess the extent anthropometry predicts front squat performance, American college football players (n=18) performed 3–6 repetition sets at 55, 65, 75 and 80% of their 1RM (one repetition maximum) load across two workouts. At the conclusion of sets, an accelerometer (Myotest Inc., Royal Oak MI) measured peak power, force and velocity. Before the first workout, anthropometric data were collected from subjects that emphasized body segment length ratios in an attempt to predict front squat variance. Via multivariate regression, anthropometry attempted to predict the variance from each of 12 criterion variables (peak power, force and velocity at each load). With an α=0.05, anthropometry predicted significant amounts of variance for six criterion variables, which also had high R(0.647–0.832) and R $^{2}$ (0.419–0.720) values. The same variables also yielded moderate standard error of estimates, thus anthropometry accounted for much front squat performance variance. Height/hip width ratio, body weight, body mass index and torso length were the best predictors of front squat performance. Based on current results, it was concluded anthropometry is an important predictor of front squat performance in American college football players.