Özet:

This study aimed to determine the association of body composition (BC) with muscle strength, drop jump and balance ability in Capoeira athletes. A total of 10 males (age: 26.5±2.6 years) and 5 females (age: 25.0±2.9 years) Capoeira athletes volunteered to participate in this study. BC measurement of participants, including total and regional BC, was performed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Performance measurements consisted of 30º, 60º, 90º leg strength, anterior-posterior balance, medial-lateral balance and drop jumps from a 20 cm drop-height (DJ20), 40 cm drop-height (DJ40) and 50 cm drop-height (DJ50). Reactive strength index (RSI) was calculated as jump height/contact time (mm·ms-1). The statistical results showed that there was no significant association of BC with balance (p>0.05). Fat-free mass (FFM) was found to be correlated with RSI from DJ20 (r=0.52; p=0.049) and DJ40 (r=0.66; p=0.01), while there was a negative association between fat mass (FM) and drop jump from DJ40 (r=-0.65; p=0.01) and DJ50 (r=-0.59; p=0.02). In addition, FM was found to be negatively associated with 90º right leg strength (r=-0.59; p=0.02), 90º left leg strength (r=-0.62; p=0.01) and 60º left leg strength (r=-0.57; p=0.03). There was a positive association between FFM and 90º right leg strength (r=0.59; p=0.02). As a result, FM and LM exert profound effects on leg strength and drop jump performance, while BC doesn’t seem to affect balance ability in Capoeira athletes. It is likely that possessing low FM and high LM leads to better athletic performance in Capoeira athletes.