Biomedical subjects

Damir Sekulić

Publications and source records attributed to Damir Sekulić.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Modeling the influence of body size on weightlifting and powerlifting performance.

The purpose of this study was to examine 1) if lifting performance in both the weightlifting (WL) and powerlifting (PL) scale with body mass (M) in line with theory of geometric similarity, and 2) whether there are any gender differences in the allometric relationship between lifting performance and body size. This was performed by analyzing ten best WL and PL total results for each weight class, except for super heavyweight, achieved during 2000-2003. Data were analysed with the allometric and second-order polynomial model, and detailed regression diagnostics was applied in order to examine appropriateness of the models used. Results of the data analyses indicate that 1) women's WL and men's PL scale for M in line with theory of geometric similarity, 2) both WL and PL mass exponents are gender-specific, probably due to gender differences in body composition, 3) WL and PL results scale differently for M possibly due to their structural and functional differences. However, the obtained mass exponents does not provide size-independent indices of lifting performances since the allometric model exhibit a favourable bias toward middleweight lifters in most lifting data analyzed. Due to possible deviations from presumption of geometric similarity among lifters, future studies on scaling lifting performance should use fat-free mass and height as indices of body size.

Body Mass Index↗

PubMed2005

Anthropological determinants of success in young judoists.

There is an evident lack of experimental studies dealing with the anthropological determinants of success in judo, especially concerning young athletes. In this paper we have attempted to establish some of the anthropological factors potentially related to judo competition achievement in 15-16 year old athletes. A set of 14 anthropometric and 12 motor-endurance variables was tested on the best young judoists in Croatia (all males, N = 34). All the subjects had competed on the National Championship (NC), and the criterion was defined according to their final NC achievement. Factor analysis and discriminant canonical analysis (DISCRA) were calculated separately on the motor-endurance and anthropometric status variables. DISCRA showed the successful judoists as dominant in strength and endurance status. In contrast, there were no significant differences in the anthropometric dimensions regarding any differentiation between the more and less successful athletes. Possible explanations are discussed.

Achievement↗

PubMed2005

Non linear relationships between anthropometric and motor-endurance variables.

Nonlinear regressions are rare in anthropology. In this paper we have tried to identify the significance and the character of the linear and non-linear relations between some anthropometric measures and the motor-endurance status. All subjects (300 moderately physically active males, mean aged 24 +/- 3.4 years) were measured for body weight, body height, body mass index, push-ups, sit ups, standing high jump, 50 meters swimming, and 1500 meters running. Linear (general model: y = a+bx) and nonlinear regression (general model: y = a+bx+cx2) was calculated simultaneously. According to the presented results the non-linear-square relation between variables can be expected: a) if there is evident cause why two absolutely different sub-groups of subjects should reach equal results in the criterion, b) if a non-linear-square basis for the established relationship can be found. In conclusion, simple linear and non linear regression procedures are to be used for the identification of linear and nonlinear predictors in nonlinear multiple regressions.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Non-linear relations between selected anthropological predictors and psycho-physiological exercise-responses.

In this paper, some very useful non-linear-relation procedures are actualized. The authors have defined the characteristic correlations between a set of anthropological characteristics (14 anthropometric and 14 motor-endurance status variables) and a set of psycho-physiological exercise-responses during the hi-lo and during the step aerobic dance training (heart rate, lactate concentration and rating of the perceived exertion). 60 healthy females served as the sample of subjects (mean age 21 +/- 1.4 years). The experiment consisted of two parts. In the first one, the linear correlations between the two sets of the variables were established. In the second part, non-linear (squared) relations, between the variables of the two sets were calculated. Results confirm the statement that the non-linear correlations, in some cases, better determinate the real nature of the relations between the variables, than linear correlation models.

Adult↗