Motor fitness, aerobic and anaerobic power and physique in elite black and white athletes

Over the years, numerous studies of physique have compared blacks of West African origin with white Americans and consistently reached the same conclusions. Blacks have less body fat, narrower hips, thicker thighs, longer legs and lighter calves. From a biomechanical perspective such antropometric variables allow for more efficient running and jumping. Considering motor abilities basketball is a sport discipline in which speed and explosive strength are of greatest importance. Similarly to track and field, the best league in the world (the NBA) is dominated by black athletes. The main objective of this paper was to compare the level of general motor abilities and special sport skills, selected antropometric variables and indicators of aerobic and anaerobic power of elite white and black basketball players of the Polish Basketball League. The research was conducted on 23 basketball players of the Polish first division of which 11 were white European athletes and 12 American black athletes. All players were measured and tested during the competitive period. Several antropometric measurements were taken, explosive and maximal strength of the upper and lower limb, speed and agility were evaluated through field tests. Two basketball tests were applied to diagnose sport skills. Also the values of maximal anaerobic power and maximal oxygen uptake were registered.