# Morphology of male World Cup and elite speed climbers

## TL;DR

Elite speed climbers have lower body fat and broader bones compared to national-level climbers, suggesting specific physical adaptations for the sport.

## Contribution

Identifies morphological traits that distinguish elite from national-level speed climbers, offering insights for talent identification.

## Key findings

- International climbers have significantly lower body fat and higher lean body mass than national-level climbers.
- Elite climbers exhibit greater biacromial, humeral, and femoral breadths compared to national-level athletes.
- Both groups show an ectomorphic-mesomorphic somatotype, but international climbers have a higher mesomorphic component.

## Abstract

To compare somatic characteristics and somatotypes of elite World Cup and national level speed climbers relative to general adult population norms, and to identify anthropometric traits that differentiate performance levels.

Eighteen male speed climbers participated in the study, including 10 international level and 8 national level athletes. Anthropometric data were collected according to the ISAK protocol, and somatotype was determined using the Heath-Carter method. Statistical analyses included the Shapiro–Wilk test to assess normality, the Student’s t-test or Mann–Whitney U test to compare groups. Principal component analysis (PCA) to reduce dimensionality and identify body composition characteristics differentiating athletes by performance level, and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient to examine relationships between variables.

International climbers showed significantly lower body fat (6.46%±1.22% vs. 9.40%±1.46%), and higher lean body mass (93.5%±1.22% vs. 90.6%±1.46%). They exhibited wider biacromial breadth (42.98±1.98 cm vs. 41.03±1.18 cm), humeral breadth (7.67±0.40 cm vs. 6.93±0.50 cm), and femoral breadth (9.49±0.44 cm vs. 8.99±0.42 cm). Both groups presented an ectomorphic-mesomorphic somatotype, with international athletes displaying a significantly higher mesomorphic component (6.08±0.81 vs. 4.63±0.61).

International climbers differ from national-level athletes by having lower fat mass, greater lean body mass, and greater skeletal breadth, including biacromial, humeral, and femoral widths. Both groups show substantial morphological differences compared to the general adult population. Differences in the breadth of the humerus and femur, as well as in biacromial width, may reflect specific adaptations to the load patterns typical of speed climbing. Athletes at the international level showed a more homogeneous somatic profile, indicating morphological optimization at the highest levels of performance. Traits considered important in other climbing disciplines were not found to be relevant in speed climbing. The results presented require verification in larger and more diverse groups of speed climbers. Nevertheless, with appropriate caution, they may serve as an initial reference point for talent identification and morphological optimization in speed climbing.