The Effects of Anthropometrical, Physiological and Environmental Factors on Surfing Performance

260 Pages·2013·3.61 MB·English

Citation:
Barlow, M (2013) The Effects of Anthropometrical, Physiological and Environmental Factors on
Surfing Performance. Doctoral thesis, University of Plymouth.
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The Effects of Anthropometrical, Physiological
and Environmental Factors on Surfing
Performance
by
Matthew John Barlow
A thesis submitted to Plymouth University
in partial fulfilment for the degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

School of Marine Science and Engineering
Faculty of Science and Technology
March 2013
This copy of the thesis has been supplied on condition that anyone who consults it is
understood to recognise that its copyright rests with its author and that no quotation from
the thesis and no information derived from it may be published without the author's prior
consent.

i
The Effects of Anthropometrical, Physiological
and Environmental Factors on Surfing
Performance
by
Matthew John Barlow
A thesis submitted to Plymouth University
in partial fulfilment for the degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

School of Marine Science and Engineering
Faculty of Science and Technology
March 2013
ii
Abstract
The effects of anthropometrical, physiological and environmental factors on
surfing performance
Matthew John Barlow
The aim of this thesis was to investigate how physiological and environmental factors
affect surfing performance. Studies were performed that assessed the effect of
anthropometric and physiological characteristics of surfers on rank and ability, the
effect of creatine supplementation on surfing performance and the effect of wave
size, wave period and the ability of surfers on physiological and performance indices
of surfing. Study one investigated the effect of the anthropometric variables on rank
and rating of ability. This was measured across a sample of 79 surfers ranging from
intermediate to professional surfers. Significant correlations were found for
endomorphy (r = -0.366, P <0.01), sum of six skinfolds (r = -0.274, P <0.05), Body fat
percentage (r = -0.268, P <0.01) and mesomorphy (r = 0.442, P <0.01). Findings
suggest that levels of adiposity and muscularity might influence the potential for
progression between intermediate and professional level surfing performance.
Study two investigated the effect of physiological variables on the national ranking of
18 elite male junior surfers using assessments of maximal oxygen uptake, lower
body explosive power, upper body power, agility, and balance. Partial correlations
were used to account for the influence of age within the sample and a significant
correlation was found between power output at VO2 peak (rp = -0.879, P <0.01).
Findings suggest that power output at VO is an important factor for achieving
2 peak
competitive success in high performance junior surfers. Study three investigated the
effect of short term (20g.day-1 for 5 days) creatine supplementation on body
composition, repeated upper body anaerobic power and competition performance
was assessed in 17 club level surfers. Testing comprised assessment of body mass
and total body water using bioelectrical impedance analysis, a repeated upper body
Wingate based on time motion analysis of competitive surfing. A two-way repeated
measures ANOVA found no significant effects of supplementation on laboratory
measures of anaerobic power or competitive performance. The fourth study
iii
investigated the effects of changes in wave conditions on physiological response and
performance parameters of surfing. This was assessed using 39 surfers who
participated in 60 surfing sessions where wave conditions were recorded and
performance was measured using GPS. The study found that wave height was
significantly related to energy expenditure (r =-0.351, P <0.05), maximum ride speed
p
(r = 0.866, P <0.01), the standard deviation of maximum ride speeds (r = 0.654, P
p p
<0.01), mean ride time (r = 0.354, P <0.01), maximum ride time (r = -0.296, P
p p
<0.05), the standard deviation of the ride times expenditure (r = -0.344, P <0.01),
p
mean ride distance (r = 0.398, P <0.01), maximum ride time (r = 0.318, P <0.05),
p p
minimum ride distance (r = 0.268, P <0.05), standard deviation of the ride distances
p
(r = -0.362, P <0.01), percentage of total distance riding (r = 0.310, P <0.05),
p p
percentage of time spent waiting (r = -0.272, P = 0.05), percentage of total time
p
spent riding (r = 0.396, P < 0.01), percentage of total time in miscellaneous activities
p
(r = 0.471, P <0.01), total distance riding (r = 0.310, P =0.05), total distance per
p p
hour (r = 0.427, P <0.01). Wave period was found to be significantly related to
p
average heart rate as a percentage of maximum (r = 0.490, P <0.01), the
p
percentage of time spent in the “easy” training zone (r = -0.408, P <0.01), maximum
p
ride speed (r = 0.371, P <0.01), mean ride time (r = 0.283, P <0.05), maximum ride
p p
distance (r = 0.279, P <0.05), and the standard deviation of the ride distances (r =
p p
0.325, P <0.05). The ability levels of the surfers were found to be significantly related
to average heart rate as a percentage of maximum (r = -0.412, P <0.01),
p
percentage of time in the “steady” zone (r = 0.435, P <0.01), percentage of time in
p
the “intermittent” zone (r = 0.483, P <0.01), maximum ride speed (r = 0.454, P
p p
<0.01), mean ride distance (r = 0.392, P <0.05), standard deviation of the ride
p
distances (r = 0.264, P <0.05), percentage of the total distance riding(r = 0.267, P
p p
<0.05), percentage of time paddling (r = 0.364, P <0.05), percentage of time in
p
miscellaneous activities (r = -0.299, P <0.05), total distance riding (r = 0.267, P
p p
<0.05) and average speed (r = 0.428, P <0.01). This thesis has found that ability in
p
surfing is related to anthropometric and physiological measures, creatine
supplementation improves peak anaerobic power but does not significantly improve
surfing performance in club level surfers and that wave conditions and the skill levels
of surfers are significantly related to the physiological and performance parameters
of surfing.
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Table of contents

Abstract ...................................................................................................................... iii
Table of contents ........................................................................................................ v
List of Figures ............................................................................................................. x
List of Tables .............................................................................................................. xi
Acknowledgements .................................................................................................. xiii
Author's declaration .................................................................................................. xiv
Glossary of surfing terms used in this thesis ............................................................ xvi
Chapter 1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................. 1
1.1 Physical science perspectives of surfing. ...................................................... 2
1.1.1 Wave generation. ....................................................................................... 3
1.2 Breaking waves ................................................................................................ 6
1.1.3 Types of break ......................................................................................... 15
1.2 Physiological and performance perspectives of surfing .................................. 19
1.3 Purpose of this thesis ..................................................................................... 24
Chapter 2.0 Study 1 Anthropometric variables and their relationship to performance
and ability in male surfers. ........................................................................................ 25
2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 25
2.1.1 Anthropometry and body composition assessment methods. .................. 26
2.1.2. Level 1 – The atomic level of body composition ...................................... 27
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2.1.3 Level 2 – The molecular level of body composition .................................. 28
2.1.4 Level 3 –The cellular level of body composition ....................................... 29
2.1.5 Level 4 – The tissue level of body composition ...................................... 29
2.1.6 Level 5 - The whole body level of composition ......................................... 30
2.1.7 Methods of body composition assessment in sport and exercise settings.
.......................................................................................................................... 31
2.1.8 Laboratory Techniques............................................................................. 32
2.1.9 Field Techniques. .................................................................................... 35
2.2 Methods .......................................................................................................... 40
2.2.1 Participants .............................................................................................. 40
2.2.2 Procedures ............................................................................................... 40
2.2.3 Statistical analsysis .................................................................................. 44
2.3 Results ............................................................................................................ 45
2.4 Discussion ...................................................................................................... 50
2.5 Conclusions .................................................................................................... 55
2.6 Future research possibilities ........................................................................... 56
2.7 Acknowledgements ......................................................................................... 57
Chapter 3.0 Physiological parameters and their relationship to ranking in male high
performance junior surfers ....................................................................................... 58
3.1 Background to the study ................................................................................ 58
3.1.1 Physiological predictors of performance .................................................. 61
3.1.2 Psychological predictors of performance ................................................. 61
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3.1.3 Physiological characteristic of surfers ...................................................... 62
3.2 Methodology ................................................................................................... 73
3.2.1 Participants .............................................................................................. 73
3.2.2 Procedures ............................................................................................... 74
3.2.3 Maximal oxygen uptake ........................................................................... 74
3.2.4 Lower body explosive power .................................................................... 77
3.2.5 Agility and explosive power ...................................................................... 77
3.2.6 Balance .................................................................................................... 78
3.2.7 Flexibility .................................................................................................. 79
3.2.8 Statistical analysis .................................................................................... 79
3.3 Results ............................................................................................................ 80
3.4 Discussion ..................................................................................................... 85
3.5 Conclusions .................................................................................................... 90
Chapter 4.0 The effects of creatine supplementation on repeated upper body
anaerobic power and competitive performance in intermediate ability surfers. ........ 92
4.1 Background to the study ................................................................................. 92
4.1.1 Metabolism during sprints ........................................................................ 94
4.1.2 Creatine supplementation ........................................................................ 98
4.2 Methodology ................................................................................................. 103
4.2.1 Participants ............................................................................................ 103
4.2.2 Procedures ............................................................................................. 104
4.2.1.1 Repeated upper-body anaerobic power (RUBAP) testing ................... 104
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4.2.2.2 Body composition assessment ............................................................ 106
4.2.2.3 Surfing competition ............................................................................. 106
4.2.3 Statistical analysis .................................................................................. 107
4.4 Results .......................................................................................................... 108
4.4 Discussion .................................................................................................... 112
4.5 Conclusions .................................................................................................. 117
Chapter 5.0 The effect of wave size and period on the physiological demand and
performance indices of surfing. .............................................................................. 119
5.1 Background to the study ............................................................................... 119
5.1.1 Global Positioning Systems (GPS) in sports analysis ............................ 120
5.1.2 Heart rate monitoring in sport and exercise ........................................... 121
5.1.3 Exercise domains ................................................................................... 123
5.2 Methodology ................................................................................................ 128
5.2.1 Participants ............................................................................................ 128
5.2.2 Laboratory procedures ........................................................................... 128
5.2.3 On-water testing ..................................................................................... 130
5.2.4 Data analysis ......................................................................................... 132
5.2.5 Statistical analysis .................................................................................. 134
5.4 Results ......................................................................................................... 134
5.5 Discussion ................................................................................................... 150
5.5.1 Participants and conditions .................................................................... 150
5.5.2 Physiological responses ......................................................................... 152
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