Anthropometric Measurements, Somatotype Ratings, and Certain Motor Fitness Tests of Physical Education Majors in South Africa

Abstract

Selected anthropometric measurements and somatotype ratings of physical education majors were studied and their relation to the performance of certain motor fitness tests determined. The anthropometric data showed a predominant trend toward the athletic type as described by Kretschmer. The relationship between the body measurements and the motor fitness tests was found to be low or insignificant except the relationship between the neck girth and the shot put. There was evidence that bi-acromial width had not kept pace with growth in height when data of this study were compared with data collected earlier. The mesomorphic trait was the most distinctive feature of the subjects' somatotype. The mesomorphs were superior in all motor fitness tests except in the 60-yd. dash and the ecto-mesomorphs excelled the endo-mesomorphs in all tests except the shot put.