232 BrJ Sports Med 1996;30:232-235 A study of physiological responses during match Br J Sports Med: first published as 10.1136/bjsm.30.3.232 on 1 September 1996. Downloaded from play in Indian national kabaddi players G L Khanna, P Majumdar, V Malik, T Vrinda, M Mandal Abstract scanty.` Although there have been sporadic Objective-To determine the physical and investigations, a systematic evaluation of the physiological profile of kabaddi players physiological demands of this sport have not and the physiological demands of playing yet been undertaken in an organised way, since a kabaddi match. up to now the sport has been confined to a few Methods-Maximum aerobic capacity Asian countries and has not been included in (VO2max), maximum ventilation any major international competitions such as (VEmax), 02 pulse, respiratory equivalent the Asian Games. However, in 1986 the game (RE), maximum heart rate, and 02 debt was for the first time included in the Asian were assessed on 16 players. The somato- Games as a demonstration game. Subse- type of the players was calculated by the quently, in the 1990 and 1994 Asian Games, Heath and Carter method. Heart rate was five countries participated in the competition. monitored during a selection trial match European and erstwhile USSR countries have on eight players who represented India in also recently begun to play the game. the Asian Games, 1994. From the playing Kabaddi is an outdoor game played on a soft heart rate, oxygen consumption (V!02) natural soil field of 12.5 x 10 metres. The field was computed through a heart rate v V02 is divided by a middle line into two equal regression equation. Maximum lactate halves. Seven players on each side participate, was evaluated from the blood samples col- and the game is played into two halves of 20 lected at the end ofthe match. minutes each, with an interval of five minutes. Results-The average heart rate and oxy- The present study was carried out with the gen consumption during the match were aim to determining the physiological require- 146.5(SD 9.25) beats min-' and 2.25(0.59) ments of kabaddi so that the selection and litre min-' respectively. During raiding the training of the players can be planned in a sci- maximum heart rate attained varied from entific and methodical way. 162.4(11.3) to 177.4(4.2) beats min-'. Out of 40 min of match play a raider raided on Methods http://bjsm.bmj.com/ average on 8.13(2.03) occasions. The aver- The was conducted on 16 national was 20.8(6.26) s. The study age time per raid kabaddi players attending the national camp at match heart rate and oxygen consumption of the maximum heart the Sports Authority of India, Southern was 72.3-83.3% Centre, in preparation for the Hiroshima Asian rate, and 43.5-70.5% of VO2max respec- gold medal. at the end of the Games of 1994. The team won the tively. Maximum lactate Body fat percentage was calculated from mmol litre-'. match was 6.13(2.53) with a Harpenden Kabaddi players had the somatotype of skinfold thickness measured with absolute back caliper at four sites-biceps, triceps, subscapu- on September 30, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. 2.68--4.71-1.83, lar, and suprailiac. To calculate body fat strength of 175.0 kg. VO2max and 02 debt ml percentage, the formulas of Durnin and were 3.59(0.36) litre min-' [47.82(3.68) were used. Somatotype was Faculty of Sports and 5.3(1.85) litres (70 ml kg-') Rehman9 and Siri' Sciences, Sports kg'1 min-'] calculated by the Heath-Carter method."' Back Authority of India, respectively. strength was measured with a back dynamom- Netaji Subhas Conclusions-Kabaddi is an intermittent variables such as oxy- rest during the game is eter. Cardiorespiratory Southern Centre, sport. The pause gen consumption (VO2), ventilation (VE), and Bangalore 560 056, sufficient for recovery. During raiding the India heart rate were measured during graded main source of energy is anaerobic. Initial of the G L Khanna, Scientific (BrJ Sports Med 1996;30:232-235) exercise on treadmill.'2 speed Officer (Physiology) treadmill was 8 km h-' with an inclination of P Majumdar, Junior the was increased by 2 Key terms: kabaddi; maximum aerobic capacity; oxygen 2% and thereafter speed Scientific Officer km h-' after every 2 min until a plateau of V02 (Physiology) debt; somatotype V Malik, Junior Scientific was attained or the respiratory quotient (RQ) Officer (Biochemistry) value went up to more than 1.1.13 During the T Vrinda, Research Functional preparation by sportsmen and recovery phase the physiological variables were Scholar women depends on the physiological demands monitored until the oxygen consumption M Mandal, Junior of their particular sport. An evaluation of the returned to normal resting level. Oxygen debt Scientific Assistant exercise responses of high level sports competi- was calculated by the standard method de- (Physiology) 14 tors during competition can form a sound basis scribed by Fox et al. a Correspondence to: for the players' systematic development. The The entire experiment was performed at Dr G L Khanna. demands of various sports disciplines have room temperature varying from 23-250C with studied.'5 However, studies relative humidity varying between 50% and Accepted for publication been extensively 20 February 1996 on the physiological demands of kabaddi are 60%. Physiological responses in kabaddi players 233 Table 1 I variables in Morphological and physiological to assess the extent to which the game taxes the Br J Sports Med: first published as 10.1136/bjsm.30.3.232 on 1 September 1996. Downloaded from Indian kabaddi players circulatory system. The mean match heart rate Mean (SD) in the first half varied from 132.9 to 149.0 beats min-', that is, 72.3% to 79.9% of the Age (years) 27.00 (2.80) maximum heart rate, while in the second half it Height (cm) Weight (kg) 175.00 (4.80) varied from 143.5 to 158.0 beats min-', that is, Body fat (%) 14.13 (2.26) 77.2% to 83.3% of the maximum heart rate. Lean body mass (kg) 64.30 (4.20) The overall mean heart rate in the first half Endomorphy was Mesomorphy 4.71 (0.50) 143.4(11.5) beats min-' (76.8% of maximum Ectomorphy 1.83 (0.62) heart rate), while in the second half it was Back strength (kg) 172.00 (24.00) 149.5(7.5) beats min-' (80. 1% of the maximum V02max (litre min') 3.59 (0.36) herra) V02max (ml kg-' min') 47.82 (3.68) heart rate), significantly higher than in the first VEmax (litre min') 124.70 (13.80) half (P < 0.01). 02 consumption during the 02 debt (litre) 5.30 (1.85) match varied from 1.69 to 2.77 litre min' 02 debt (ml kg-') 70.40 (23.04) 02 pulse (ml bear') 17.00 (1.82) (43.5% to 70.5% of V02max). In the first half Respiratory equivalent at VO2max (1. 1 of 34.88 (3.23) the raiding heart rate varied from 162.4 to 2-() Maximum heart rate (beats min-') 186.00 (7.00) 177.1 beats min- , that is, 87.2% to 95.0% of maximum heart rate. In the second half it var- ied from 167.8 to 177.4 beats min' , that is, The regression equation of VC)2 v heart rate 90.0% to 95.2% of the maximum heart rate. was calculated to estimate oxygren consump- During raiding, 02 consumption varied from tion indirectly from heart rate. 2.98 to 3.55 litre min- (76.8% to 90.6% of Heart rate monitoring in acti ial matchplay V02max). was done on eight players final]ly selected to The average heart rate over the whole match represent India in 1994 Asian Games, with the was 146.5(9.25) beats min-' , that is, 78.7% of help of a Sport Tester (PE-3000)i(Polarelectro the maximum heart rate (table 3). Oy, Finland). Data stored in the nnemory of the The mean recovery heart rate and 02 Sport Tester were downloaded tio a computer consumption during the 5 min interval are and analysis was done using suittable software presented in table 4. The mean minimum (Polar, Finland). heart rate attained in the fifth minute of recov- Blood samples were drawn frs)m the finger ery was 109.7(10.9) beats min-'. tip using an automatic pricker. BBlood samples The number of raids and the duration of were collected between two and four minutes each raid are presented in table 5. The mean after the end of the match into a heparinised maximum lactate accumulated after the match tube containing fluoride and nLitrite as pre- was 6.13(2.53) mmol litre'1 (table 5) and servative. The samples were analysed in a ranged from 2.8 to 11.8 mmol litre-'. A standardised automatic lactaite analyser comparison of maximum lactate of kabaddi (Analox Instruments) within 30 imin after col- players with other disciplines is presented in lection. the figure. http://bjsm.bmj.com/ Results Discussion Morphometric and physiological characteris- In our earlier investigation on the 1990 Asian tics are presented in table 1. The mean height Games gold medalist kabaddi team we re- and body weight were found to be 175 cm and ported that kabaddi players have an 74.9 kg respectively. Kabaddi players had a endomorphic-mesomorphic physique.! The somatotype of 2.68-4.71-1.83.