Judo, Soccer and Track-and-field Differential Effects on Some Anthropological Characteristics in Seven-year-old Boys

In this paper we studied the effects of nine months of physical training by comparing seven-year-old boys participating in the 9-month-training in soccer, track-and-field and judo, with non-additionally physically engaged same-aged controls. The experimental programmes consisted of additional 45-minute exercise routines 3 times weekly. The morphological measures, motor-endurance changes and differences were studied. No significant differences were found between the groups at the study’s onset, except in the 20m dash, where the track-and-field group was superior to the control group. All the experimental programmes led to significant improvements in some anthropological characteristics among the participants compared to the control group. In conclusion, it is difficult to rank the experimental programmes in terms of multidimensional implications on some anthropological characteristics. It is much more appropriate to conclude that each programme had a specific influence on the variables of some anthropological characteristics that are highly important in a particular sport.