CORRELATION BETWEEN BODY COMPOSITION, PHYSICAL FITNESS, AND V2 KINEMATICS IN ELITE BIATHLETES

Abstract

Aim. This paper aims to identify the correlation between body composition, physical fitness, and cross-country skiing kinematics in elite biathletes. Materials and methods. This study involved 61 biathletes across the 2018/19 to 2024/25 seasons, with physical fitness assessed on 34 parameters at the end of the preparatory period. Using video recording under competitive conditions during the same seasons, 26 parameters of the one-step skating technique (V2) were determined, adjusted for sliding conditions. Results. Biathletes with greater body mass, higher muscle percentage, and better strength fitness had shorter glide length, longer push-off, and greater leg joint amplitude. Greater aerobic capacity was associated with higher step frequency, shorter glide length, a lower center of mass, and smaller push-off characteristics, but a considerable difference was observed between the correlation structures of parameters measured during running and on a ski ergometer. Conclusion. V2 kinematic characteristics in biathletes are associated with physical fitness. This allows us to hypothesize that running kinematics, on which race speed directly depends, can be influenced not only by technical training but also by targeted physical training. Achieving this goal requires the development of a motor training and retraining methodology using means that affect the neuromuscular characteristics of athletes.