Canonical relations between anthropometric and motor dimensions among 12-year-old students

Abstract

The aim of this empirical research was to examine the correlations between the groups of variables of anthropometric characteristics (16) and motor skills (21) among 154 students (AM = 11,53 SD = 1,12). The method of canonical correlation analysis was used to assess the correlation between the pairs of linear functions of predictor and criterion variables. The obtained canonical coefficients and canonical weights revealed that, with significance level (p ≤ 0,0,5 or p ≤ 0,01), there is a high level of correlation between linear combinations of the examined morphological characteristics and motor skills, where the explained mutual variance was 80% for the first and 33% for the second canonical function. The extracted relevant canonical pairs were interpreted hypothetically as "integrated morphological factor and the factor of static and repetitive strength and coordination", and the second one was interpreted as "morphological factor and the factor of explosive strength". The set of the first canonical morphological factor and the factor of static and repetitive strength, and coordination, is the maximum weight on the variables body mass, body height, forearm circumference, horizontal reverse plank, knee push-ups, and stick mobility, while the biggest contribution to the structure of the second canonical morphological factor and the factor of static and repetitive strength have variables 20m sprint with standing start, standing long jump, hand tapping and foot tapping. The obtained results of the analyzed bicomponent canonical model reveal more defined and predictable structure of the correlation between anthropometric characteristics and motor manifestations, and therefore give guidelines for planning, developing and controlling the training processes during physical education classes.