Table tennis has recently evolved towards a more spectacular sport increasing match-play demands and the intensity and speed of actions by regulations and equipment modification. Since these changes can alter the body composition and performance, this study aimed to analyze the differences in anthropometric attributes of 495 table tennis players (288 men, 207 women) according to sex, age, and ranking. Players were classified according to sex, age categories (Senior, Under-18, Under-15, Under 13, and Under 11), and ranking position. Anthropometry measurements included eight skinfolds’ thicknesses (biceps brachii, triceps, subscapular, iliac crest, supraspinal, abdominal, thigh, and medial calf), four girths (biceps brachii relaxed and contracted, thigh, and calf), and three breadths (biepicondylar femur, biepicondylar humerus, and bistiloyd wrist) to determine fat mass, lean mass, bone, cross sectional area (CSA) for arm, leg, and thigh, and somatotype. Results revealed that table tennis players presented differences in body mass composition, anthropometry, and somatotype according to sex and age category and ranking. It seems confirmed that regular table tennis practice during the childhood is associated with a healthy body composition status, that appears to be maintained across older ages if keeping the practice. Senior table tennis players showed a fat mass <20% and lean mass ~45% in men and ~37% in women. A new contribution is that higher lean mass in the upper limbs was associated with higher ranking position (i.e., better performance), endomorphic somatotypes were negative related to performance, and ectomorphic profiles seems more effective, which suggest the potential influence of morphologic changes in table tennis competition performance.

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乒乓球运动员的人体测量学概况：性别，年龄和排名分析

乒乓球近来已发展成为一种更加壮观的运动，它增加了比赛要求，并通过法规和设备修改来提高动作强度和速度。由于这些变化会改变身体的成分和性能，因此本研究旨在分析495名乒乓球运动员（288名男性，207名女性）的人体测量学属性根据性别，年龄和排名的差异。根据性别，年龄类别（高级，18岁以下，15岁以下，13岁以下和11岁以下）和排名位置对玩家进行分类。人体测量学测量包括八个皮褶的厚度（肱二头肌，肱三头肌，肩cap下，，上棘，腹部，大腿和内侧小腿），四个周长（肱二头肌松弛和收缩，大腿和小腿）和三个宽度（双足on股骨双肱骨肱骨 和双腕手腕）来确定手臂，腿和大腿的脂肪量，瘦体重，骨骼，横截面积（CSA）和体型。结果显示，乒乓球运动员根据性别，年龄类别和排名显示出体重组成，人体测量学和体型的差异。似乎可以肯定的是，儿童时期的常规乒乓球练习与健康的身体成分状态相关联，如果坚持这种做法，则在老年人中似乎可以保持这种状态。资深乒乓球运动员的脂肪含量小于20％，男性的瘦体重约为45％，女性的瘦体重约为37％。一个新的贡献是，上肢的较高的瘦体重与较高的排名位置相关（即，更好的表现），内形态的体型与表现负相关，而外形态似乎更有效，