Physique, body composition and grip strength of Chinese baseball players

This study was designed to clarify the characteristics of height, body weight, body composition and grip strength in Chinese baseball players, and also to examine whether the differences in physical profiles existed by position as the basic data in the country developing a baseball. The subjects were 35 baseball players (19.8±2.3 years) consisting of the champion and the upper distinguished teams in the highest level of baseball tournament in China. The survey was carried out in July and August of 1996 in Tianjin City, China. The mean values of height, body weight and lean body weight (LBW) of Chinese baseball players were 179.7±4.7cm, 77.3±8.6kg and 67.0±6.5kg. Those values were significantly taller and heavier than the average of 20-year-old male persons which lived in Beijing City, China; that is 6.9cm, 18.7kg and 16.1kg, respectively (P<0.01). Chinese pitchers were taller and heavier than Chinese players of other positions. The mean values of height and LBW of Chinese pitchers, infielders and outfielders were significantly smaller (P<0.01) and lighter (P<0.05) than those of professional players in the United States, respectively. Although no significant differences were observed in the mean height and LBW between Chinese pitchers and those of collegiate pitchers in the United States, the mean value of LBW of Chinese pitchers were significantly heavier than those of Japanese collegiate and professional pitchers (P<0.05, respectively). These results are as follows: 1. Baseball players in China are selected based on body muscle mass. 2. Pitchers are selected especially than the players of other positions. 3. As for body muscle mass, there is no difference of body muscle mass between China of developing country and Japan and the states of most developed countries.

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