(67) ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN BODY FAT PERCENTAGE , SKELETAL MUSCLE MASS AND MEASURES OF MUSCULAR POWER, STRENGTH, AND ENDURANCE AMONG FIRST RESPONDERS

Purpose: To determine if significant relationships exist between body composition measures of muscular fitness. Methods: Anthropometric and physical fitness data were collected from 36 male first responders (n= 27 police officers, n= 10 firefighters) (age = 35 ± 8 yrs.; body mass = 96.9 ± 16.4 kg; BF%: 25.2 ± 8.1) during a single testing session. In addition to height, which was measured using a stadiometer, anthropometric data, including total body mass, estimated skeletal muscle mass (sKM), and body fat percentage (BF%), were collected using bioelectrical impedance (InBody 270). Muscular fitness tests included the standing long jump (SLJ), grip strength (GS), isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP), 60 sec sit-up (SU), and 60-sec push-ups (PU). A Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to examine relationships between anthropometric variables and muscular fitness. Results: Significant negative correlations were observed between estimated BF% and SLJ (r =-.52; p ≤ .05), and PU (r =-.51; p ≤ .05) performance. sKM was not correlated to any measured variables related to muscular fitness. Conclusionss: These data demonstrate that higher BF% is associated with lower muscular fitness variables, suggesting that excess BF% may negatively impact performance in muscular power and endurance measures. Practical Applications: First responders should focus on training strategies that emphasize attaining and maintaining a healthy BF% (males 10-20%; females 16-26). This approach may enhance key performance indicators critical to operational performance. Acknowledgements: This research was supported by a grant from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Foundation. The opinions expressed in this work are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSCA Foundation.