Examining muscular activity in the Zeppelin throwing gesture among rugby players in Bogotá

Abstract

Rugby, characterized by evasion and contact, relies on the strategic use of strength and speed to navigate the field, and score a touchdown. In the dynamics of the sport, a critical maneuver involves executing a lateral pass on the fly to a teammate action known as the Zeppelin throw. This study aimed to analyze the muscular behavior exhibited during the Zeppelin throwing gesture among rugby players from Bogotá. For this study, we enlisted 12 athletes affiliated with the rugby league in Bogotá, with an average age of 26.3 ± 5.5 years, a sports practice duration of 44 months, and a training frequency of three times per week. The BTS FREEEMG1000 equipment was used to record the electromyographic signal. In addition, an isometric test and a dynamic test were used for the recording of the electromyographic signal and the analysis of the contraction by MVC and the estimation of fatigue. It was observed that the flexor carpi radialis, triceps, biceps, pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi muscles present an activation percentage greater than or equal to 60% during the Zeppelin throw. On the other hand, the fatigue index during the dynamic test was higher compared to the isometric test with p<0.005 and d-Cohen >0.69 except for the flexor carpi radialis, this muscle being the one that presented the highest fatigue index. The study used Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to analyze muscle behavior in the Zeppelin throw. This provides a clearer understanding of the key variables that influence the execution of this technical gesture, including anthropometric characteristics and muscle activation. In addition, differences in muscle activation and fatigue were observed between different rugby playing positions.