Relationship between body mass index and selected physical fitness variables of Bnu men’s Pencak Silat team

This study investigated the relationship between Body Mass Index (BMI) and selected physical fitness variables—specifically flexibility and handgrip strength—among Pencak Silat athletes from BNU. The purpose was to assess whether BMI, commonly used as an indicator of body composition, is associated with physical performance indicators relevant to martial arts. A total of 15 athletes participated in the study. Descriptive statistics showed that the athletes had a mean BMI of 28.26 (SD = 3.66), suggesting that most fell within the overweight to obese range according to standard BMI classifications. Flexibility scores averaged 29.47 (SD = 4.12), while right and left handgrip strengths had mean values of 48.93 kg (SD = 7.53) and 52.73 kg (SD = 8.17), respectively. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a strong, statistically significant positive correlation between BMI and both right handgrip strength (r = 0.728, p = 0.002) and left handgrip strength (r = 0.696, p = 0.004). A moderate, positive but not statistically significant correlation was observed between BMI and flexibility (r = 0.506, p = 0.054). These findings suggest that higher BMI values may be linked to increased muscular strength among trained athletes, likely due to greater lean body mass rather than fat accumulation. The lack of a significant relationship between BMI and flexibility indicates that body mass may not be a limiting factor in range of motion for these athletes. The study concludes that BMI alone may not be an adequate measure of physical fitness in combat sport athletes. Comprehensive fitness evaluations that include strength, flexibility, and body composition assessments are essential for accurately monitoring athlete performance. Future research should involve larger sample sizes and additional fitness variables to better understand the physical demands of Pencak Silat.