Affiliations: [a] School of Sports Sciences and Technology, Hacettepe
University, Ankara, Turkey
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Nazan Sukran Kosar, Hacettepe
University School of Sports Sciences and Technology, 06800 Beytepe, Ankara,
Turkey. Tel.: +90 312 297 68 90/118; Fax: +90 312 299 21 67; E-mail: nazank@hacettepe.edu.tr
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine gender differences in
maximal anaerobic power by using both ratio scaling and allometric scaling. 27
males and 26 females voluntarily participated in this study. Wingate test was
used to determine both peak power and mean power. Body weight, lean body mass
and thigh muscle cross sectional area were determined anthropometrically. Males
had significantly greater peak power and mean power in absolute terms,
ratio-scaled and allometrically scaled to body weight, lean body mass and thigh
muscle cross sectional area (p< 0.01) compared to females.
The relationships between ratio-scaled anaerobic power indices and relevant
body size descriptors were significantly different from zero
(p< 0.05). Ratio scaling of anaerobic power indices did not
create a dimensionless index as the relationships between ratio-scaled
anaerobic power indices and relevant body size descriptors are different from
zero. On the other hand, relationships between allometrically scaled anaerobic
power indices and relevant body size descriptors approached to zero indicating
more dimensionless index compared to ratio scaling. Therefore, allometric
analysis should be considered as a method to account for the influence of body
size in intergroup and gender comparisons of anaerobic power. Furthermore, we
have found significant gender differences in allometrically normalized
anaerobic power indicating that other factors in addition to body dimensions
accounts for the gender differences in anaerobic power. This result suggests
that no method is perfect in accounting for gender differences in anaerobic
power and thus physical performance studies of males and females should be
conducted seperately.
Keywords: Peak power, mean power, ratio scaling, allometric scaling, Wingate test
