Allometric Scaling of Wingate Anaerobic Power Test Scores in Women

Abstract

In this study, we developed allometric exponents for scaling Wingate anaerobic test (WAnT) power data that are effective in controlling for body mass (BM) and lean body mass (LBM) and established a normative WAnT data set for college-age women. One hundred women completed a standard WAnT. Allometric exponents and percentile ranks for peak (PP) and mean power (MP) were established. Allometric exponents were applied to WAnT scores for an independent sample (n = 31) to assess external validity. PP and MP were 477.0 W (SD = 80.0) and 372.6 W (SD = 61.5), respectively. Allometric exponents for PP and MP scaled for BM were b = 0.92 and b = 0.76, respectively, and for LBM they were b = 0.93 and b = 0.91, respectively. In the independent sample, these exponents produced correlations between allometrically scaled PP and MP and BM of r =-.02 and r = .02, respectively. Correlations between allometrically scaled PP and MP and LBM were r = .004 and r = -.02, respectively. The allometric exponents were effective in partialing out the effect of BM for PP and MP and demonstrated acceptable levels of external validity when applied to an independent sample. The allometric exponents and normative values provide a useful tool for comparing WAnT scores in college-age women without the confounding effects of BM or LBM.

Key words:

• Cycle ergometry
• Exercise
• Ratio scaling
• WAnT normative data

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ronald K. Hetzler

Please address correspondence concerning this article to Ronald K. Hetzler, 1337 Lower Campus Rd., Honolulu, HI, 96822.