Maximal exercise performance and lean leg volume in men and women

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the maximal exercise performance during cycle ergometry of 34 men and 47 women. External peak power output (OPP) and optimized pedalling rate (ORPM) were calculated from data gathered during an optimization procedure performed on a friction braked cycle ergometer. In addition, lean leg volume (LLV) and lean upper leg volume (LULV) were determined using an anthropometric technique. Both OPP and ORPM were greater in men than in women (1007 +/- 135 vs 673 +/- 109 W and 119.5 +/- 7.0 vs 104.5 +/- 8.4 rev min-1, respectively; P less than 0.001). The LLV and LULV were also greater in men than in women (7.41 +/- 0.82 vs 5.19 +/- 0.85 l and 4.96 +/- 0.63 vs 3.35 +/- 0.62 l, respectively; P less than 0.001). The ratio standards OPP/LLV and OPP/LULV did not differ significantly between men and women (136.3 +/- 14.7 vs 131.0 +/- 20.6 W l-1 and 204.4 +/- 27.1 vs 204.4 +/- 37.0 W l-1, respectively; P greater than 0.05). Peak power output was related to each of the anthropometric indices in both men and women (LLV:r = 0.614 and 0.527, P less than 0.001; LULV:r = 0.489 and 0.396, P less than 0.01). Analysis of covariance revealed no significant differences between the groups in the variance about regression and the regression coefficients (P greater than 0.05), but the elevation of the regression lines did differ (P less than 0.001). The results suggest that there are differences between maximal exercise performance in men and women that are independent of estimated lean leg volume. They also demonstrate that, in this case, consideration of ratio standards is misleading and that a comparison of regression standards is more appropriate.

Modelling the influence of fat-free mass and physical activity on the decline in maximal oxygen uptake with age in older humans

“…Both the loss of muscle mass and oxidative potential appear to be important determinants of aerobic power in this older age range. Other investigations using either a linear adjustment model to normalise ýOµ,max for lean leg volumes (Winter et al 1991) and FFM (Toth et al 1993), or a log-linear adjustment model that incorporated leg strength (Neder et al 1999), have demonstrated a similar elimination of differences between the sexes. The importance of the functional capacity of the muscle was demonstrated in this latter study since leg strength, but not lean muscle mass, abolished sex differences in the agerelated decline in ýOµ,max.…”

“…The reduction of aerobic power with advancing age might be either a consequence of the loss of cardiovascular function (Hossack & Bruce, 1982;Hagberg et al 1985;Lakatta, 1993;Petrella et al 1994) or the loss of muscle mass (Fleg & Lakatta, 1988;Winter et al 1991;Toth et al 1993;Jackson et al 1995;Johnson et al 2000). In order to study this question we extended our previous analyses of the data based on 146 women and 152 men, between 55 and 86 years of age.…”

Relationship between the curvature constant parameter of the power-duration curve and muscle cross-sectional area of the thigh for cycle ergometry in humans

“…For example, a high correlation has been consistently found between isometric muscle strength and muscle cross-sectional area (CSA; Ikai and Fukunaga 1968;Maughan et al 1983;Maughan and Nimmo 1984;Davies 1985). Winter et al (1991) observed a high correlation between the peak power of maximal exercise and lean leg volume for cycle ergometry in humans. Recently it has been reported that accumulated peak O 2 -deficit may be influenced by the muscle volume (Sloniger et al 1997).…”

Sex difference in plasma ammonia but not in muscle inosine monophosphate accumulation following sprint exercise in humans

“…Winter et al 1991;EsbjoÈ rnsson et al 1993). Furthermore, the accumulation of blood and muscle lactate and of plasma ammonia has been shown to be lower in females following sprint exercise (Jacobs et al 1983;Itoh and Ohkowa 1993;Gratas-Delamarche et al 1994 ;Nevill et al 1996).…”