A PRELIMINARY MODEL USING BODY COMPOSITION AND ANTHROPOMETRY TO PREDICT PEAK POWER PRODUCTION IN TRAINED COLLEGE-AGED INDIVIDUALS

Maximal power production is one of many factors that affects athletic performance. The Wingate is a reliable measure of power production; however, factors such as injury and testing availability may prevent coaches from utilizing this asset. The purpose of this study was to determine a mathematical model that predicts maximal power production from anthropometry and body composition. After an initial familiarization period, 16 subjects arrived fasted to the laboratory and were given a DXA scan to determine the lean muscle mass of their right leg. Measurements were also obtained of the length of their right femur, tibia, and foot. Participants then performed a Wingate test and the values were recorded. A model was constructed to combine the anthropometry and body composition into a single value. The proportion of femur length as a total of leg length was multiplied by the measured lean muscle mass of the same leg. A One-Sample T-Test demonstrated a statistically significant difference compared to the null hypothesis (P<.05). A correlation coefficient was also calculated (r=.954), as well as a linear regression (y = 0.287x – 201.965). The results suggest a strong correlation between functional lever length (an anatomical lever through which force is transferred), body composition, and maximal power production. These findings are especially important to determine the specificity of exercise in conjunction to percentage-based exercise intensities of individuals who may not be capable of performing a maximal effort test due to injury, medication, or cardiovascular factors that make it hazardous.