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.