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Anaerobic Power of the Arms and Legs of Young and Older Men
Author(s) -
Marsh G. D.,
Paterson D. H.,
Govindasamy D.,
Cunningham D. A.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
experimental physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.925
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1469-445X
pISSN - 0958-0670
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-445x.1999.01848.x
Subject(s) - anaerobic exercise , lean body mass , wingate test , muscle mass , older people , medicine , zoology , blood lactate , young adult , physical therapy , body weight , gerontology , biology , blood pressure , heart rate
SUMMARY The purpose of this study was to examine differences in the anaerobic exercise performance of young and older men. Eight healthy, active older (68.5 ± 2.4 years old, mean ± s.d. ) and eight healthy, active young (30.6 ± 4.5 years old) subjects were assessed for peak and mean power output (PP and MP, respectively) of the legs and arms, during 30 s Wingate tests. PP during leg exercise was significantly ( P < 0.05) higher in the young (14.6 ± 1.6 W kg −1 ) compared with the older (10.7 ± 1.0 W kg −1 ) group. MP of the legs was also greater in the young subjects (10.7 ± 0.7 vs. 7.4 ± 0.9 W kg −1 ). These differences in PP and MP remained significant when expressed relative to lean leg volume. PP during arm cranking was significantly greater in the young subjects (8.9 ± 0.7 vs. 7.5 ± 0.6 W kg −1 ) as was MP (6.4 ± 0.7 vs. 5.0 ± 0.7 W kg −1 ). Post‐exercise blood lactate concentration in the older group (7.0 ± 1.6 mmol l −1 ) was less ( P < 0.05) than in the young group (10.6 ± 2.0 mmol l −1 ), for leg work only. The significant loss of anaerobic power in the older group could not be explained by a difference in muscle mass. Power output was also lower in the arms, but to a lesser extent. The results of this study suggest that a reduction in the ability to perform high intensity exercise may be an inevitable consequence of ageing. The extent, however, of this decline varies with different muscle groups.