Anaerobic performance of arms and legs in male and female free style wrestlers

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to compare arm and leg anaerobic peak and mean power after normalisation for body mass (W/kg) and fat-free mass (W/kg FFM) of 12 female and 10 male wrestlers, members of the Polish Olympic team. Power outputs were assessed by 30 seconds leg cycling and 30 seconds arm cranking. It was determined that males had higher peak power (11.4 W/kg and 13.2 W/kg FFM for legs, 9.6 W/kg and 11.2 W/kg FFM for arms) as well as mean power (8.7 W/kg and 9.6 W/kg FFM for legs, 6.9 W/kg and 7.9 W/kg FFM for arms) than females (peak power 8.6 W/kg and 11.3 W/kg FFM for legs, and 5.9 W/kg, 7.8 W/kg FFM for arms, mean power 6.8 W/kg, 9.0 W/kg FFM for legs and 5.9 W/kg, 7.8 W/kg FFM for arms). Post-exercise maximal blood lactate concentration after 30 seconds leg cycling and 30 seconds arm cranking was also higher in male wrestlers (11.9 and 11.8 mmol/l, respectively) than in female wrestlers (10.4 and 9.1 mmol/l, respectively). However the ratios of lactate concentration to mean power expressed in W/kg FFM for males and females in leg cycling (1.18 and 1.17, respectively) and in arm cranking (1.48 and 1.50, respectively) were similar. These findings suggest that the amount of energy derived from glycolysis is not sex-dependent. Additionally it seems that the higher ratios for arms when compared to legs reflect closer relation of arm muscle energy metabolism to carbohydrate utilisation.