Upper-Body Exercise Performance: Comparison between Women and Men

摘要

This study compared upper-body(arm crank) aerobic fitness for a group of women and men matched for lower-body (cycle) aerobic fitness and also examined the influence selected physiological factors had on upper-body exercise performance. The components of upper-body exercise studied included maximal power output, peak oxygen uptake, elbow isokinetic strength and endurance, arm volume and endurance time at 80% arm crank peak VO2. During maximal effort upper-body exercise, there was no difference in peak VO2 between the genders despite the men's significantly greater strength, arm volume and PO max. Likewise, there was no difference in upper body endurance time at 80% peak VO2 between the genders. These data indicated that women are not at a disadvantage in performing aerobic upper-body exercise, skeletal muscle strength provides a relatively minor influence on both maximal effort and prolonged upper-body exercise; and individuals can perform prolonged upper-body exercise at relative intensities greater than that needed to elicit an aerobic training effect. (Reprints)