The role of anaerobic power in human tolerance to simulated aerial combat maneuvers.
The relationships of anaerobic power, blood lactate levels, and selected anthropometric measurements to +Gz tolerance were examined in 10 adult males. Upper and lower body anaerobic indices were determined by Wingate anaerobic tests (WT). Acceleration tolerance was measured as duration time for a simulated aerial combat maneuver (SACM) centrifuge profile with alternating 4.5 and 7 +Gz 15-s plateaus until exhaustion. Group mean (+/- SD) for SACM duration was 250 +/- 97 s. Peak blood lactate concentration was 4.9 +/- 1.5 mmol/L and overall rating of perceived exertion was 7.4 +/- 2.1 using the Borg Category-Ratio Scale. Group mean for WT lower body 30-s mean power (MP, index of anaerobic performance) was 620 +/- 128 W; peak power (PP, highest 5-s power output) was 851 +/- 169 W. Upper body MP and PP were 380 +/- 68 W and 497 +/- 81 W, respectively. SACM duration time was positively correlated (p < 0.05) with lower body MP and PP, upper body PP, various body circumferences, weight, fat-free body weight, and height; but did not correlate with WT power outputs relative to body weight, or with other SACM variables. Results suggest that anaerobic power is an important physiologic component in SACM tolerance.
Crew Technology Division, Crew Systems Directorate USAF Armstrong Laboratory, Brooks Air Force Base, TX, USA.
J F
JF
Wiegman
R R
RR
Burton
E M
EM
Forster
D000054:Acceleration / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000328:Adult; D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D015308:Anaerobic Threshold / Q000502:physiology*; D000886:Anthropometry; D002498:Centrifugation; D017079:Exercise Tolerance / Q000502:physiology*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D018471:Hypergravity / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D007773:Lactates / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors; D014857:Warfare
D007773:Lactates