The Influence of Ratio and Allometric Scaling Procedures for Normalizing Upper Body Power Output in Division I Collegiate Football Players

• Published in: Journal of strength and conditioning research 2010-09, Vol.24 (9), p.2269-2273
• Main Authors: Thompson, Brennan J, Smith, Doug B, Jacobson, Bert H, Fiddler, Ryan E, Warren, Aric J, Long, Blaine C, OʼBrien, Matthew S, Everett, K Lee, Glass, Rob G, Ryan, Eric D
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Athletes; Body Height - physiology; Body Mass Index; Football; Football - physiology; Humans; Male; Muscle Strength - physiology; Neuromuscular diseases; Physical Endurance - physiology; Resistance Training - methods; Rugby; Sports training; Studies; Variables; Weightlifting; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1064-8011; 1533-4287
• DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181e4f5bc

Thompson, BJ, Smith, DB, Jacobson, BH, Fiddler, RE, Warren, AJ, Long, BC, OʼBrien, MS, Everett, KL, Glass, RG, and Ryan, ED. The influence of ratio and allometric scaling procedures for normalizing uppper body power output in division I collegiate football players. J Strength Cond Res 24(9)2269-2273, 2010-The purpose of the present study was to examine the differences in upper body power output among lineman and nonlineman division I collegiate football players and to examine the influence of 2 normalization procedures(a) simple ratio scaling and (b) standardized allometric scaling. Ten lineman (mean ± SDage = 19.3 ± 1.6 years; height = 187.7 ± 4.7 cm; mass = 127.7 ± 13.3 kg) and 14 nonlineman (19.6 ± 1.4 years; 181.8 ± 5.2 cm; 92.3 ± 10.6 kg) performed a multiple repetition bench press power test at 50% of their 1 repetition maximum. Peak power (PP) was determined from a Tendo weightlifting analyzer that was attached to the barbell. The PP values were then analyzed under 3 conditions that included(a) no scaling (absolute values), (b) ratio scaling (PP body mass), and (c) allometric scaling (PP body mass). The results indicated that the larger lineman demonstrated greater absolute PP values (p = 0.02); however, ratio scaling favored the smaller nonlineman group (p = 0.04). There were no differences in PP values between positions after the standardized allometric scaling procedure (p = 0.60). These findings indicated that the standardized allometric scaling procedure may be a more effective method for normalizing PP values among elite division I collegiate football players.