Making comparisons between athletes of different sizes and shapes can be tricky. Bigger athletes are normally stronger and have a greater maximal capacity to utilize oxygen. However, they also have more weight to move, and that can influence their ability to move quickly. Relative measures of power, which takes body weight into consideration, can give you a clearer picture of a person's athleticism.
Relative Vo2
Vo2 max is the maximal amount of oxygen a person can breathe in and utilize during exercise. Larger individuals generally have larger lungs, which results in a higher absolute Vo2 max value. Taking your Vo2 max and dividing it by your body weight results in a relative value. Relative Vo2 max gives a clearer picture on how efficient your body is at utilizing oxygen when body weight is controlled. Consider two athletes of different sizes who have the same absolute maximal capacity to utilize oxygen. The smaller athlete will have a higher relative value, which is indicative of a greater efficiency in utilizing oxygen.
Relative Strength
Comparing strength values between athletes for the same lifts is another way to quantify which athlete is strongest. Again, bigger athletes are usually able to lift heavier weights than their smaller counterparts. But the efficiency of the muscles may be more important for certain sports.The bench press, deadlift, power clean and squat are all exercises in which relative strength assessment can be used. For these exercises, the maximal amount lifted is divided by the lifter's body weight to come up with a relative value. This value is then compared between athletes.
Body-Weight Exercises
Body-weight exercise poses a different view of relative strength during exercise. Exercises such as pushups and pullups use the lifter's own body weight as resistance. This makes a comparison between the relative strength of two athletes easier than exercises using free weights or other forms of resistance. For these exercises, you don't need to divide the maximum value by body weight because your resistance is the body weight.
Considerations
While measurements of relative power are important in comparing athletes of different sizes, it should not be the only way to assess athletic ability. Motivation between two athletes can help determine who can withstand greater amounts of fatigue and physical duress during exercise. The intelligence of the athlete and his ability to assess and utilize different tactics are also important for assessment. Using strictly relative power measures can be limiting and should be avoided in determining ability.
References
- American Council on Exercise: Absolute and Relative VO2
- Brian Mac: Strength
- "NSCA's Essentials of Personal Training"; Roger Earle and Thomas Baechle; 2003
- "NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training"; April 2007
Member Comments