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.