POWER OUTPUT AS A FUNCTION OF BODY MASS AND LEAN BODY MASS IN COMPETITIVE WEIGHTLIFTERS

INTRODUCTION: correlation between body mass (BM), lean body mass (LBM), and peak power output (PPO) in athletes, although the relative contribution of BM and LBM to PPO remains unclear. PURPOSE: We investigated the relationship between PPO (W) assessed in the mid-thigh power clean, BM (W·kg-1), and LBM (W·kg-1) in competitive weightlifters. Results aim to justify the need to further investigate the relationship between performance in sport and body composition in different strength and power athletes. METHODS: 26 competitive weightlifters (age 25 ± 5.8, height 167.8 ± 3.1, body mass 78.7 ± 16.9 kg) performed 4 sets of 3 repetitions of the mid-thigh power clean at 30%, 40%, 50%, and 60% of their clean 1RM. Loads were prescribed based on current evidence for optimal power output in explosive, resistance training exercises in the attempt to define a peak value for each participant. BM and LBM were assessed using bioelectrical impedance analysis (InBody 570 USA, Cerritos, CA). Participants performed each set while standing on a force platform (AMTI, Watertown, MA) sampling at 1,000 Hz interfaced with a laptop. PPO was normalized as a function of BM (PPO/BM) and LBM (PPO/LBM). Descriptive analyses and correlations were examined. RESULTS: The correlation between LBM and BM was .945. To refrain from violating the assumptions, multicollinearity was examined through the implementation of the Variance Inflation Factor (VIF). As a result, LBM was removed from the model. A simple linear regression was performed to predict PPO from BM. The model's result revealed that BM is a statistically significant predictor of PPO, F(1, 24) = 48.013, p < 0.001, R2 = .667. CONCLUSIONS: BM was revealed to be a strong predictor for performance in competitive weightlifters. Future research should examine whether this finding holds true regardless of the sex of the athlete.