Muscular differences between female power and endurance athletes

The purpose of this study was to compare the torque generating capabilities and fatigue responses of female power athletes, female endurance athletes, and age-matched female non-athletic controls. There were six participants in each group. Participants completed isokinetic leg extensions at five different testing speeds and one 60 second isometric fatigue test at 90 degrees of knee flexion. sEMG measurements were collected from the m.vastus medialis. Peak torque, median frequency, and E/T were obtained for all tests and slopes were determined. PT slope and E/T slope showed a significant group effect in the isometric test. PT had significant group and speed effects in the isokinetic tests. All other variables, except MF slope, showed significant speed effects. Research supported previous findings and established similar fatigue responses for females compared to earlier research on males. Further research in this area may help determine muscular level training effects not directly reflected in athletic performance.