CAN THE AIR FORCE PHYSICAL FITNESS ASSESSMENT PREDICT AEROBIC AND ANAEROBIC CAPACITY?

Authors

CS Mackey
TWD Muddle
JM DeFreitas

Abstract

Cameron S. Mackey¹, Tyler W.D. Muddle¹, & Jason M. DeFreitas¹

¹ Applied Neuromuscular Physiology Laboratory, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK

PURPOSE: To determine if the components of the Air Force physical fitness assessment (PFA) can predict laboratory/clinical based performance capabilities. METHODS: 30 male Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) cadets (mean ± SD age = 20.3 ± 2.1 yr) participated in this investigation. Each performed an incremental treadmill test to exhaustion to determine peak oxygen uptake (VO_2peak; ml/kg/min) and a 30-sec. Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAnT). A commercially-designed bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy (BIS) device was utilized to determine body fat percentage (BF%). The 1.5 mile run times, 1-minute pushups, 1-minute sit-ups, and waist circumference were collected during participants’ ROTC PFA. Relationships among the dependent variables were analyzed with Pearson correlation coefficients. Stepwise, multiple regression was used to determine the relative contributions of the PFA components to the VO_2peak and WAnT measurements. RESULTS: The means ± SDs for each variable, as well as the results of the correlations are shown in Table 1. The multiple regression analysis indicated that 1.5 mile run time and waist circumference contributed significantly to the prediction of VO_2peak (p = 0.002 and p = 0.036, respectively). The 1.5 mile run time contributed significantly to the prediction of the WAnT anaerobic capacity (p = 0.005), and waist measurement contributed significantly to the prediction of BF% (p = 0.022). CONCLUSION: There were significant relationships among run time, VO_2peak, WAnT fatigue index and anaerobic capacity. In addition, the PFA composite score had a significant relationship to WAnT anaerobic capacity, and the waist circumference was significantly related to BF%. However, these data suggest that while the pushup and sit-up components of the PFA may not be able to predict aerobic and anaerobic capacities, the 1.5 mile run time and waist circumference showed significant contributions to VO_2peak, WAnT anaerobic capacity, and BF%.

Recommended Citation

Mackey, CS; Muddle, TWD; and DeFreitas, JM (2018) "CAN THE AIR FORCE PHYSICAL FITNESS ASSESSMENT PREDICT AEROBIC AND ANAEROBIC CAPACITY?," International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings: Vol. 11: Iss. 6, Article 47.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol11/iss6/47