Gender- and height-related limits of muscle strength in world weightlifting champions

To assess factors that limit human muscle strength and growth, we examined the relationship between performance and body dimensions in the world weigh tlifting champions of 1993-1997. Weight lifted varied almost exactly with h eight squared (Ht(2.16)), suggesting that muscle mass scaled almost exactly with height cubed (Ht(3.16)) and that muscle cross-sectional area was clos ely correlated with body height, possibly because height and the numbers of muscle fibers in cross section are determined by a common factor during ma turation. Further height limitations of muscle strength were shown by only one male champion greater than or equal to 183 cm and no female champions g reater than or equal to 175 cm. The ratio of weight lifted to mean body cro ss-sectional area was approximately constant for body-weight classes less t han or equal to 83 kg for men and less than or equal to 64 kg for women and decreased abruptly for higher weight classes. These findings suggest a nea rly constant fraction of body mass devoted to muscle in lighter lifters and a lesser fraction in heavier lifters. Analysis also suggests that contract ile tissue comprises similar to 30% less body mass in female champions.