Maximal aerobic power in women cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy

A sample of 17 women cadets of the U.S. Air Force Academy's Class of 1980 was assessed to determine their maximal oxygen consumption and percent body fat. The sample was selected using the ponderal index to insure a stratified sample of body types. The Short Balke protocol was used to determine Vo2 max, and the Siri and the Keys and Brozek equations were used to find percent body fat. The Katch and McArdle equation was employed to determine body density. The average Vo2 max for the women cadets was 46.1 ml/kg/min (S.D. = 4.0). Correcting for altitude, this value compares quite favorably with other reported values. The 24.8% mean body fat places these subjects well within the normal range for college age females. The female cadets of the Class of 1980 appear to be above their contemporaries in civilian life in circulo-respiratory fitness.