The purpose of this study was to determine the degree of specificity among selected anaerobic power tests in college female athletes (N = 64). Anaerobic power was measured using the Margaria-Kalamen test, vertical jump, Lewis power jump, standing long jump, 40-yd dash, seated shot put, and bench press power. Body composition was determined via skinfolds and a population-specific equation. The magnitude of the intercorrelations among the power tests ranged from 0.05 to 0.80. Upper body power was only moderately correlated with measures of lower body power. The magnitude of the correlations between body composition and power variables ranged from r = 0.02 to 0.90. Removing the effect of differences in body composition increased the amount of explained variance in 12 of 21 intercorrelations by an average of 14.5% and decreased it by an average of 13.7% in the other 9. These results were similar to those previously noted in male athletes, confirming the conclusion that power tests are specific rather than general and should not be interchanged when evaluating female athletes.
(C) 1994 National Strength and Conditioning Association