Limits of Effective Human Power

J. S. HALDANE and Yandell Henderson1 have shown that heavy workers can maintain 0.13 effective horse-power on various tasks throughout an ordinary working day, and it has been pointed out 2 float this figure corresponds to the output when walking uphill at the moderately fast rate of 1,500 ft./hr., if gross weight, that is, with clothes and rucksack, is taken at 180 lb. The present purpose is to assemble corresponding figures for record power, according to the duration of the work. In general, they will be based on racing speeds uphill, for they afford an easy means of measurement of power. So does a cycle ergometer, but the recorded measurements scarcely apply, as they do not seem to have been made on specially selected athletes, though some suitable ones by rowing ergometer are available.