ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the historical background to scaling. The most commonly used scaling technique is termed a ratio standard in which a performance or physiological variable is simply divided by an anthropometric characteristic such as body mass. The chapter begins with knowledge and understanding of how performance and physiological measures can be adjusted for differences either in the size of the body as a whole or of its exercising segments. Growth and development in humans and other living things is accompanied by differential changes in the size and configuration of the body's segments. These changes are said to be allometric, a word derived from the Greek allios which means to change and metry to measureIt outlines imperfections of ratio standards. The chapter explains principles that underlie allometric modeling. It evaluates techniques for use in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. The chapter outlines implications of non-isometric growth.
