Maximal Strength and Agility Testing

Low-Speed Strength Test

• Tests like the 1RM back squat measure maximal strength at lower speeds
• Ideal for assessing well-trained athletes like rowers, powerlifters, and football players needing maximal force production

Other Tests

• BESS (Balance Error Scoring System): Tests balance and stability, commonly used for concussion rehabilitation
• Hexagon Test: Assesses agility and quickness, commonly used in sports like basketball and soccer
• Wingate Test: Assesses anaerobic power, performed on a cycle ergometer, analyzing an athlete's ability to perform high-intensity, short-duration efforts
• Margaria-Kalamen Test: Measures explosive power through a stair climb, typically used to assess lower-body power

Testing Order and Conditions

• Order of Tests:
  • Non-fatiguing
  • Agility
  • Max strength/power
  • Sprint/speed
  • Local muscular endurance
  • Fatiguing anaerobic
  • Aerobic capacity test
• Environmental Conditions: Monitor temperature and humidity in hot conditions. Ensure athletes stay hydrated and adjust to the conditions before testing.

Sprint Speed

• Important for explosiveness and acceleration (football)

Movement Techniques and Errors

• Jogging and Running Form:

  • Maintain a neutral torso (avoid leaning too far forward or backward)
  • Ensure feet face forward
  • Minimize vertical oscillation
  • Eccentric knee flexion absorbs shock, reduces impact forces

• Backpedaling Form:

  • Lean slightly forward at the trunk
  • Keep eyes focused on straight ahead, not the ground
  • Shift weight to the balls of the feet to maintain stability and quick foot turnover

Training Program Design

• Periodization Phases:
  • Strength/Power Phase: Focuses on high-intensity, low-volume exercises like the push jerk and depth jumps for explosive power development.
  • Preparatory Period: Builds general conditioning with moderate-intensity exercises to prepare the body for more intense training later.

Load and Repetition Goals

• Hypertrophy: Train at 67-85% of 1RM for 8-12 reps to maximize muscle size.
• Strength Training: Train at 85% or more of 1RM with lower repetitions (3-6 reps) to boost maximal strength.
• Power Training: Target explosive movements (e.g., power clean) with 75-90% of 1RM and 1-5 repetitions for maximum power output.

Exercise Arrangement

• Use compound sets (e.g., bench press followed by back row), or supersets (e.g., squat paired with deadlift), effectively targeting opposite muscle groups and optimizing training time

Safety and Environmental Considerations

• Testing in Heat: Measure humidity and temperature, allow athletes to acclimate (7-10 days), provide adequate hydration, and include warm-ups to prevent dehydration and injury.

Rest Intervals

• Plyometric exercises (e.g., depth jumps): Short rest intervals (5-10 seconds between reps, 2-3 minutes between sets) for high power output
• Multi-joint exercises (e.g., squats, deadlifts): Longer rests (2-5 minutes) allow for neuromuscular recovery

Surface and Equipment Safety

• Safe surfaces (grass, rubber mats) for plyometric exercises reduce joint stress
• Adjust jump height (24-36 inches) based on athlete experience and weight.

Increasing Exercise Intensity

• Adjust exercises like barrier hops by raising the barrier height or increasing the jump distance to increase intensity

Stretch-Shortening Cycle (SSC) and SEC (Series Elastic Component)

• The SSC integrates eccentric (stretch) followed by concentric (shortening) phases enhancing force production

Core Stability and Instability Training

• Instability exercises benefit trained athletes for improved core strength, balance, and injured athletes recovering to enhance joint stability.

SAID Principle and Specificity

• Training adaptations are specific to the sport's movements and intensity.

Measurements, Testing Reliability, and Statistical Analysis

• Median is a better measure for interpreting scores with outliers, less affected by extreme values compared to the mean
• Ensure test reliability with standardized protocols, clear procedures, proper warm-ups, and cool-downs.

Stretching Techniques

• Static stretching effectively reduces muscle spindle activity for post-exercise muscle relaxation.

Non-Traditional and Functional Training Exercises

• Exercises like kettlebell swings, tire flips, and chains add variety and improve functional strength, are more sport-specific.
• Complement core lifts to provide sport-specific movement training to boost real-world strength application.

Exercise & Strength Testing

• Low-Speed Strength: Bench press, squat, deadlift

• Power Exercises: Power clean, hang clean, power jerk, split jerk

• Anaerobic Tests: Wingate Test (30 seconds)

• Power Test (Explosive Power): Margaria-Kalamen stair test

• Testing Order (Minimizing Fatigue): Non-fatiguing, agility, max strength/power, sprint/speed, fatiguing anaerobic, aerobic capacity.

Strength & Power Training

• Rep Ranges by Percentage for exercises

Recovery Between Sets

• Strength & Power: 2-5 min rest
• Hypertrophy: 1-1.5 min rest
• Endurance: 30 sec rest

Speed Improvement

• Speed training may be needed for athletes with slow 40-yard dash times.

Validity & Reliability

• Validity: Measures accuracy
• Reliability: Measures consistency

Plyometric Progressions

• Progressions include Jump in Place, Standing Jumps, Multiple hops & jumps, Bounding, Box Jumps, and Depth Jumps.

Key Technique Points

• Eccentric action dampens impact during landings, concentric action propels
• Backpedaling technique involves turning head first for control

Superset vs Compound Set

• Superset: Opposing muscle groups (e.g., bench press and back row)
• Compound Set: Same muscle group (e.g., bench press and pec fly).

Calculating Volume Load

• Formula: Volume load = sets × reps × weight

Optimal Surfaces for Plyometric Training

• Use suitable training surfaces for optimal performance and safety.

Initial Phases of Snatch & Clean

• Training with deadlifts for the initial phase, and shrugs for transition.
• Split Squat Technique: Maintain a straight back, long steps, control the descent of the rear knee.

Power clean and power snatch

• First pull deadlift
• Transition shoulder shrug/scoop and calf raise
• Second pull up right row
• Catch rotate elbows under bar

Explore various tests used to assess athletic performance, including the 1RM back squat for maximal strength and the BESS for balance. This quiz will cover testing order, specific assessments for different sports, and conditions necessary for accurate measurement. Ideal for fitness professionals and sports enthusiasts.