THE RELATION BETWEEN ISOMETRIC LIFTING STRENGTH AND MUSCULAR FITNESS MEASURES

The purpose of this study was to construct an isometric lift dynamomet er and relate isometric lifting strength to dynamic measures of muscul ar fitness, leg and back strength and muscular power output. Thirty-on e male subjects, aged 19-24 years, performed a standing broad jump (fo r distance), a vertical jump (for flight time), 3 maximal pulls (for p eak power) on a rowing ergometer and maximal isometric leg and back ex tensions on a conventional dynamometer. The results of these tests wer e correlated with the maximum isometric lifting strength (MILS) obtain ed on the lift dynamometer using cluster correlation and multiple regr ession. Significant correlations (p < 0.001) were found between isomet ric lifting strength and back strength (BS) (r = 0.59), and leg streng th (LS) (r = 0.74). A significant correlation was also noted between i sometric lifting strength and both standing broad jump (SBJ) (r = 0.58 , p < 0.001) and power output (PO) (r = 0.38, (p < 0.05). Multiple reg ression analysis was used to predict lifting performance from a batter y of standard fitness tests. The prediction equation for maximal isome tric lifting strength included the terms LS, BS, SBJ and PO (r = 0.80) . The relation between isometric lifting strength and other muscular f itness variables suggest that the method used provides an acceptable m easure of strength and an indication of the involvement of back and le g musculature in squat lifting.