Chapter 4 – Muscular Strength and Endurance
Assessing Muscular Strength and Endurance
Assessing Muscular Strength
While both muscular strength and endurance training provide health benefits. A person may choose to train specifically in one or the other, or a combination of both to meet specific performance or fitness goals. It is important to remember that training in Muscular Strength and Endurance is muscle specific. You will improve only in the muscle you train and those muscle will adapt to the type of training (muscular strength or muscular endurance) that you utilize for that area of the body.
The One-Repetition Maximum (1 Rep-Max or 1RM) test is often considered the ‘gold standard’ for assessing the strength capacity of individuals. It is simply testing the maximal weight an individual can lift for only one repetition with correct technique. The 1RM test is most commonly used by strength and conditioning coaches to assess strength capacities, strength imbalances, and to evaluate the effectiveness of a training program. One characteristic of the 1RM test is that it can be performed using a variety of exercises to get an understanding of an individuals muscular strength.
Safety First! Before assessing muscular strength and endurance, consider these points:
- Before beginning any sort of physical assessment, make sure you are physically able to perform the tests safely.
- If you feel pain, dizziness or nausea, discontinue the assessment.
- As soon as your form is compromised, stop the test. If you’re having difficulty maintaining the correct execution of the move, consider a modification.
How to perform a 1RM Assessment for Muscular Strength
Before you make the decision to test your 1-rep max, here are a couple of things to consider:
- Safety. If testing your 1RM for a free-weight movement, it’s imperative that you use a good spotter— or at the very least a safety rack for barbell movements. When you fail, there needs to be something or someone to catch the weight to keep you safe from injury.
- Technique. Pick an exercise you can do with good technique. As the weight gets heavier, it’s easy for your form to get sloppier which can lead to injury or inaccurate measures.
- Experience. 1RM testing was not ideal for beginners. Beginners don’t need to max until good technique has been mastered and training has become consistent. There are several formulas that can be used to predict 1 RM based on your number repetitions with a given weight.
To test your 1RM, use the following procedure:
Warm up: Warm up with a weight you can comfortably do 6–10 repetitions with, which will be around 50% of your 1RM. Rest for 1–5 min.
Increase Weight: Increase load to a weight you can do 3 reps, which will be around 80% of your 1RM (use a spotter). Rest 1–5 min until you feel fully recovered.
Do your heaviest lift: Increase the load and drop the repetitions to one. Go for the heaviest weight you can lift with good technique. Keep increasing weight until you reach your limit, resting in between attempts. Once you’ve reached the highest weight you can lift for one rep, that is your new 1RM.
Alternative: Calculate 1RM
For someone who is newer to training, recovering from injury, or just looking for another option to a 1RM lift, a calculation can be done instead to estimate 1RM. It is safer and more common to estimate the 1RM using submaximal loads (lifting lighter weights for more reps) rather than testing 1RM directly.
Here’s a widely-used formula to estimate 1RM:
1RM = (Weight Lifted × Repetitions Performed / 30.48) + Weight Lifted
To calculate your 1RM, use the following procedure:
- Choose a weight:
- choose a weight you can lift for a known number of repetitions (e.g., 5 reps, 8 reps, etc., but usually not more than 10 to maintain accuracy).
- Perform the lift:
- perform the lift and note the maximum number of repetitions you can do with good form.
- Calculate:
- Enter the weight and repetitions into the formula to estimate your 1RM.
For example, if you can squat 100kg for 8 reps:
1RM = (100×8 / 30.48) + 100
1RM ≈ 126.3kg
So, the estimated 1RM for the squat is roughly 126.3kg.
***It’s important to remember that this formula provides an estimate. The actual 1RM might be slightly different.
Assessing Muscular Endurance
While 1RM is a good example of measuring how much a person can lift, muscular endurance assessment looks at how long movements or muscle action can be done. When it comes to measuring progress in the weight room, muscular endurance tests can give you accurate feedback on the effectiveness of your workouts. This enables you to adjust the repetition ranges and resistance loads of the exercises you’re performing.
The best way to use muscular endurance tests is to do a before and after evaluation. For example, perform each test, record the results, and get moving. Four to six weeks later, perform the same tests and compare the new results with the original figures. Tracking your progress is an excellent way to increase motivation and adherence to a fitness program.
The assessments for muscular can be performed on most any sustained activity but three specific tests are outlined below:
Muscles tested: lower back, hamstrings, hips, and quadriceps
Use the following procedure:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Extend your arms in front of you or place your hands behind your ears to ensure stability and good form. Gaze should be ahead, but slightly down to keep the spine neutral.
- Bend your knees and sink your hips down and back, shifting your weight into your heels. Once your knees reach approximately 90 degrees, return to the standing position. (to help with the execution of this movement, place a chair or bench behind you and slightly touch the chair with your butt before standing.)
- Perform as many reps as you can to fatigue and loss of proper form.
- Record the number of reps.
Muscles tested: pecs, deltoids, serratus anterior, triceps, abs
You will need a stopwatch or a timer on your phone, and a ball, like a tennis ball. You may also want an exercise mat. Use the following procedure:
- Get in a plank (high push-up) position with a ball under your chest.
- Practice one pushup by bending your elbows and touching your chest to the ball underneath you. Make sure to straighten your arms all the way when you push back up to the high plank position. (If you can’t achieve one pushup on your toes, start in the same high plank position with your back flat and drop your knees to the floor. Perform the assessment from this kneed down position.)
- Repeat this as many times as possible until your form is compromised.
- Alternatively, perform as many as you can in 60 seconds.
- Record the number of pushups properly performed.
Core: Low Plank Hold
Muscles tested: rectus abdominis, obliques, hip flexors, erector spinae, and transverse abdominis
You will need an exercise mat and a stopwatch or a timer on your phone. Use the following procedure:
- Start in a plank position with your upper body off the ground and supported by your elbows and forearms. Your legs should be straight with your weight taken by your toes. Your body should be in a straight line from head to toe.
- As soon as you are in the correct position, start the timer.
- Hold this position for as long as you can or until you are unable to hold your back straight (you lower or raise your hips).
- Record the time.
***If you cannot hold a low plank, you can drop your knees (exactly how you did in the pushup test). For valid results, remember to take very specific notes so that re-testing shows exactly how far you have come.
***For a more advanced version of the plank test, perform the plank with straight arms, keeping your elbows and wrists in alignment with shoulders. This requires more upper-body strength compared to the elbow plank, which requires more core strength.
