6.2. Strength Flashcards
What is strength?
The ability to apply force
What is static strength?
The ability to apply a force against a resistance without any movement occurring (isometric contraction)
What is dynamic strength?
The ability to apply a force to overcome resistance where movement occurs (isotonic contraction)
What is strength endurance?
The ability to sustain repeated muscular contractions (or a single isometric contraction) over a period of time
What is maximum strength?
The ability to produce a maximum amount of force in a single muscle contraction.
What is explosive/ elastic strength?
The ability to produce a maximal amount of force in one or a series of rapid muscular contractions.
Examples of strength endurance
- Long course swimming
- Boxing
- Gymnastics bar routine
- Football match
Examples of maximum strength
- Bench press
- Dead lift
- Shot putt
Examples of explosive strength
- Long jump
- Triple jump
- High jump
Identify the factors affecting strength:
- Cross sectional area
- Fibre type
- Gender
- Age
How does cross sectional area affect strength?
The greater the cross sectional area of the muscle, the greater the strength -> maximum of 16-30N of force per square centimetre of muscles
How does fibre type affect strength?
The greater the percentage of fast-glycolytic and fast-oxidative glycolytic fibres, the greater the strength over a short period - larger motor units with rapid, high force contractions.
How does gender affect strength?
Males have higher muscle mass and cross sectional area on average due to high testosterone levels.
When this is expressed per unit of cross sectional area, the difference between genders largely disappears
How does age affect strength?
Peak strength in females is between 16-25 and males are 18-30 years.
This decreases after due to a decrease in efficiency of neuromuscular system, loss of muscle elasticity and loss of testosterone.
What are the tests for strength endurance?
- Abdominal curl test
- Press up test
What is the abdominal curl test?
NCF test which involves performing sit ups in time with a bleep.
The test is progressive and the performer continues until failure.
The score is based on the time/ cumulative sit ups completed.
Strengths of the abdominal curl test
+ large groups can perform test at same time
+ simple and cheap equipment
+ abdominal muscles can be isolated
+ valid and reliable -> can be done consistently and not too many variables
Weaknesses of abdominal curl test:
- good technique is essential
- safety concerns over repeated strain on lower spine
- maximal test to exhaustion limited by subject motivation
- test is not specific
What is the press up test?
The performer completes as many press ups as possible, hands shoulder width apart, maintaining good form.
Test score is total number completed
Strengths of press up test:
+ no equipment needed
+ simple to set up and conduct
+ can be conducted almost anywhere
Weaknesses of press up test:
- Assistant required to administer test
- Different techniques and classifications of correct technique
What are the tests for maximum strength?
- Grip strength dynamometer
- 1 rep max test
What is the grip strength dynamometer test?
Performer takes three turns with each hand and records the best score shown on the dial.
It should be dialled back to 0 after each attempt.
Strengths of hand grip dynamometer:
+ simple procedure
+ reliable and cheap equipment
