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Review
. 2023 Feb 17:5:1105201.
doi: 10.3389/fspor.2023.1105201. eCollection 2023.

Maximal strength measurement: A critical evaluation of common methods-a narrative review

Konstantin Warneke  1   2 , Carl-Maximilian Wagner  3 , Michael Keiner  3 , Martin Hillebrecht  4 , Stephan Schiemann  1 , David George Behm  2 , Sebastian Wallot  5 , Klaus Wirth  6
Affiliations
Review

Maximal strength measurement: A critical evaluation of common methods-a narrative review

Konstantin Warneke et al. Front Sports Act Living. .

Abstract

Measuring maximal strength (MSt) is a very common performance diagnoses, especially in elite and competitive sports. The most popular procedure in test batteries is to test the one repetition maximum (1RM). Since testing maximum dynamic strength is very time consuming, it often suggested to use isometric testing conditions instead. This suggestion is based on the assumption that the high Pearson correlation coefficients of r ≥ 0.7 between isometric and dynamic conditions indicate that both tests would provide similar measures of MSt. However, calculating r provides information about the relationship between two parameters, but does not provide any statement about the agreement or concordance of two testing procedures. Hence, to assess replaceability, the concordance correlation coefficient (ρ c) and the Bland-Altman analysis including the mean absolute error (MAE) and the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) seem to be more appropriate. Therefore, an exemplary model based on r = 0.55 showed ρ c = 0.53, A MAE of 413.58 N and a MAPE = 23.6% with a range of -1,000-800 N within 95% Confidence interval (95%CI), while r = 0.7 and 0.92 showed ρ c = 0.68 with a MAE = 304.51N/MAPE = 17.4% with a range of -750 N-600 N within a 95% CI and ρ c = 0.9 with a MAE = 139.99/MAPE = 7.1% with a range of -200-450 N within a 95% CI, respectively. This model illustrates the limited validity of correlation coefficients to evaluate the replaceability of two testing procedures. Interpretation and classification of ρ c, MAE and MAPE seem to depend on expected changes of the measured parameter. A MAPE of about 17% between two testing procedures can be assumed to be intolerably high.

Keywords: 1RM; agreement; dynamic; isometric; isometric mid thigh pull; maximal strength testing; performance testing; squat.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
An exemplary dataset to calculate the concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) of 0.9 with n = 273 showing high Pearson correlation with r = 0.92, representing magnitude of correlation usually found between dynamic and isometric testing.
Figure 2
Figure 2
An exemplary dataset to calculate the concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) of 0.68 with n = 273 showing high Pearson correlation with r = 0.7, representing magnitude of correlation usually found between dynamic and isometric testing.
Figure 3
Figure 3
An exemplary dataset to calculate the concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) of 0.53 with n = 273 showing moderate Pearson correlation with r = 0.55, representing magnitude of correlation usually found between dynamic and isometric testing.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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