Isometric Midthigh Pull Reliability and Relationship to Deadlift One Repetition Maximum.

De Witt, JK, English, KL, Crowell, JB, Kalogera, KL, Guilliams, ME, Nieschwitz, BE, Hanson, AM, and Ploutz-Snyder, LL. Isometric midthigh pull reliability and relationship to deadlift one repetition maximum. J Strength Cond Res 32(2): 528-533, 2018-The purpose of this investigation was to examine the reliability of the isometric midthigh pull (IMTP) and the relationship between IMTP peak force and deadlift 1 repetition maximum (1RM). Nine subjects (5 men and 4 women; 40.6 ± 8.0 years; 1.72 ± 0.10 m; 75.6 ± 13.4 kg) participated in this study. Isometric midthigh pull and deadlift 1RM were both performed during 2 testing sessions. For IMTP, peak force and peak rate of force development (RFD) were determined, in addition to RFD at 30 ms, 50 ms, 90 ms, 150 ms, 200 ms, and 250 ms after initiation of the pull. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated to evaluate the reliability of IMTP measures. Pearson product-moment correlations and linear regression were used to determine associations between IMTP and deadlift 1RM. Isometric midthigh pull peak force was reproducible both within (ICC = 0.98 and 0.97) and between sessions (ICC = 0.89) and significantly correlated with deadlift 1RM (r = 0.88, p ≤ 0.05), but intermediate force outputs and RFD were not. Lack of associations between RFD and deadlift 1RM indicate that the ability to create explosive force may be independent of the ability to create maximal force. The strong relationship between IMTP peak force and deadlift 1RM was present regardless of which IMTP repetition across the 2 sessions was examined. Peak force generated during IMTP is a reliable method to assess full body maximal strength. A single IMTP repetition, provided adequate familiarization and warm-up, correlates strongly with deadlift 1RM. Practitioners can use the IMTP test as a method to estimate maximal deadlift strength in a quick and potentially less provocative manner than traditional 1RM testing.

Test battery designed to quickly and safely assess diverse indices of neuromuscular function after unweighting.

Adequately describing the functional consequences of unweighting (e.g., bed rest, immobilization, spaceflight) requires assessing diverse indices of neuromuscular function (i.e., strength, power, endurance, central activation, force steadiness). Additionally, because unweighting increases the susceptibility of muscle to damage, testing should consider supplementary safety features. The purpose of this study was to develop a test battery for quickly assessing diverse indices of neuromuscular function. Commercially available exercise equipment was modified to include data acquisition hardware (e.g., force plates, position transducers) and auxiliary safety hardware (e.g., magnetic brakes). Ten healthy, ambulatory subjects (31 ± 5 years, 173 ± 11 cm, 73 ± 14 kg) completed a battery of lower- and upper-body neuromuscular function tests on 3 occasions separated by at least 48 hours. The battery consisted of the following tests, in order: (1) knee extension central activation, (2) knee extension force steadiness, (3) leg press maximal strength, (4) leg press maximal power, (5) leg press power endurance, (6) bench press maximal strength, (7) bench press force steadiness, (8) bench press maximal power, and (9) bench press power endurance. Central activation, strength, rate of force development, maximal power, and power endurance (total work) demonstrated good-to-excellent measurement reliability (SEM = 3-14%; intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.87-0.99). The SEM of the force steadiness variables was 20-35% (ICC = 0.20-0.60). After familiarization, the test battery required 49 ± 6 minutes to complete. In conclusion, we successfully developed a test battery that could be used to quickly and reliably assess diverse indices of neuromuscular function. Because the test battery involves minimal eccentric muscle actions and impact forces, the potential for muscle injury has likely been reduced.

Functional Fitness Testing Results Following Long-Duration ISS Missions.

INTRODUCTION: Long-duration spaceflight missions lead to the loss of muscle strength and endurance. Significant reduction in muscle function can be hazardous when returning from spaceflight. To document these losses, NASA developed medical requirements that include measures of functional strength and endurance. Results from this Functional Fitness Test (FFT) battery are also used to evaluate the effectiveness of in-flight exercise countermeasures. The purpose of this paper is to document results from the FFT and correlate this information with performance of in-flight exercise on board the International Space Station. METHODS: The FFT evaluates muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and agility and includes the following eight measures: sit and reach, cone agility, push-ups, pull-ups, sliding crunches, bench press, leg press, and hand grip dynamometry. Pre- to postflight functional fitness measurements were analyzed using dependent t-tests and correlation analyses were used to evaluate the relationship between functional fitness measurements and in-flight exercise workouts. RESULTS: Significant differences were noted post space flight with the sit and reach, cone agility, leg press, and hand grip measurements while other test scores were not significantly altered. The relationships between functional fitness and in-flight exercise measurements showed minimal to moderate correlations for most in-flight exercise training variables. DISCUSSION: The change in FFT results can be partially explained by in-flight exercise performance. Although there are losses documented in the FFT results, it is important to realize that the crewmembers are successfully performing activities of daily living and are considered functional for normal activities upon return to Earth.

Physical Training for Long-Duration Spaceflight.

INTRODUCTION: Physical training has been conducted on the International Space Station (ISS) for the past 10 yr as a countermeasure to physiological deconditioning during spaceflight. Each member space agency has developed its own approach to creating and implementing physical training protocols for their astronauts. We have divided physical training into three distinct phases (preflight, in-flight, and postflight) and provided a description of each phase with its constraints and limitations. We also discuss how each member agency (NASA, ESA, CSA, and JAXA) prescribed physical training for their crewmembers during the first 10 yr of ISS operations. It is important to understand the operational environment, the agency responsible for the physical training program, and the constraints and limitations associated with spaceflight to accurately design and implement exercise training or interpret the exercise data collected on ISS. As exploration missions move forward, resolving agency differences in physical training programs will become important to maximizing the effectiveness of exercise as a countermeasure and minimizing any mission impacts.