Introduction
Power with its various forms of expression plays a major role in many sports. In addition, strength abilities can be trained to a high degree. Targeted strength diagnostics therefore plays an important role in training practice. While in the past decades mainly sport motor strength tests were used to assess individual strength abilities, nowadays more and more biomechanical and sports medical strength tests are entering sports practice
Classification of strength diagnostics
Strength diagnostics can be divided into three areas: 1. sports-methodical strength tests include bench press, knee bend, jump & reach, standing long jump etc. 2. sports-biomechanical strength tests include Tests on the biomechanical power chair, drop-jump, acceleration diagnostics3. Classical sports medical strength tests are: Ultrasound measurement, muscle biopsy, computer tomography and electromyography.
- Sports-methodical strength diagnostics
- Sports Biomechanical Strength Diagnostics
- Sports physiological/sports medical strength diagnostics
Biomechanical force diagnostics
The extended possibilities of strength diagnostics are certainly an enrichment for sports practice and thus effective for long-term successful training, especially in competitive and high-performance sports. However, the determined strength values may not be considered 100% reliable without any doubt. Measurement errors must always be taken into account.
These can be errors in the equipment or incorrect operation of the equipment. In addition, measurement errors often occur when testing is not carried out under standardized conditions or when athletes cannot achieve the same reproducible performance. Caution when interpreting the data: A common problem in strength diagnostics is not the accuracy of the measured value itself, but the question of whether the measured value is backed up by the level of ability that should be tested.
Example: Maximum strength of chest muscles/triceps through bench press. Possibly an increase has not been achieved by effective training, but by improvements in the bench press technique. Such misinterpretations are more frequent, especially in the lower performance levels.
Another prominent example for the evaluation of measurement results is the jump distance of 8.90m by Bob Beamon from 1968. Without doubt this performance was achieved, but it could never be confirmed again. Is this distance the true value?
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