Strength is related to the cross-sectional area of the muscles and, consequently, indirectly to body mass. Numerous mathematical models have been developed over the years in an attempt to compare relative strength. The simplest and most straightforward is to divide the amount lifted by body mass. This creates a ratio that can be used to compare individuals.
Traditional Strength Testing
- 1 Rep Max.
- Strength Level calculates your performance in compound exercises like bench press, deadlift and squat.
Types of Testing for Specific Strength:
- The Traditional Strength Training Log.
- Reactive Strength Index 10/5 Stiffness Test.
- Good for runners.
- Strength tracking using the OMNI resistance exercise scale in older men and women. {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19387373/}
- Strength tracking uses ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) as a reference value to determine changes in strength as a function of a resistance training program. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if the OMNI Resistance Exercise Scale (OMNI-RES) could be used to track training-induced strength changes in older adults. Twenty-two men (64.3 + 3.2 years) and 27 women (63.8 + 2.8 years) volunteered to participate. Subjects underwent a maximal lifting test, during which they estimated perceived exertion before and following 12 weeks of resistance exercise training. Leg press (LP), latissimus dorsi pull-down (LA), chest press (CP), leg extension (LE), leg curl (LC), arm extension (AE), and arm curl (AC) were performed. Paired samples t-tests were used to compare resistance lifted pre- and post-training at each criterion RPE (4, 6, and 8). One repetition maximum increased from pretraining to post-training (p < 0.05) for all exercises. The resistance lifted at each criterion RPE also increased (p < 0.05) during the 12-week training session for every exercise. Older adults lifted more weight at 3 criterion RPEs as their strength increased, providing an RPE-based procedure to track strength training changes using the OMNI-RES. As such, it seems that RPE from the OMNI-RES can be used to track strength in older adults.
- Rating of perceived exertion on resistance training in elderly subjects.{https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30569775/}
- The American College of Sports Medicine and American Heart Association recommends resistance training involving 60-70% of 1-repetition maximum (1RM) for 8-12 repetitions on 2 or 3 nonconsecutive days per week for the elderly. The Borg 6-20 scale, Borg category ratio (CR-10) scale, and OMNI scale are used to determine the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) for resistance training. Areas covered: RPE scales for resistance training performed by elderly individuals are described. The RPE has been related to resistance training intensity, and the RPE scale was used to determine the resistance training intensity of elderly or ill individuals. Expert commentary: RPE scales can determine the resistance training intensity of elderly individuals and may be used at home or in nursing homes, if they do not have specific resistance training machines. RPE is simple and useful, and may improve skeletal muscle strength or other health-related issues
- Effects of hydraulic-resistance exercise on strength and power in untrained healthy older adults {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20664367/}
Body Mass
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a person’s weight in kilograms (or pounds) divided by the square of height in meters (or feet). A high BMI can indicate high body fatness. BMI screens for weight categories that may lead to health problems, but it does not diagnose the body fatness or health of an individual.
BMI For Adults Widget
Sources:
- https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/index.html – High level information on BMI.
- https://strengthlevel.com/ – Their strength standards are based on over 73,523,000 lifts entered by Strength Level users. I like the strength comparison tool by particular sport.
- http://www.strongur.io/strength-index/ – Traditional lifting strength calculator.