Does grip strength predict squat strength in healthy young men?

Abstract

Squat repetition maximum (RM) testing is a reliable and safe method for assessing lower body strength in healthy individuals but constraints in technique, time or access to testing devices can restrict its application. Measuring grip strength may provide a simple alternative as it has been linked to lower body strength in non-athletes. However, to date no study has examined the relationship between grip strength and squat strength in an untrained population. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the predictability of squat performance by grip strength. 25 untrained healthy male adults (24.9 ± 3.4 years) were tested for maximal grip strength and squat 5RM, which was used to calculate the estimated squat 1RM. Our data revealed a significant and strong correlation between grip strength and estimated squat 1RM (r = .68, p < .001) as well as a significant regression equation in which grip strength can explain 46% of estimated squat 1RM (r² = .46, p < .001). The results suggest that grip strength may be used to predict squat performance in untrained healthy male adults, when repetition maximum testing is not feasible.

Keywords

• Dynamometer
• grip
• repetition maximum
• squat

References

1. Agbuga, B., Konukman, F., & Yilmaz, I. (2009). Prediction of upper body strength by using grip strength test in Division II American college football players’ grip strength. Hacettepe J of Sport Sciences, (20), 16–23.
2. Araujo, C.G., Castro, C.L., Franca, J.F., Laukkanen, J.A., Hamar, D., & Myers, J. (2019). Muscle power in upright row movement: predictor of all-cause mortality in individuals between 41 and 85 years of age: preliminary results. Eur J Prev Cardiol, 26(6, Suppl.), 459.
3. Artero, E.G., Lee, D.‑c., Lavie, C.J., España-Romero, V., Sui, X., Church, T.S., & Blair, S.N. (2012). Effects of muscular strength on cardiovascular risk factors and prognosis. J Cardiopulm Rehabil Prev, 32(6), 351–358.
4. Beck, J., & Bös, K. (1995). Normwerte motorischer Leistungsfähigkeit (1. Aufl.). Bundesinstitut für Sportwissenschaft: Vol. 95,5. Köln: Sport u. Buch Strauß Ed. Sport.
5. Bohannon, R.W. (2019). Grip strength: an indispensable biomarker for older adults. Clin Interv Aging, 14, 1681–1691.
6. Brill, P.A., Macera, C.A., Davis, D.R., Blair, S.N., & Gordon, N. (2000). Muscular strength and physical function. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 32(2), 412–416.
7. Clark, M. (2020). Squat Standards. Retrieved from https://strengthlevel.com/strength-standards/squat
8. DeBeliso, M., Boham, M.D., Harris, C.G., Carson, C., Berning, J.M., Sevene, T.G., & Adams, K.J. (2015a). Grip and body strength measures in the mature adult: a brief report. International Journal of Science and Engineering Investigations, 4(37), 83–86.

9. DeBeliso, M., Boham, M.D., Harris, C.G., Carson, C., Berning, J.M., Sevene, T.G., Adams, K.J., Climstein, M. (2015b). Grip strength and functional measures in the mature adult: brief report II. International Journal of Science and Engineering Investigations, 4(39), 1–4.
10. DiStasio, T.J. (2014). Validation of the Brzycki and Epley Equations for the 1 Repetition Maximum Back Squat Test in Division I College Football Players. Retrieved from https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1744&context=gs_rp
11. Dohoney, P., Chromiak, J., Lemire, D., Abadie, B., & Kovacs, C. (2002). Prediction of one repetition maximum (1-RM) strength from a 4-6 RM and a 7-10 RM submaximal strength test in healthy young adult males. J Exerc Physiol Online, (5), 54–59.
12. Döring, N., & Bortz, J. (2016). Forschungsmethoden und Evaluation in den Sozial- und Humanwissenschaften (5. vollständig überarbeitete, aktualisierte und erweiterte Auflage). Springer-Lehrbuch. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer.
13. Drid, P., Casals, C., Mekic, A., Radjo, I., Stojanovic, M., & Ostojic, S.M. (2015). Fitness and anthropometric profiles of international vs. national judo medalists in half-heavyweight category. J Strength Cond Res, 29(8), 2115–2121.
14. Enoka, R. M. (1998). Neuromechanical basis of kinesiology (2. ed.). Champaign, Ill.: Human Kinetics.
15. Faigenbaum, A.D. (2000). Strength training for children and adolescents. Clin Sports Med, 19(4), 593–619.
16. Faul, F., Erdfelder, E., Lang, A.‑G., & Buchner, A. (2007). G*power 3: A flexible statistical power analysis program for the social, behavioral, and biomedical sciences. Behav Res Methods, 39(2), 175–191.
17. Foster, C., Florhaug, J.A., Franklin, J., Gottschall, L., Hrovatin, L.A., Parker, S., Doleshal, P., & Dodge, C. (2001). A new approach to monitoring exercise training. J Strength Cond Res, 15(1), 109–115.
18. Gail, S., Argauer, P., & Künzell, S. (2015). Validität eines 5-RM Krafttests im Gesundheits- und Fitnesssport. Swiss Sports & Exercise Medicine, 63(3).
19. Haff, G.G., & Triplett, N.T. (Eds.) (2016). Essentials of strength training and conditioning (4th edition). Champaign, IL, Windsor, ON, Leeds: Human Kinetics.
20. Haynes, E., & Debeliso, M. (2019). The relationship between CrossFit performance and grip strength. Turk J Kinesiol, 5(1), 15-21.
21. Jawan, L., Adnan, R., Sulaiman, N., & Ismail, S.I. (2014). Efficacy of handgrip strength in predicting total body strength among high performance athletes. In R. Adnan, S.I. Ismail, & N. Sulaiman (Eds.), Proceedings of the International Colloquium on Sports Science, Exercise, Engineering and Technology (ICoSSEET 2014) (pp. 29–38). Singapore: Springer.
22. Kell, R.T., Bell, G., & Quinney, A. (2001). Musculoskeletal fitness, health outcomes and quality of life. Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 31(12), 863–873.
23. Kim, Y., White, T., Wijndaele, K., Westgate, K., Sharp, S.J., Helge, J.W., Wareham, N.J., & Brage, S. (2018). The combination of cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength, and mortality risk. Eur J Epidemiol, 33(10), 953–964.
24. Kraemer, W.J., Adams, K., Cafarelli, E., Dudley, G. A., Dooly, C., Feigenbaum, M.S., . . . Triplett-McBride, T. (2002). American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 34(2), 364–380.
25. Levinger, I., Goodman, C., Hare, D.L., Jerums, G., Toia, D., & Selig, S. (2009). The reliability of the 1RM strength test for untrained middle-aged individuals. J Sci Med Sport, 12(2), 310–316.
26. Matsudo, V.K.R., Matsudo, S.M., Rezende, L.F. M.d., & Raso, V. (2015). Força de preensão manual como preditor de aptidão física em crianças e adolescentes. Rev Bras Cineantropom Desempenho Hum, 17(1), 1.
27. McGrath, R.P., Kraemer, W.J., Vincent, B.M., Hall, O.T., & Peterson, M.D. (2017). Muscle Strength Is Protective Against Osteoporosis in an Ethnically Diverse Sample of Adults. J Strength Cond Res, 31(9), 2586–2589.
28. Myer, G.D., Kushner, A.M., Brent, J.L., Schoenfeld, B.J., Hugentobler, J., Lloyd, R.S., Vermeil, A., Chu, D.A., Harbin J.,
29. McGill, S.M. (2014). The back squat: a proposed assessment of functional deficits and technical factors that limit performance. Strength Cond J, 36(6), 4–27.
30. Nwuga, V.C. (1975). Grip strength and grip endurance in physical therapy students. Arch Phys Med Rehabil, 56(7), 297–300.
31. Otterson, R., & Debeliso, M. (2020). Grip Strength and North American Collegiate Football Performance Indicators. Turk J Kinesiol, 6(1), 16–25.
32. Puthoff, M.L., & Nielsen, D.H. (2007). Relationships among impairments in lower-extremity strength and power, functional limitations, and disability in older adults. Physical Therapy, 87(10), 1334–1347.
33. Reynolds, J.M., Gordon, T.J., & Robergs, R.A. (2006). Prediction of one repetition maximum strength from multiple repetition maximum testing and anthropometry. J Strength Cond Res 20(3), 584–592.
34. Rhea, M.R., Alvar, B.A., & Gray, R. (2004). Physical fitness and job performance of firefighters. J Strength Cond Res, 18(2), 348–352.
35. Roberts, H.C., Denison, H.J., Martin, H.J., Patel, H.P., Syddall, H., Cooper, C., & Sayer, A.A. (2011). A review of the measurement of grip strength in clinical and epidemiological studies: towards a standardised approach. Age and Ageing, 40(4), 423–429.
36. Seitz, L.B., Reyes, A., Tran, T.T., Saez de Villarreal, E., & Haff, G.G. (2014). Increases in lower-body strength transfer positively to sprint performance: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 44(12), 1693–1702.
37. Seo, D.‑I., Kim, E., Fahs, C.A., Rossow, L., Young, K., Ferguson, S.L., . . . So, W.‑Y. (2012). Reliability of the one-repetition maximum test based on muscle group and gender. J Sci Med Sport, 11(2), 221–225.
38. Trosclair, D., Bellar, D., Judge, L.W., Smith, J., Mazerat, N., & Brignac, A. (2011). Hand-grip strength as a predictor of muscular strength and endurance. J Strength Cond Res, 25(Suppl. 1), S99.
39. Urquhart, B.G., Moir, G.L., Graham, S.M., & Connaboy, C. (2015). Reliability of 1RM split-squat performance and the efficacy of assessing both bilateral squat and split-squat 1RM in a single session for non-resistance-trained recreationally active men. J Strength Cond Res, 29(7), 1991–1998.
40. Vasconcelos Rocha, S., Souza dos Santos, S., Carneiro Vasconcelos, L.R., & Alves dos Santos, C. (2016). Strength and ability to implement the activities of daily living in elderly resident in rural areas. Colombia Médica: CM, 47(3), 167–171.
41. Vecchio, L.D., Daewoud, H., & Green, S. (2018). The health and performance benefits of the squat, deadlift, and bench press. MOJ Yoga & Physical Therapy, 3(2), 40-47.
42. Westcott, W.L. (2012). Resistance training is medicine: Effects of strength training on health. Curr Sports Med Rep, 11(4), 209–216.
43. Wind, A.E., Takken, T., Helders, P.J.M., & Engelbert, R.H.H. (2010). Is grip strength a predictor for total muscle strength in healthy children, adolescents, and young adults? Eur J Pediatr, 169(3), 281–287.
44. Wirth, K., Hartmann, H., Sander, A., Mickel, C., Szilvas, E., & Keiner, M. (2016). The impact of back squat and leg-press exercises on maximal strength and speed-strength parameters. J Strength Cond Res, 30(5), 1205–1212.
45. Zampagni, M.L., Casino, D., Benelli, P., Visani, A., Marcacci, M., De Vito, G. (2008). Anthropometric and strength variables to predict freestyle performance times in elite master swimmers. J Strength Cond Res, 22(4), 1298-1307.