Assessing muscular strength in youth: usefulness of standing long jump as a general index of muscular fitness

J Strength Cond Res. 2010 Jul;24(7):1810-7. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181ddb03d.

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine the association among different measures of lower body muscular strength in children, and the association between measures of lower- and upper-body muscular strength. The study population comprises 94 (45 girls) healthy Caucasian children aged 6-17 years. Children performed several lower body explosive muscular strength tests (i.e., standing long jump [SLJ], vertical jump, squat jump, and countermovement jump) and upper body muscular strength tests (i.e., throw basketball, push-ups, and isometric strength exercises). The association among the study tests was analyzed by multiple regression. The SLJ was strongly associated with other lower body muscular strength tests (R = 0.829-0.864), and with upper body muscular strength tests (R = 0.694-0.851). The SLJ test might be therefore considered a general index of muscular fitness in youth. The SLJ test is practical, time efficient, and low in cost and equipment requirements.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Exercise / physiology
  • Exercise Test / methods
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lower Extremity / physiology
  • Male
  • Muscle Strength / physiology*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / physiology
  • Physical Fitness / physiology*
  • Upper Extremity / physiology