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Examining different aspects of functional performance using a variety of bench throw techniques
Ross A Clark1, Adam L Bryant, Yong-Hao Pua
1School of Health and Human Performance, Faculty of Arts, Health and Science, Central Queensland University, North Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia. raclark@unimelb.edu.au
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
|March 13, 2010
Summary
Full range of motion (ROM) static start bench throws effectively measure upper-body functional performance. This efficient assessment method is reliable for athletes, even when time is limited.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Biomechanics
- Human Movement Analysis
Background:
- Assessing upper-body functional performance is crucial for athletes.
- Various bench throw protocols exist, but their efficiency and representativeness vary.
- Understanding the reliability and correlation of different throws is key for practical application.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the reliability of peak force and displacement in four bench throw variations.
- To examine the relationship between different bench throw protocols and functional performance measures.
- To identify the most time-efficient and representative assessment method for upper-body power.
Main Methods:
- 26 semi-professional rugby league players participated.
- Four bench throw tests were conducted: full ROM countermovement (FC), full ROM static start (FS), half ROM countermovement (HC), and half ROM static start (HS).
- Reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients, and relationships were analyzed with Pearson's correlation.
Main Results:
- All bench throw measures demonstrated high reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients >0.80).
- Full ROM static start (FS) measures (displacement and force) showed moderate to high correlations with all other outcome measures.
- Full ROM countermovement (FC) measures did not correlate significantly with mid-range force production (HSf).
Conclusions:
- Full ROM static start bench throws offer a reliable and representative measure of upper-body functional performance.
- This method is suitable for athletes, particularly when time efficiency is a priority in assessments.
- FS throws may capture both full and partial range of motion performance effectively.
