Validity and reliability of a new test of upper body power

The purpose of this study was to determine the concurrent validity of a new bench press power (BPP) test using the medicine ball put (MBP) as the criterion measure. Forty-three college-age students (19 males and 24 females) participated in the study. Participants performed 1 repetition at maximum speed using 61.4 kg (males) and 25 kg (females), at a grip width of 130% of biacromial breadth. Timing was initiated manually at the moment of upward bar movement and stopped automatically as the bar broke an infrared beam 0.3 m above the chest. All tests were conducted within 2 weeks. There was 1 practice session for the BPP test and 2 separate testing sessions, one for BPP and the other for the MBP. Three BPP trials were separated by >or=2 minutes of passive recovery. Individual scores were the average of the second and third tests and were expressed in Watts: Power=Bar mass kg.9.81x0.3 m/s. Medicine ball put scores were the average distance the ball was thrown on the second and third trials from a sitting position on a 45 degrees recumbent weight bench. Concurrent validity was determined by conducting a Pearson Correlation on BPP and MBP scores at an alpha level of 0.05: males, r=0.861; females, r=0.79, (p<0.000). In addition, results of an Intraclass R indicated excellent test-retest reliability for both males and females for BPP and the MBP (p<0.05). The conclusion was that the BPP test is a logically and concurrently valid method for coaches and trainers to use in assessing upper body power for both college-age males and females.