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Upper body push and pull strength ratio in recreationally active adults
Rodney J Negrete1, William J Hanney, Patrick Pabian
1Florida Hospital Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, Celebration, FL, USA.
International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy
|April 18, 2013
Summary
Recreationally active adults show stronger upper body pushing muscles than pulling muscles, with ratios of 1.57:1 for males and 2.72:1 for females. These findings establish reference standards for agonist-antagonist strength.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Kinesiology
- Human Performance
Background:
- Agonist-to-antagonist strength ratios are crucial for analyzing injury risk and performance.
- Understanding these ratios in recreationally active adults provides valuable insights into muscle balance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the agonist-to-antagonist strength ratio of the upper body in recreationally active adults.
- To establish reference standards for upper body strength balance using simple field tests.
Main Methods:
- 180 healthy adults (111 females, 69 males, aged 18-45) participated.
- Participants performed timed push-ups and modified pull-ups across 3 sets of 15 seconds with 45-second rests.
Main Results:
- The push-up to modified pull-up ratio was 1.57:1 for males and 2.72:1 for females.
- Upper body 'pushing' muscles were found to be 1.5-2.7 times stronger than 'pulling' muscles in this cohort.
Conclusions:
- Recreationally active adults exhibit greater upper body pushing strength compared to pulling strength.
- The established reference values can guide future research on performance and injury risk related to strength imbalances.
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