Hydro-resistive measurement of dynamic lifting strength

A device is described for measuring strength and power outputs of dynamic vertical lifts between heights of 0.4 and 2.2 m. The device is safe, robust, and easily transportable. It consists of a water-filled tube 2 m high and 200 mm internal diameter. The subject pulls vertically on a handle which is connected with flexible wire rope via a series of pulleys to a piston suspended inside the tube. The piston has holes which can be closed with bungs. The drag force is proportional to the square of the velocity. The constant of proportionality can be chosen over a more than 100-fold range and is independent of temperature. Manual force is measured using a strain gauged cantilever over which the rope passes. Rope movement is monitored with a shaft encoder. These devices are sampled synchronously by an interfaced computer. Velocity and power are derived from the measurements of displacement, time and force. The device is highly accurate. Power measurements are not significantly different on two separate days although repetitions on one day show a warming-up effect. This device allows the study of dynamic lifts ranging from slow, high force, quasi-isokinetic lifts to lifts where high velocities and accelerations occur.