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Grip Strength and Powerlifting Performance.

Authors:
Scot Morrison at University of Verona
Scot Morrison
James Schoffstall
James Schoffstall
James Schoffstall
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Blake Kozlik
Blake Kozlik
Blake Kozlik
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Barry Boswell
Barry Boswell
Barry Boswell
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Abstract

The hand grip strength test has been shown to be a reliable indicator of general body strength among the general population. This study sought to determine if the hand grip test was a valid predictor of strength among a population of competitive powerlifters. The subjects (N=17) were competitive powerlifters entered in a state level competition. Height, weight, body composition, and grip strength measurements were taken prior to the start of the competition. The powerlifters competed in three events: squat, bench, and deadlift. The powerlifters competed in one of two categories: raw (no supportive equipment allowed) or equipped (supportive equipment allowed). Grip strength was highly correlated with LBM 9r=0.84). When examining the grip strength of raw powerlifters vs equipped powerlifters the following correlations were observed: squat (r=0.95) vs. (r=0.36), bench press (r=0.98) vs. (r=0.31), deadlift (r=0.97) vs. (r=0.41), and total (r=0.97) vs (r=0.41), respectively. The raw lifters (0.61:1) had a lower ratio of lean body mass to total grip strength than the equipped lifters (0.70:1), thus kg for kg the raw lifters had a stronger grip. These results suggest that grip strength is a good indicator of total body strength in competitive raw powerlifters.
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Grip Strength and Powerlifting Performance
James E. Schoffstall, Scott Morrison, Barry Boswell, & Blake Kozlik
ABSTRACT
The hand grip strength test has been shown to be a reliable
indicator of general body strength among the general population.
This study sought to determine if the hand grip test was a valid
predictor of strength among a population of competitive
powerlifters. The subjects (N=17) were competitive powerlifters
entered in a state level competition. Height, weight, body
composition, and grip strength measurements were taken prior to
the start of the competition. The powerlifters competed in three
events: squat, bench, and deadlift. The powerlifters competed in
one of two categories: raw (no supportive equipment allowed) or
equipped (supportive equipment allowed). Grip strength was
highly correlated with LBM (ρ=0.84). When examining the grip
strength of raw powerlifters versus equipped powerlifters the
following correlations were observed: squat (ρ=0.95) vs.
(ρ=0.36), bench press (ρ=0.98) vs. (ρ=0.31), deadlift (ρ=0.97) vs.
(ρ=0.41), and total (ρ=0.97) vs. (ρ=0.41), respectively. The raw
lifters (0.61:1) had a lower ratio of lean body mass to total grip
strength than the equipped lifters (0.70:1), thus kg for kg the raw
lifters had a stronger grip. These results suggest that grip strength
is a good indicator of total body strength in competitive raw
powerlifters.
INTRODUCTION
In the continual pursuit of performance enhancement,
guideposts are needed to quantitatively establish progress.
Testing is an integral part of the process and many different tests
are used to determine strength and power levels. Many of these
tests are hard to perform and can be complicated using up time
and producing unreliable results. Testing grip strength is easy to
perform and the results are consistent because there are few
factors that can go wrong (Bohannon , 2008). When looking at all
the relevant research on the subject it was determined that using
the grip as a measure of overall strength should be used very
cautiously if at all. (Bohannon) Bohannon decided that in
“conclusion, it may be legitimate to use one or several measures
obtained from a single limb to characterize the strength of that
limb but not the entire body. What this means practically is that
the practitioner interested in characterizing strength of a limb can
reduce test burden by testing a limited number of muscle actions
of that limb.”However in these studies that were reviewed “those
addressing activities involving multiple muscle actions (e.g.,
squat) were intentionally excluded as the activities neither
identify specific muscle action strengths nor are possible for
many individuals (Bohannon).”This leaves room for further
RESULTS
The characteristics of the seventeen subjects are displayed in
Table 1. Comparisons of the powerlifters are displayed in Table 2
and are broken down by gender and equipment status. Raw
powerlifters had a lean body mass to combined grip ratio of 0.61:1
and a total body mass to combined grip ratio of 0.76:1. Equipped
powerlifters had a lean body mass to combined grip ratio of 0.70:1
and a total body mass to combined grip ratio of 0.85:1.
When examining the grip strength of raw powerlifters versus
equipped powerlifters the following correlations were observed:
squat (ρ=0.95)vs.(ρ=0.36), bench press (ρ=0.98)vs.(ρ=0.31),
deadlift (ρ=0.97)vs.(ρ=0.41), and total (ρ=0.97)vs.(ρ=0.41),
respectively.
SUMMARY & CONCLUSION
When comparing groups based on gender and equipment
status, no significant differences were noted, although the
correlations suggest that grip strength is a good indicator of total
body strength in competitive raw powerlifters. The correlational
differences between the Raw and Equipped powerlifters is likely
due to the role that the supportive equipment (wrist wraps, knee
wraps, squat suits, bench shirts and deadlift suits) plays during the
execution of the lifts. Kilogram for kilogram the raw lifters
displayed a stronger grip, although the difference between the raw
and equipped lifters was not statistically significant. Larger sample
sizes would be needed to draw any further conclusions.
ACKNOWLEGEMENTS
To the competitive powerlifters for their time and effort.
REFERENCES
Adams, Gene M., and William C. Beam. Exercise Physiology
Laboratory Manual. 5th. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2008.
Bohannon, RW. Dynamometer measurements of hand-grip strength
predict multiple outcomes. Percept Motor Skills 93: 323-328, 2001.
Bohannon, Richard W. (2008). Is it Legitimate to Characterize
Muscle Strength Using a Limited Number of Measures? Journal of
Strength and Conditioning Research, 22(1): 166-173.
Table 2
Females Raw
(n=3) Females Equipped
(n=2) Males Raw
(n=4) Males Equipped
(n=10)
Grip Right (kg) 33.8+6.9 40.7+1.9 63.0+10.0 56.9+12.9
Grip Left (kg) 37.0+3.7 40.3+4.2 64.2+8.7 56.5+12.0
Grip Combined (kg) 70.8+10.4 81.0+6.1 127.2+18.7 113.5+24.7
Squat (kg) 40.8+5.8 91.9+11.2 200.3+29.5 177.5+60.4
Bench (kg) 49.9+9.1 63.5+3.2 118.5+21.0 156.8+57.1
Deadlift (kg) 87.7+12.9 123.6+4.8 211.5+51.4 190.5+29.5
Total (kg) 176.9+15.3 279.0+12.8 564.7+55.9 506.3+117.0
Body Mass (kg) 62.7+9.8 59.2+16.4 84.8+20.1 97.3+28.0
Table 1
Females (n=5) Males (n=12) Total (N=17)
Age (yr) 32.6+12.5 25.2+9.3 27.4+10.6
Height (cm) 165.8+6.2 175.9+7.2 172.9+8.2
Weight (kg) 61.3+10.9 93.2+25.4 83.8+26.4
Lean Body Mass (kg) 47.9+6.6 76.8+15.5 68.3+18.9
Body Fat (%) 21.3+5.3 16.3+6.0 17.8+6.1
Grip Strength Right Hand (kg) 36.5+6.2 58.9+11.9 52.3+14.8
Grip Strength Left Hand (kg) 38.3+3.8 59.1+11.3 52.9+13.6
Grip Strength Combined (kg) 74.8+9.8 118.0+22.9 105.3+28.2
studies pertaining to grip strength and full body strength measured across multiple joints. The
purpose of this study was to determine whether grip strength was a good predictor of total body
strength as measured during a powerlifting meet.
METHODS
The subjects (N=17) were state level competitive powerlifters. Subjects were recruited from
the pool of participants who were entered in a state powerlifting competition. Those individuals
who were risk stratified as low risk according to the American College of Sports Medicine
guidelines were entered into the study upon giving informed consent. Height and weight were
assessed using a Seca® stadiometer and balance scale. Body composition was assessed using
Lange skinfold calipers. The subjects’ grip strength was measured using a Jamar® hand
dynamometer. Data for the squat, bench press, and deadlift were obtained from the powerlifting
meet results. The three lifts were performed in compliance with USA Powerlifting rules.
... Fry et al. (2006) determined that 84% of American junior male weightlifters could be successfully predicted to be elite or non-elite based on body mass index (BMI), vertical jump, relative fat, HGS, and torso angle during an overhead squat (2006). Schoffstall et al. (2010) found that HGS of raw powerlifters correlated significantly with their squat (r=0.95), bench press (r=0.98), deadlift (r=0.97), and total (r=0.97). ...
... If these two participants were removed from the data set, 77% of the CF participants in the current study would have demonstrated HGS above normative reference 50th percentiles (Wang et al., 2018). Several studies have established correlations between HGS and barbell athletes as well as gymnastics athletes (Ruprai et al., 2016;Schoffstall et al., 2010;Fry et al., 2006). High HGS values could be expected from this population because of the significant amount of time spent manipulating barbells and other weighted implements in their regular CF training, as well as time spent manipulating their own bodyweight around bars and rings. ...
... The comparatively high HGS scores of the current study participants were likely predictable as they are consistent with previous research regarding gymnasts and barbell athletes (Fry et al., 2006;Schoffstall et al., 2010;Ruprai). This may suggest that CF is likely a good system for improving HGS, and therefore useful for general health and fitness. ...
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... W. L. Keogh et al., 2018;Marković and Sekulić, 2006;Ruprai et al., 2016). Schoffstall found strong correlations between HGS and performance in classic powerlifting (Schoffstall, 2010), although the study did not distinguish among specialties and considered a small sample (Cronin et al., 2017). This result is thus consistent with our findings since no significant correlation was observed between performance indicators and HGS in the considered sample. ...
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