Validity and Reliability of a Standardized Protocol for Assessing the One Repetition Maximum Performance During Overhead Pressing Exercises

Kinetics and Kinematics of the Push Press, Push Jerk, and Split Jerk

Soriano, MA, Jiménez-Ormeño, E, Lake, JP, McMahon, JJ, Gallo-Salazar, C, Mundy, P, and Comfort, P. Kinetics and kinematics of the push press, push jerk, and split jerk. J Strength Cond Res 38(8): 1359–1365, 2024—The aim of this study was to explore the kinetics and kinematics across incremental loads with the push press (PP), push jerk (PJ), and split jerk (SJ). Eighteen resistance-trained men performed the 1 repetition maximum (1RM) tests (visit 1) 3–7 days before an incremental loading protocol (60, 75, and 90% 1RM) of the 3 exercises (visit 2). Kinetics and kinematics were derived from force-time data and compared using a repeated-measures analysis of variance with load and exercise as within-subject factors. Dependent variables for the biomechanics assessment were categorized as output (power and impulse), driver (force and work), and strategy (displacement and duration) metrics. The interrepetition reliability was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient and coefficient of variation. The PP, PJ, and SJ 1RM performance were 89.7 ± 15.4, 95.6 ± 14.4, and 103.0 ± 16.9 kg, respectively. Driver, strategy, and outcome metrics displayed moderate-to-excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.58–0.98) reliability with acceptable variability (% coefficient of variation: 2.02–10.00). Increased load resulted in significantly large increases in force, work, displacement, duration, power, and impulse (p < 0.001, = 0.534–0.903). Exercise selection had a significant and large effect on power, impulse, work, and force (p < 0.016, = 0.387–0.534). There was a significant and large effect of load × exercise interaction on work, displacement, and duration (p < 0.019, = 0.158–0.220). Practitioners are encouraged to use heavier loads (90 > 75 > 60% 1RM) during the SJ exercise to maximize output, driver, and strategy kinetics and kinematics.

Does Sex Impact the Differences and Relationships in the One Repetition Maximum Performance Across Weightlifting Overhead Pressing Exercises?

Soriano, MA, García-Ramos, A, Calderbank, J, Marín, PJ, Sainz de Baranda, P, and Comfort, P. Does sex impact the differences and relationships in the one repetition maximum performance across weightlifting overhead pressing exercises? J Strength Cond XX(X): 000-000, 2020-This study aimed to determine the impact of sex on the differences and relationships of the one repetition maximum (1RM) performance between 3 overhead pressing exercises (push press [PP], push jerk [PJ] and split jerk [SJ]). 15 men (body mass [BM]: 82.3 ± 9.9 kg; weightlifting training experience: 2.6 ± 1.6 years) and 15 women (BM: 64.4 ± 7.0 kg; weightlifting training experience: 2.2 ± 1.4 years) participated in this study. A ratio-scaled (1RM·BM) was used for the comparison between them. The 1RM of the 3 exercises were evaluated within the same testing session using a combined 1RM assessment method. The interaction effect of exercise and sex did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.671; η = 0.001). In contrast, there were significant main effects of exercise (p ≤ 0.01) and sex (p < 0.001) with medium (η = 0.096) and large effect sizes (η = 0.306), respectively. A similar main effect of exercise was reported for both men (PP [1.0 ± 0.1 kg·kg] < PJ [1.1 ± 0.2 kg·kg] ∼ SJ [1.2 ± 0.2 kg·kg]) and women (PP [0.8 ± 0.1 kg·kg] < PJ [0.9 ± 0.2 kg·kg] ∼ SJ [0.9 ± 0.2 kg·kg]). The 1RM performance of the 3 exercises was significantly correlated for men (r [range] = 0.856-0.963) and women (r [range] = 0.636-0.925). Sex does not affect the differences in the 1RM performance across weightlifting overhead pressing exercises. However, stronger correlations and lower variation in the 1RM performance during the PP, PJ, and SJ are expected for men compared with women.