title: Familiarization and reliability of one repetition maximum strength testing in older women.
abstract: Strength is a fundamental component of physical fitness, and therefore should be precisely assessed. The purpose of this study was to analyze the number of testing sessions required to achieve consistent 1 repetition maximum (1RM) strength measurements in untrained older women. Forty-five untrained older women were measured for 1RM in bench press machine (BP), leg extension (LE) machine, and free weight arm curl (AC). Reliability coefficients for trials 1 and 2 for BP (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.973) and LE (ICC = 0.976) were higher than for AC (ICC = 0.953). Percent change from trial 1 to 2 for BP (3.5 ± 10.9%) and AC (3.8 ± 8.1%) was less than for LE (5.4 ± 6.2%), but all were significant increases between trials (p < 0.05). Trial differences were reduced to nonsignificant levels (p > 0.05) in the third trial for BP (0.0 ± 0.0%), LE (1.2 ± 3.0%) and AC (2.7 ± 5.9%). Reliability coefficients rose for BP and LE (ICC = 0.999) and AC (ICC = 0.963) when a third trial was performed. Bland and Altman plotting showed very small bias and limits of agreement (LoA) for both the exercises (BP: bias = 0 kg, limits of agreement = 0 kg; LE: bias = -0.16 kg, LoA = 2.21 kg; AC: bias = -0.11 kg, LoA = 1.72 kg). This approach to determine 1RM strength values produced rapid lifting technique familiarization resulting in a need of 2 to 3 test sessions to achieve consistent 1RM measurements in untrained older women.
authors.affiliation: Metabolism, Nutrition and Exercise Laboratory, Londrina State University, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil. matheusamarante@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Matheus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amarante do Nascimento
authors.forename: Renata Selvatici Borges
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Januário
authors.forename: Aline Mendes
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gerage
authors.forename: Jerry L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Mayhew
authors.forename: Fábio Luiz
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Cheche Pina
authors.forename: Edilson Serpeloni
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Cyrino
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength; D053581:Muscle Strength Dynamometer; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014891:Weight Lifting / Q000502:physiology*