Movement Velocity as Indicator of Relative Intensity and Level of Effort Attained During the Set in Pull-Up Exercise.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the relationship between movement velocity and relative load (%1RM) in the pull-up exercise (PU) and to determine the pattern of repetition-velocity loss during a single set to failure in pulling one's own body mass.


METHODS
Fifty-two men (age = 26.5 ± 3.9 y, body mass = 74.3 ± 7.2 kg) performed a first evaluation (T1) consisting of an 1-repetition-maximum test (1RM) and a test of maximum number of repetitions to failure pulling one's own body mass (MNR) in the PU exercise. Thirty-nine subjects performed both tests on a second occasion (T2) following 12 wk of training.


RESULTS
The authors observed a strong relationship between mean propulsive velocity (MPV) and %1RM (r = -.96). Mean velocity attained with 1RM load (V1RM) was 0.20 ± 0.05 m·s-1, and it influenced the MPV attained with each %1RM. Although 1RM increased by 3.4% from T1 to T2, the relationship between MPV and %1RM, and V1RM, remained stable. The authors also confirmed stability in the V1RMregardless of individual relative strength. The authors found a strong relationship between percentage of velocity loss and percentage of performed repetitions (R2= .88), which remained stable despite a 15% increase in MNR.


CONCLUSIONS
Monitoring repetition velocity allows estimation of the %1RM used as soon as the first repetition with a given load is performed, and the number of repetitions remaining in reserve when a given percentage of velocity loss is achieved during a PU exercise set.
Miguel
M
Sánchez-Moreno
David
D
Rodríguez-Rosell
Fernando
F
Pareja-Blanco
Ricardo
R
Mora-Custodio
Juan José
JJ
González-Badillo
D000328:Adult; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
loading intensity; strength training; training volume; velocity loss; velocity-based resistance training