ASSESSING MUSCULAR STRENGTH IN YOUTH: USEFULNESS OF STANDING LONG JUMP AS A GENERAL INDEX OF MUSCULAR FITNESS

Castro-Pinero, J, Ortega, FB, Artero, EG, Girela-Rejon, MJ, Mora, J, Sjostrom, M, and Ruiz, JR. Assessing muscular strength in youth: usefulness of standing long jump as a general index of muscular fitness. J Strength Cond Res 24(7): 1810-1817, 2010-The purpose of the present study was to examine the association among different measures of lower body muscular strength in children, and the association between measures of lower-and upper-body muscular strength. The study population comprises 94 (45 girls) healthy Caucasian children aged 6-17 years. Children performed several lower body explosive muscular strength tests (i.e., standing long jump [SLJ], vertical jump, squat jump, and countermovement jump) and upper body muscular strength tests (i.e., throw basketball, push-ups, and isometric strength exercises). The association among the study tests was analyzed by multiple regression. The SLJ was strongly associated with other lower body muscular strength tests (R-2 = 0.829-0.864), and with upper body muscular strength tests (R-2 = 0.694-0.851). The SLJ test might be therefore considered a general index of muscular fitness in youth. The SLJ test is practical, time efficient, and low in cost and equipment requirements.