A Preliminary Analysis of Relationships between a 1RM Hexagonal Bar Load and Peak Power with the Tactical Task of a Body Drag

A critical job task for law enforcement officers that should be influenced by strength is the body drag. This study analyzed relationships between absolute and relative strength measured by a one-repetition maximum hexagonal bar deadlift (1RM HBD), with body drags completed with 74.84 kg and 90.72 kg dummies. Twenty recreationally-trained individuals completed the 1RM HBD in one session, with peak power measured via a linear position transducer. Over two subsequent sessions, participants dragged the 74.84 kg and 90.72 kg dummies with two techniques. The first technique followed Californian standards, where participants wrapped their arms around the dummy and lifted it to standing before timing commenced. In the adapted technique, timing included the initial manipulation of the dummy. Participants dragged the dummy as quickly as possible over a 9.75 m distance. Partial correlations and linear regression (controlling for sex; p < 0.05) analyzed relationships between the HBD and body drags. The standard 74.84 kg body drag correlated with every HBD variable (r = -0.477 to -0.666), and was predicted by the absolute 1RM HBD (r(2) = 0.467). The adapted 74.84 kg drag correlated with all HBD variables (r = -0.535 to 0.754), and was predicted by peak power and the 1RM HBD (r(2) = 0.758). Both 90.72 kg drags correlated with absolute and relative 1RM HBD (r = -0.517 to -0.670). Strength related to all body drags; peak power may be more important for drags with lighter loads. Strength training should be a focus in law enforcement to enhance drag performance.