At Range of Motion, we use a battery of four tests to test relative strength and stamina. We define relative strength as the strength you have to lift your own bodyweight (this may require assistance, or you may be able to add extra load), or how strong you are relative to your bodyweight. We define relative stamina as your ability to perform high repetitions of movements using your bodyweight. Having more relative strength and stamina has a raft of health and fitness benefits for the general population and athletes alike.
The chest to bar pull-up relative stamina test should be completed exactly five minutes after the chest to bar pull-up strength test. The bar dip relative stamina test should be completed exactly five minutes after the bar dip strength test. The chest to bar pull-up and dip tests should be completed on separate days.
Test: Max strict bar dip.
What it tests: Upper body relative pressing strength.
Procedure:
- Weigh yourself.
- Find a max strict bar dip. If you need band assistance (stand in the band), find the smallest band with which you can complete one repetition. If you are able to add weight, find the heaviest weight you can add.
- Your score is your bodyweight, minus the amount of assistance you receive from the band (see next point), or, your bodyweight plus the amount of weight you have added (for example if you weigh 80kg and you added 10kg, your score is 90kg).
- Every millimetre of band you use, gives you 1.5kg worth of assistance. So if you use 20mm worth of band, there will be 30kg (20 x 1.5) of assistance. You subtract the amount of assistance from your bodyweight (for example, if you weigh 80kg, 80-30 = 50kg) to give you your own rep max.
- Five minutes after completing this test, begin the ‘max unbroken strict bar dips in 60 seconds’ test.
Result to record: Your one rep max (using the guidelines outlined above).
Test: Max unbroken strict bar dips in 60 seconds.
What it tests: Upper body relative pressing stamina.
Procedure:
- Begin this test five minutes after completing the ‘Max strict bar dip’ test.
- Complete this testing using 70% of your max bar dip. To find this (round all figures to the nearest number):
If you needed a band for your one rep max, use the chart at Range of Motion, or here, to find the number that corresponds to your bodyweight, and the amount of weight you added. If it’s a negative number, use that many millimetres of band assistance for the test. If it’s a positive number, add that many kilograms of weight for the test. If the number is zero, use no added weight or assistance.
If you added weight for your one rep max, use the chart at Range of Motion, or here, to find the number that corresponds to your bodyweight, and the amount of weight you added. If it’s a negative number, use that many millimetres of band assistance for the test. If it’s a positive number, add that many kilograms of weight for the test. If the number is zero, use no added weight or assistance. - Complete as many unbroken reps as possible in 60 seconds at 70% of your one rep max (as found using the method outlined above).
- Your score is the total weight you moved in the 60 second unbroken set. You find this by taking the number of repetitions you completed, and multiplying this by 70% of your one rep max. For example, if your one rep max is 60kg (as found in the ‘max strict bar dip’ test), 70% of your one rep max is 42kg. If you got 14 unbroken reps in this test, your score is 14 x 42 = 588.
Result to record: Total kilograms moved in the set (reps x 70% of your one rep max).
Test: Max strict chest to bar pull-up.
What it tests: Upper body relative pulling strength.
Procedure:
- Weigh yourself.
- Find a max strict chest to bar pull-up. If you need band assistance (using the ‘horizontal band’ method where the band stretch does not change), find the smallest band with which you can complete one repetition. If you are able to add weight, find the heaviest weight you can add.
- Your score is your bodyweight, minus the amount of assistance you receive from the band (see next point), or, your bodyweight plus the amount of weight you have added (for example if you weigh 80kg and you added 10kg, your score is 90kg).
- Every millimetre of band you use, gives you 0.5kg worth of assistance. So if you use 20mm worth of band, there will be 10kg (20 x 0.5) of assistance. You subtract the amount of assistance from your bodyweight (for example, if you weigh 80kg, 80-10 = 70kg) to give you your own rep max.
Result to record: Your one rep max (using the guidelines outlined above).
Test: Max unbroken strict chest to bar pull-ups in 60 seconds.
What it tests: Upper body relative pulling stamina.
Procedure:
- Begin this test five minutes after completing the ‘Max strict chest to bar pull-up’ test.
- Complete this testing using 70% of your max chest to bar pull-up. To find this (round all figures to the nearest number):
If you needed a band for your one rep max, use the chart at Range of Motion, or here, to find the number that corresponds to your bodyweight, and the amount of weight you added. If it’s a negative number, use that many millimetres of band assistance for the test. If it’s a positive number, add that many kilograms of weight for the test. If the number is zero, use no added weight or assistance.
If you added weight for your one rep max, use the chart at Range of Motion, or here, to find the number that corresponds to your bodyweight, and the amount of weight you added. If it’s a negative number, use that many millimetres of band assistance for the test. If it’s a positive number, add that many kilograms of weight for the test. If the number is zero, use no added weight or assistance. - Complete as many unbroken reps as possible in 60 seconds at 70% of your one rep max (as found using the method outlined above).
- Your score is the total weight you moved in the 60 second unbroken set. You find this by taking the number of repetitions you completed, and multiplying this by 70% of your one rep max. For example, if your one rep max is 60kg (as found in the ‘max strict chest to bar pull-up’ test), 70% of your one rep max is 42kg. If you got 14 unbroken reps in this test, your score is 14 x 42 = 588.
Result to record: Total kilograms moved in the set (reps x 70% of your one rep max).
