PREDICTING MAXIMAL STRENGTH IN TRAINED POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMAN

Kemmler, W.K., D. Lauber, A. Wasserman, and J.L. Mayhew. Predicting maximal strength in trained postmenopausal women. J. Strength Cond. Res. 20(4):838-842. 2006.-The purpose of this study was to present an equation that accurately predicts 1 repetition maximum (RM) over a wide range of repetitions to fatigue (RTF) for 4 different machine resistance exercises in postmenopausal women. Seventy trained women (age = 57.4 ± 3.1 years) performed maximal and submaximal repetitions on leg press, bench press, rowing, and leg adduction machines at the conclusion of a 2-year training program. Maximal repetitions were performed on each exercise in the following ranges: 3-5RM, 6-10RM, 11-15RM, and 16-20RM. Special regard was taken to maintain the identical execution of each test (i.e., range of motion, starting angle, speed of movement). One cubic polynomial (wi [0.988-0.0000584 ri3 + 0.00190 ri2 + 0.0104 ri,] where wi is the load of measurement I, and ri is the number of repetitions) accurately predicted 1RM from RTF with mean absolute differences between actual 1RM and predicted 1RM for the 4 exercises of 1.5-3.1% and with coefficients of variation of <3.3%. Equation accuracy was independent of the exercise type or the number of RTF. Thus, this study supported the validity of RTF to adequately estimate 1RM over a wide range of repetitions and within different exercises in trained, older female subjects.