Question

1. What are the limitations of a curl up test with regard to testing abdominal strength?

2. Why might low abdominal (muscular) strength and endurance be linked to low back pain and poor posture?

3. What are the six factors that interact to regulate skeletal muscle mass and strength development with resistance training?

4. Why is it necessary to complete a battery of muscular strength/endurance tests?

Answer 1

Answers:

1. A curl-up test aka. sit up or crunch test is usually used to measure the strength and endurance of the abdominal muscles and hip flexor muscles. The main limitation of the curl-up test when measuring abdominal strength happens when the feet are held down. This engages the hip flexor muscles more than the abdominal muscles and thus is not an effective test for abdominal strength.

2. The abdominal muscles consist of external abdominal obliques, the internal abdominal obliques, the rectus abdominis, and the transversus abdominis. The lumbar muscles or lower back muscles consist of Multifidus, Longissimus, Spinalis, and Quadratus Lumborum. These muscles are responsible for maintaining proper posture and shield and support the viscera.

Lower back pain is associated with instability of the lumbar muscles multifidus, internal oblique, transversus abdominis, and decreased support of the spine due to fatigue. These muscles and structures, in turn, affect the posture. If the abdominal and lumbar muscles are weak, it can cause instability. This will lead to lower back pain and poor posture.

3. The six factors that interact with resistance training to regulate strength development and skeletal muscle mass with are:

• Genetics
• Exercise
• Nutritional status
• Hormonal or Endocrine influences
• Environmental factors
• Nervous System activation

These six factors interact together to develop muscle mass and maintain them.

4. A battery of tests is a group of physical tests grouped together. It is usually selected and ordered according to the strength, energy, and endurance needs of the activity. For example, a soccer team's requirements might be agility, flexibility, strength, aerobic endurance, etc. When a battery of tests are created for these purposes, the exercises included will be to test the strength and endurance of these requirements. The battery ensures that the participant will be able to meet the movements and energy demands of the sport. So it is important that a participant completes the battery of these tests. When a participant does not complete the muscular strength and/or endurance tests it does not present a comprehensive analysis of the participant's ability for the activity.