Cavazos-Oto: Muscular endurance domain
Rationale
The purpose of these tests is to measure the body’s ability to repeatedly use the same muscles for sub-maximal force production.
There are four tests, consisting of the same lifts performed in the Strength domain—the deadlift, front squat, shoulder press, and pullup. The exercises are performed in the same manner, and their weights are defined by the 1RM results obtained in the Strength tests: each Muscular Endurance test uses a percentage of 1RM for the given lift, for as many reps as possible in two minutes. The exception is the pullup test, which uses unaltered bodyweight (no added weight) for the sake of simplicity.
The intent of this loading and time domain is to measure the ability of the muscles to resist fatigue, without being limited by metabolic capacity or maximal strength, and without injury. The use of a timed total, with rests permitted, also tests for muscular recovery, an important component of fatigue resistance.
Guidelines
To record a valid score in the Muscular Endurance domain, all of the tests here must be completed within the 1-month timeframe. They need not be tested in a single session nor in any particular order. However, with the exception of the pullup test, these tests must be completed after the pertinent Strength tests, as the 1RM numbers from those tests are needed to calculate loads for the Muscular Endurance efforts.
Chalk, lifting belts, non-constricting knee wraps, and most non-performance-enhancing paraphernalia are allowed, including any type of shoes and normal clothing. Explicitly disallowed are restrictive powerlifting suits (squat suits, bench shirts, etc.), wrist straps for the deadlift or pullup, and other assistive gear. If a spotter touches the lifter or weight at any point during the lift, it is disqualified.
A “0” score is awarded if a lifter can move a stick, plastic pipe, or other object of trivial weight. Any weight between 0 and 45lb (a regular bar) can be tested using micro-weights or whatever is available.
Test one: Endurance deadlift
At standard height (radius of a 45lb plate) from the ground, load a 20kg barbell to total 50% of your tested Deadlift 1RM. Using a stance that places the hands outside the knees, lift the bar in one motion until the knees and hips are fully extended with the back in normal extension. Lower the weight back to the floor. This is one repetition. Repeat for as many correct repetitions as possible in exactly 2 minutes. Your score is the number of deadlifts completed from bottom to bottom; any partial reps are disregarded.
Each rep must start and end on the floor; the bar may be raised and lowered at any speed but must remain in the hands while airborne. The lift need not be paused in the top position. The bar must be lifted from a dead stop for each repetition; there must therefore be at least enough pause in the bottom position to allow for the dissipation of any bounce of the plates.
The timer starts on command, with the athlete ready but motionless, and ends at 2 minutes. The athlete is permitted to grip the bar and set up before the clock begins.
The athlete may release the bar to rest whenever desired.
[See the Strength section for photos of acceptable positions]
| Sub-athletic | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | ranking |
| 2 | 6 | 10 | 21.5 | 33 | 44.5 | 56 | 67.5 | 79 | 90.5 | 102 | reps |
Test two: Endurance front squat
In a squat rack, load a 20kg barbell to total 40% of your tested Front Squat 1RM. Rack the bar across the front of the shoulders, step back, and perform a front squat. This is one repetition. Repeat for as many correct repetitions as possible in exactly 2 minutes. Your score is the number of front squats completed from top to top; any partial reps are disregarded.
Each rep must descend below parallel, which is defined as the depth when the visible crease of the hip breaks the horizontal plane at the top of the patella. The top of the lift is complete when the lifter fully extends the knees and hips with the back in normal extension. The barbell must rest on the front of the shoulders, anterior to the neck; any grip is allowed, including a clean-style grip, clean grip with straps, or arms crossed. Squatting to a ball or box is not permitted.
The timer starts on command, with the athlete ready but motionless, and ends at 2 minutes. It is not required to rerack the weight within the time limit. It is permitted to rack the weight at any point to rest. The feet may not be moved during any single repetition, but may be moved between completed reps.
If a squat rack is unavailable, it is permissible to clean the barbell from the floor, as long as the same motionless stance and rack position is assumed prior to beginning the squats. In this case, the timer will not begin until the squat stance is assumed.
[See the Strength section for photos of acceptable positions]
| Sub-athletic | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | ranking |
| 5 | 10 | 15 | 28 | 41 | 54 | 67 | 80 | 93 | 106 | 119 | reps |
Test three: Endurance shoulder press
In a squat rack, load a 20kg barbell to total 40% of your tested Shoulder Press 1RM. Take the bar in the hands at the front of the chest, step back, and perform a standing shoulder press. This is one repetition. Repeat for as many correct repetitions as possible in exactly 2 minutes. Your score is the number of shoulder presses completed from bottom to bottom; any partial reps are disregarded.
Each rep must begin and end with the bar touching the chest, and at the top of the lift the elbows must reach full extension. Any width of grip is allowed. The bar may be raised and lowered at any speed but may not reverse directions except at the top and bottom.
The lower body must be completely locked during the entire lift; any flexion of the knees or hips disqualifies the lift. A severe body layback that brings the front of the armpits rearward of the buttocks at any point during the lift will disqualify the attempt. Any width or angulation of the feet is permitted, but the feet must stay motionless during each repetition; however, they may be repositioned between reps.
The timer starts on command, with the athlete ready but motionless, and ends at 2 minutes. It is not required to rerack the weight within the time limit. It is permitted to rack the weight at any point to rest.
If a squat rack is unavailable, it is permissible to clean the barbell from the floor, as long as the same motionless stance and rack position is assumed prior to beginning the press. In this case, the timer will not begin until the press stance is assumed.
[See the Strength section for photos of acceptable positions]
| Sub-athletic | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | ranking |
| 5 | 10 | 15 | 31 | 47 | 63 | 79 | 95 | 111 | 127 | 143 | reps |
Test four: Endurance pullup
Grasp a bar with your hands in an overhand, pronated grip. Beginning from a motionless dead hang, pull your body up until the tip of your chin breaks the horizontal plane of the top edge of the bar. Lower back to a full hang. This is one repetition. Repeat for as many correct repetitions as possible in exactly 2 minutes. Your score is the number of pullups from bottom to bottom; any partial reps are disregarded.
Any tye of bar (padded, metal, ledge) and hand width (wide, narrow, moderate) may be used, but the grip must be overhand, with the palms facing directly forward. Each rep must begin with the athlete fully suspended with complete extension of the elbows and shoulders, in contact with nothing but the bar. The pull may be performed at any speed, and may pause at any point, but may not descend prior to reaching full height, may not be assisted with any swing, kicking, or arching of the body, and may not bring the athlete in contact with anything except the bar. If the bar is low enough for the athlete to touch the ground when hanging, he must bend his legs or hips enough to stay suspended and meet these requirements. No straps or grips may be used to secure the hands to the bar, but chalk is allowed.
It is permissible to extend the neck to raise the chin, but it is absolutely forbidden to kip or “hitch” the body to extend the top of the pull. If repeated pullups begins to induce a swinging of the body, it must be arrested before it becomes significant. Other than this there is no need to pause at the bottom position, as long as full extension is reached.
The timer starts on command, with the athlete ready but motionless, and ends at 2 minutes. The athlete is permitted to grip the bar and hang before the clock begins.
The athlete may drop from the bar or rest by supporting the legs at any point, but must return to the unsupported deadhang start position before beginning a new rep.
[See the Strength section for photos of acceptable positions]
| Sub-athletic | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | ranking |
| 0 | 1.5 | 3 | 15 | 27 | 39 | 51 | 63 | 75 | 87 | 99 | reps |
Total muscular endurance score
The below number is the average of the rankings calculated above. Nothing complicated is being done; the numbers output by the above tests are simply being averaged for your convenience. This average is displayed automatically; however, as described in the instructions, your Muscular Endurance score will not be valid until you have completed all of the above tests, even if a number is displayed below prior to that. This is simply a limitation of the calculation widget’s intelligence.
» Muscular Endurance score: «