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Upper Body Arm-Crank Test

The Arm Crank Test is part of the SPARQ rating system for boxing, and their protocol is listed here. This test involves two 15-second intervals against variable resistance. There is also a similar Wingate Arm Crank Test, which has a 30 seconds of maximum effort.



test purpose: to measure measure upper body strength and power

equipment required: arm cranking ergometer, work monitor unit, stopwatch, recording sheets.

pre-test: Explain the test procedures to the subject. Perform screening of health risks and obtain informed consent. Prepare forms and record basic information such as age, height, body weight, gender, test conditions. Ensure that the subject is adequately warmed-up. Calibrate and adjust the ergometer. See more details of pre-test procedures.

procedure: The subject stands comfortably in front of the arm crank ergometer, with one foot in front of the other. The subject is instructed to crank as fast as possible at maximum speed for two 15-second intervals against variable resistance.

scoring: Peak and average upper body power is recorded. These scores can also be divided by body weight to determine relative scores.

target population: boxing and other sports that require good upper body strength and power.

comments: Strong verbal encouragement will help the subject achieve their maximal score. This test was used in the 3rd season of the Contender TV series to assess the fitness of the boxers.

VO2max arm-crank testVO2max arm-crank test


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