Physical fitness of elite women's rugby union players over a ...

controlled manner to the center of the chest, touching the chest lightly and then extending
upwards until the arms were in a fully locked position. A lift was disqualified if the player
raised her buttocks off the bench during the movement, bounced the bar of their chest,
extended her arms unevenly, or if the spotter had to assist the lifter.
A light warm-up set of 10 repetitions was performed using the 20 kg Olympic bar prior to
testing. This was followed by 6-8 repetitions at approximately 30-40% of the estimated 1RM,
based on the player’s previous resistance training experience. A 2-minute stretching routine
for the shoulders and chest was completed; thereafter six repetitions at 60% of the estimated
1RM were performed. The player was required to rest for 3-4 minutes before attempting their
1RM. If the 1RM was successful, the resistance was increased by 2.5% to 5% increments after
a 5 minute rest period before attempting the next bench press. The final weight lifted
successfully was recorded as the absolute 1RM in kilograms, and the relative bench press was
calculated as 1RM/ (body weight). It has been demonstrated that the test-retest reliability of 1
RM measurements amongst experienced male and female lifters ranges from 0.92 to 0.98
(Logan et al., 2000).
3.6.8 Muscle Endurance Test
Underhand pull-ups
The pull-up test is widely used to assess body mass-related dynamic upper body muscular
endurance. The underhand pull-up test was performed according to Durandt et al. (2006). An
underhand grip was used with hands placed 10-15 cm apart. The player started from a hanging
position (arms fully extended). The player’s chin was required to reach above and touch the
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