CORRELATION OF HANDGRIP STRENGHT WITH VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL PLYOMETRIC JUMPS

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Handgrip strength is a good general indicator of physical fitness. It has long been used as a diagnostic tool, the results of which are related to eating habits, rotator cuff weakness, fatigue, and general physical fitness. We did not find any research of correlation of handgrip with the jumping force, so we wanted to test this in our study. We expected correlations between these two areas of power. The study included vertical and horizontal plyometric jumps, handgrip strength, and some body characteristics. Relationships were verified by correlation analysis. The study included 64 students of the Faculty of Sport, who performed 9 plyometric tests, a handgrip test, and measurements of body characteristics. The results in the participants show the dominance of the right hand and a significant correlation between the strength of the handgrip and body weight. Plyometric jumps show large differences between men and women. In men, there was only the significant correlation of handgrip strength with the test standing triple jump (HG_L/STJ: r=0.33; HG_R/STJ: r=0.35). In women, the force of the handgrip is correlated with the standing triple jump (HG_L/STJ: r=- 0.57; HG_R/STJ: r=-0.55) and horizontal jumps on one leg (HG_L/HJOL_L: r=0.60; HG_R/HJOL_L: r=0.56; HG_L/HJOL_R: r=0.62; HG_R/HJOL_R: r=0.58). Handgrip strength is only correlated with some plyometric jumps. Small number of correlations is most likely due to large differences in neuromuscular mechanisms, as handgrip involves isometric, absolute strength, and plyometric jumps involve relative strength, where subjects must overcome their own body weight. However, it is also necessary to consider the low number of subjects, especially female, which reduced the variability of the sample and the possibility of generalization to the wider population. As expected, of the body characteristics, body weight is most correlated to the handgrip strength.