Relationships among Selected Attributes and Three Measures of Upper Body Strength and Endurance in Elementary School Children

The purpose of this investigation was to assess (a) proportions of children unable to perform each of three measures of upper body strength and endurance—pull-up, flexed-arm hang, and modified pull-up; (b) relationships among selected attribute variables of age, weight, percent body fat, and body mass index, and the three measures of upper body strength and endurance; and (c) the attribute variables which best predict scores for the three measures of upper body strength and endurance. Subjects were 104 elementary school children in Grades 1 through 6. Percentages of children obtaining zero scores were computed. Intercorrelations among the attribute and upper body strength and endurance variables were examined for significance and effect size. For each of the three measures of upper body strength and endurance, a max R2 forward stepwise, multiple regression analysis was performed to identify which attribute variables best predict the score of that particular measure. Analyses indicated that age and percent body fat were the best predictors of pull-up and flexed-arm hang scores, whereas age and body mass index best predicted the modified pull-up score.