Association Between Hand Grip Strength and Pull-Up Performance in Royal Thai Army Cadets

Abstract

Pramkratok W, Prajongjai V, Songsupap T. Association Between Hand Grip Strength and Pull-Up Performance in Royal Thai Army Cadets. JEPonline 2023;26(5):71–80. The purpose of this study was to analyze the association between hand grip strength (HGS) and pull-up performance (PUP) in Royal Thai Army cadets (RTACs) and explore the associated factors. Twenty-six male RTACs volunteered to participate in this study. In a retrospective analytic design, measurements included HGS, body composition, relative one-repetition maximum lat pull (1RM Lat Pull·BW-1), repetitions to failure in lat pull at body weight load (Lat Pull at BW-load), and the pull-up test. Pearson’s correlation was used to evaluate the relationships between variables with significance at P < 0.05. The results indicated that dominant HGS (HGS-D) exhibited a very large relationship (r = 0.712), while non-dominant HGS (HGS-ND) showed a large relationship (r = 0.593) with PUP. HGS-D, HGS-ND, and PUP also correlated significantly with percent body fat, 1RM Lat Pull·BW-1, and Lat Pull at BW-load (all, P < 0.01). This study contributes to a better understanding of the factors that influence PUP in RTACs and underscores the role of HGS in achieving success in pull-up tests. These findings emphasize the importance of incorporating grip strength training into physical fitness programs for military personnel to improve their overall physical readiness.