By Rob Shaul
In Januar 2020 we asked for remote lab rats to take MTI’s Relative Strength Assessment. The initial goal was to help validate the “Poor, Good, Excellent” scores we’ve developed for the assessment.
However, the average relative strength score of the 18 athletes who volunteered to take the assessment last Monday, 1.20.20, was 5.10 – in the “excellent” range for military athletes.
In hindsight, it seems reasonable that athletes who would volunteer to take a strength assessment would likely have a bias toward strength training, and so we’re fairly sure this “snapshot” is not one of regular tactical and mountain athletes, but rather fit members of the MTI community.
Scores were impressive, including one score of a military athlete above 6 – the highest we’ve ever seen. As well, two female tactical athletes took the assessment, and each scored above 4 – very strong. See the results below:
In addition to reporting their scores, we asked the “lab rats” who took the assessment to send in any comments or feedback on the assessment itself. A handful of lab rats wrote in that their Power Clean score would have been higher if their technique was better.
The Power Clean is the one suspect event in this assessment. A technical exercise, entire books have been written on power clean technique and how to teach it. However, of all the explosive/power strength exercises, the Power Clean is the most common, and well-known exercise – which is why it was chosen.
We’ve struggled to find a replacement to assess explosive strength and power. A standing broad jump is a common assessment exercise but we’re not sure it truly assesses strength. As well, it’s difficult to assess on your own.
Any suggestions to replace the power clean? Please email me – rob@mtntactical.com
Take The MTI Relative Strength Assessment HERE