Science for practice

The Structure of Speed-Strength Preparedness in Elite Weightlifters: A Comparative Analysis

V. N. Deniskin, Yu. V. Verkhoshansky, E. A. Krasov, State Central Institute of Physical Culture (GTsOLIFK)

English summary of Tyazhelaya Atletika. Ezhegodnik 1982 (Moscow: Fizkultura i Sport, 1982), pp. 47–48: the text is paraphrased, not translated; data tables are given in full with English labels.

Method

48 first-class, CMS and MS lifters, examined in 1972 and 1977; 18–19 characteristics: height and weight, standing high and triple jumps, jump onto a vaulting buck, competition lifts and total, assistance lifts (pulls, bench press, back squat) — barbell results in absolute terms and per kg of bodyweight.
Correlation and factor analysis (principal components, varimax rotation) on a Minsk-22 computer.

Table 1. Factor loadings, first survey (1972), senior grades

No.	Characteristic	Factor
No.	Characteristic	1	2	3	4
1	Height	424	547	444	213
2	Weight	801	586	040	007
3	Press	921	024	205	258
4	Snatch	900	074	362	046
5	Clean and jerk	923	005	302	108
6	Total	941	047	286	151
7	Clean pull	889	016	041	373
8	Squat	935	127	041	346
9	30 m run	267	515	700	050
10	Standing triple jump	222	220	880	007
11	Standing high jump	294	124	826	201
12	Jump onto vaulting buck	162	386	819	013
13	Press (rel.)	037	889	195	305
14	Snatch (rel.)	168	900	301	009
15	Clean and jerk (rel.)	204	905	266	091
16	Total (rel.)	127	941	251	140
17	Clean pull (rel.)	259	830	097	422
18	Squat (rel.)	003	928	018	205
	Contribution to total variance, %	40.0	36.8	10.4	6.1

Table 2. Factor loadings, second survey (1977), senior grades

No.	Characteristic	Factor
No.	Characteristic	1	2	3	4
1	Height	319	780	220	132
2	Weight	712	647	190	009
3	Snatch	748	185	321	074
4	Clean and jerk	834	211	278	077
5	Total	786	206	209	039
6	Bench press	596	372	148	307
7	Clean pull	849	129	257	059
8	Snatch pull	753	066	284	068
9	Squat	813	182	262	385
10	Standing triple jump	121	258	799	177
11	Standing high jump	116	130	926	139
12	Jump onto vaulting buck	017	054	865	148
13	Bench press (rel.)	011	313	083	477
14	Snatch (rel.)	051	890	072	010
15	Clean and jerk (rel.)	012	910	006	029
16	Total (rel.)	048	923	032	073
17	Clean pull (rel.)	170	878	049	032
18	Snatch pull (rel.)	083	799	097	142
19	Squat (rel.)	037	815	001	492
	Contribution to total variance, %	41.0	31.0	10.4	6.0

Loadings as printed, without the leading “0.” (424 = 0.424). “rel.” — per kg of bodyweight.

Findings

Identical structure in 1972 and 1977: absolute strength, relative strength, explosive strength, and maximal strength in slow movements with heavy loads. Dropping the press from competition did not alter it.
Snatch and clean-and-jerk results rose markedly, with height and weight unchanged, but clean pulls, squats, the high jump and buck jump did not improve, and the triple jump fell.
Lifters now neglect relative and, above all, explosive strength.