Influence of lifting straps on force, rate of force development and impulse outputs during isometric mid-thigh pull: Evidence from judo and resistance-trained populations
- 1Sports Education Center, National Ilan University, Ilan, Taiwan
- 2Graduate Institute of Sports Science, National Taiwan Sport University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
Abstract
The isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP) is a reliable method for assessing whole-body maximal isometric strength; however, the influence of lifting straps on IMTP performance remains unclear, particularly in sports such as judo that rely heavily on grip strength. This study recruited 30 male participants, including 15 judo athletes and 15 recreationally resistance-trained undergraduates, who completed IMTP tests under strapped and non-strapped conditions in a randomized order. Peak force (PF), rate of force development (RFD), and impulse (IP) were measured using a 1000 Hz force plate, and a two-way mixed ANOVA was used to examine the effects of group and strap condition. The results showed no significant interaction between group and condition. However, significant main effects of both group and strap condition were observed for most variables (p < 0.05), with higher PF, RFD, and IP recorded under the strapped condition. Judo athletes also demonstrated greater grip strength (51.3 ± 3.4 kg) than the resistance-trained group (44.7 ± 3.3 kg, p < 0.01). These findings suggest that the use of lifting straps enhances IMTP performance and may reduce the influence of grip strength limitations on maximal force expression. Therefore, when the purpose of IMTP testing is to assess maximal force production, the use of lifting straps may be considered to minimize the potential influence of grip-related limitations and to standardize testing procedures across athletes.
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BibTeX
@article{yeh2026influence,
title = {{Influence of lifting straps on force, rate of force development and impulse outputs during isometric mid-thigh pull: Evidence from judo and resistance-trained populations}},
author = {Hung-Chih Yeh and Chia-An Ho and En-Yu Chang and Hei-Tung Lau and Chih-Wen Hsu and Hsin-Yu Tu and Pei-Hsuan Wang and Chin-Shan Ho},
journal = {PLOS One},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0357488},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0357488},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Influence of lifting straps on force, rate of force development and impulse outputs during isometric mid-thigh pull: Evidence from judo and resistance-trained populations
AU - Hung-Chih Yeh
AU - Chia-An Ho
AU - En-Yu Chang
AU - Hei-Tung Lau
AU - Chih-Wen Hsu
AU - Hsin-Yu Tu
AU - Pei-Hsuan Wang
AU - Chin-Shan Ho
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/03
JO - PLOS One
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0357488
UR - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0357488
AB - The isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP) is a reliable method for assessing whole-body maximal isometric strength; however, the influence of lifting straps on IMTP performance remains unclear, particularly in sports such as judo that rely heavily on grip strength. This study recruited 30 male participants, including 15 judo athletes and 15 recreationally resistance-trained undergraduates, who completed IMTP tests under strapped and non-strapped conditions in a randomized order. Peak force (PF), rate of force development (RFD), and impulse (IP) were measured using a 1000 Hz force plate, and a two-way mixed ANOVA was used to examine the effects of group and strap condition. The results showed no significant interaction between group and condition. However, significant main effects of both group and strap condition were observed for most variables (p < 0.05), with higher PF, RFD, and IP recorded under the strapped condition. Judo athletes also demonstrated greater grip strength (51.3 ± 3.4 kg) than the resistance-trained group (44.7 ± 3.3 kg, p < 0.01). These findings suggest that the use of lifting straps enhances IMTP performance and may reduce the influence of grip strength limitations on maximal force expression. Therefore, when the purpose of IMTP testing is to assess maximal force production, the use of lifting straps may be considered to minimize the potential influence of grip-related limitations and to standardize testing procedures across athletes.
SN - 1932-6203
ER -