Strength (Video):
The Single-Leg Triple-Hop Test
Are you looking for a good test of students' leg strength and power with minimal equipment and complications? Look no farther than the single-leg triple-hop test.
A recent study has proven it to be a good test for measuring improvements in leg strength and power. The test is easily conducted in the field and requires only a tape measure to perform.
Execution
To perform the test, simply have students execute three consecutive forward hops using their dominant leg. The objective is maximum distance after three consecutive hops.
Start the subject with their toe just touching a starting line and tell them to hop three times while maintaining their balance. Swinging the arms is acceptable; the only movement not allowed is touching the ground with anything other than the hopping foot. It's a good idea to give each student several practice hops to gain confidence in their balance.
The final distance is measured from the starting line to the back of the heel after the third and final hop.
The Study
A study at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, using equal numbers of male and female soccer players, showed that the THD test provides a good assessment of leg power in the horizontal direction. It also proved to be a good indication of vertical jump power (by comparing results from vertical jump tests).
Since the test was done exclusively with soccer players, the test should be considered most reliable with soccer athletes.
One surprising result of the study was that the investigators found little evidence to support the THD test in measuring static balance.
Applications
The most useful application of the test would be to measure the development of horizontal and vertical leg strength and power over time, by comparing early results to those after a period of time, such as a training season or year.
The test can help coaches and trainers determine improvements in leg strength following injury and verify readiness to return to competitive play, especially in evaluating hamstring and quadriceps strength and power.
Single-Leg Triple-Hop Test, watch the video below:
Reference: R. Tyler Hamilton, Sandra J. Shultz, Randy J. Schmitz, David H. Perrin (U. of North Carolina at Greensboro), Triple-Hop Distance as a Valid Predictor of Lower Limb Strength and Power, Journal of Athletic Training 2008; 43(2):144–151.
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