Are trained men really stronger? A comparison of relative strength in upper and lower limbs

Abstract

This study compared the relative strength of the upper and lower limbs in trained and untrained men. Twenty-four healthy adult men participated, divided by training experience into Trained (TR) and Untrained (UNTR) groups. Participants performed one-repetition maximum tests in the bench press and 45º leg press in two sessions separated by 24 hours. The weight lifted was normalized by body mass as an indicator of relative strength. According to the results, TR showed higher relative strength in the bench press than UNTR, while no difference was observed in the leg press. The relative strength ratio (leg press/bench press) was higher in the UNTR. In conclusion, although TR men showed greater relative strength in the bench press than UNTR men, there was equivalence in relative strength for the leg press. This suggests that TR individuals focus more on training their upper limbs than their lower limbs over time.