Handgrip strength (HGS) appears to be an indicator of climbing performance. The transferability of HGS measurements obtained using a hand dynamometer and factors that influence the maximal climbing-specific holding time (CSHT) are largely unclear. Forty-eight healthy subjects (27 female, 21 male; age: 22.46 ± 3.17 years; height: 172.76 ± 8.91 cm; weight: 69.07 ± 12.41 kg; body fat: 20.05% ± 7.95%) underwent a maximal pull-up test prior to the experiment and completed a self-assessment using a Likert scale questionnaire. HGS was measured using a hand dynamometer, whereas CSHT was measured using a fingerboard. Multiple linear regressions showed that weight, maximal number of pull-ups, HGS normalized by subject weight, and length of the middle finger had a significant effect on the maximal CSHT (non-dominant hand: R2corr = 0.63; dominant hand: R2corr = 0.55). Deeper exploration using a machine learning model including all available data showed a predictive performance with R2 = 0.51 and identified another relevant parameter for the regression model. These results call into question the use of hand dynamometers and highlight the performance-related importance of body weight in climbing practice. The results provide initial indications that finger length may be used as a sub-factor in talent scouting.

The objectification of acute fatigue (during isometric muscle contraction) and cumulative fatigue (due to multiple intermittent isometric muscle contractions) plays an important role in sport climbing. The data of 42 participants were used in the study. Climbing performance was operationalized using maximal climbing-specific holding time (CSHT) by performing dead hangs. The test started with an initial measurement of handgrip strength (HGS) followed by three intermittent measurements of CSHT and HGS. During the test, finger flexor muscle oxygen saturation (SmO2) was measured using a near-infrared spectroscopy wearable biosensor. Significant reductions in CSHT and HGS could be found (p < 0.001), which indicates that the consecutive maximal isometric holding introduces cumulative fatigue. The reduction in CSHT did not correlate with a reduction in HGS over multiple consecutive maximal dead hangs (p > 0.35). Furthermore, there were no significant differences in initial SmO2 level, SmO2 level at termination, SmO2 recovery, and mean negative slope of the SmO2 saturation reduction between the different measurements (p > 0.24). Significant differences were found between pre-, termination-, and recovery- (10 s after termination) SmO2 levels (p < 0.001). Therefore, monitoring acute fatigue using athletes’ termination SmO2 saturation seems promising. By contrast, the measurement of HGS and muscle oxygen metabolism seems inappropriate for monitoring cumulative fatigue during intermittent isometric climbing-specific muscle contractions.

In this study, we propose to expand the research on the biomechanics of cycling, including changes caused by riding at different intensity levels and fatigue, similar to training or competition. Six well-trained, experienced male road cyclists (27.17 ± 3.89 years; 180.41 ± 5.31 cm; 75.23 ± 4.91 kg) with 8.3 ± 4.85 years of (professional) experience in road cycling underwent a lactate test, starting with 100 W and an increment of 20 W every 3 minutes until total exhaustion. Afterward, subjects drove an increment of 50 W every 3 minutes, starting again with 100 W and ending with 250 W (post-test). Changes in position were recorded via 2D video analysis. We found that with higher power output relative to the individual anaerobic threshold (IAT), the joint angles changed. No significant differences were present for the pre–post comparisons of the examined angles, which should map the influence of fatigue (p > .05). Future research should try to observe cycling movement in more realistic settings, such as cycling-specific fatigue or during an outdoor ride, as the biomechanics under these conditions are of particularly high relevance for the athletes. Overall, the results suggest performing bike fitting more individually and in more realistic situations or setting.