Criterion Validity and Reliability of a New Medicine Ball Rotational Power Test.

Abstract: Hardy, SGJ, Stelzer-Hiller, OW, Edwards, KM, and Freeston, J. Criterion validity and reliability of a new medicine ball rotational power test. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2024-This study assessed the validity and reliability of 2 medicine ball rotational power assessments, the novel push for maximum velocity by radar (MBvel), and the commonly used push for maximum distance by tape measure (MBdis), against the criterion reference 3-dimensional motion capture (MoCap) to identify the best-practice field-based assessment. Fifteen professional female cricketers volunteered for 2 testing sessions each comprising of a specific warm-up and 24 (12 MBvel, 12 MBdis) maximal throws of a 2-kilogram medicine ball. Radar velocity and tape measure distance were compared with MoCap velocity and projectile motion calculated distance overall, and by dominant and nondominant sides. Statistical analysis included intraclass correlations (ICCs) for accuracy (1, 1) and reliability (3,1), Bland-Altman plots for bias precision and limits of agreement, linear regression (R2) for variance, and Pearson's (r) for correlation. Significance was set α = 0.05. MBvel demonstrated excellent accuracy (ICC = 0.97 [0.97-0.98]), and nearly perfect agreement for bias (-0.09%) and precision (1.49%). Side-to-side analysis showed the same profile for MBvel dominant (ICC = 0.96 [0.95-0.97], bias -0.15%, precision = 1.55%) and nondominant sides (ICC = 0.97 [0.96-0.98], bias -0.05%, precision = 1.53%). MBvel demonstrated excellent reliability overall (ICC = 0.94 [0.82-0.98]) for dominant (ICC = 0.88 [0.69-0.97]) and nondominant sides (ICC = 0.93 [0.80-0.98]). MBdis showed poor accuracy (ICC = 0.38 [0.28-0.47]), large bias (12.43%), lower precision (4.55%), and moderate reliability (ICC = 0.72 [0.32-0.90]). The MBvel assessment validly and reliably measures rotational power performance, enabling practitioners to profile, benchmark, and assess the quality in the field.