signal (Quattro jump software, type 2822A1-1, version 1.1.1.4)
to derive velocity (multiplied by force to calculate power)
and displacement (jump height).
Isometric Midthigh Pull
IMTP contractions were performed within an isometric
rig consisting of a base plate with stainless steel uprights
(ESP Fitness, Loughborough, UK), which facilitated barbell
Table 1.Descriptive characteristics of a World’s Strongest Man and deadlift champion and populations featured
within this study for the purposes of providing comparative muscle and tendon morphology data
n Age, yr Height, m Body Mass, kg Source of Comparative Data
WSM 1 30.6 1.90 172.0
Overall muscle morphology
Elite sprint runners 5 27.4 ± 4.1 1.83 ± 0.06 86.4 ± 6.7 Miller et al. ( 13)
Subelite sprint runners 26 22.0 ± 2.2 1.78 ± 0.06 75.4 ± 7.3
Untrained controls 11 25.8 ± 2.6 1.80 ± 0.08 75.2 ± 5.6
Quadriceps femoris muscle morphology
Long-term resistance-trained 16 22 ± 2 1.83 ± 0.06 91 ± 10 Maden-Wilkinson et al. ( 10)
Untrained controls 102 25 ± 3 1.78 ± 0.08 73 ± 10 Pooled sample from Miller et al. ( 13)( n ¼ 11),
Balshaw et al. (11)( n ¼ 52), and pretest of
Balshaw et al. (14)( n ¼ 39)
Hamstrings muscle morphology
Long-term resistance-trained 16 22 ± 2 1.83 ± 0.06 91 ± 10 Unpublished observations from the sample
in Maden-Wilkinson et al. (10)
Untrained controls 50 26 ± 4 1.79 ± 0.08 75 ± 11 Pooled sample from Miller et al. ( 13)( n ¼ 11)
and pretest of Balshaw et al. (14)( n ¼ 39)
Patellar tendon CSA and moment arm
Long-term resistance-trained 16 22 ± 2 1.83 ± 0.06 90 ± 10 Massey et al. ( 15)
Untrained controls 39 25 ± 2 1.76 ± 0.06 72 ± 9
Values for comparative populations are means ± SD. CSA, cross-sectional area.
WORLD STRONGMAN AND DEADLIFT CHAMPION
J Appl Physiol/C15 doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00342.2024 /C15 www.jappl.org 791
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