Validation of a One-Minute Abdominal Crunch Test with the Canadian Curl-Up Test

• Published in: Journal of Public Health Issues and Practices Vol. 2; no. 2
• Main Authors: Moran, Meghan K., Wagganer, Jason D., Jones, Eric J., Bergman, Randy J., Pujol, Thomas J., Langenfeld, Mark E., Barnes, Jeremy T., M. Seth, Sievers, Sutherlin, Amy E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2018
• ISSN: 2581-7264; 2581-7264
• DOI: 10.33790/jphip1100114

The purpose of this study was to validate a one-minute abdominal SEMO crunch test by comparing it to the Canadian Curl-up Test (CCT). The SEMO crunch test was designed to evaluate muscular endurance via a one-minute timed effort. The CCT is a valid curl up test which ensures that an equal amount of work is being performed with each repetition. The advantage of the SEMO crunch test is time efficiency when testing large groups of subjects. All participants [n=179 (82 females; 97 males)] voluntarily consented to the study. Mean age (M=21.6 yr, F=21.4 yr), height (M=180.6 cm, F=165.8 cm), weight (M=79.7 kg, F=61.1 kg), and hours of activity per week (M=8.1, F=6.8) were reported for the participants. Participants were given specific instructions for each test prior to administration. The order of testing was counterbalanced and a minimum five-minute resting period between the two tests was required. Correlation coefficient between the CCT and the SEMO crunch test demonstrated a weak but significant relationship (r=0.185, p<0.01). The correlation coefficient for females was significant (r=0.325, p<0.01), however, the correlation coefficient for males (r=0.058, p>0.05) was not. The results indicate the SEMO crunch test is valid, however, the practical significance is questionable due to the poor relationship with the CCT. In addition, there appears to be a difference between males and females which may be attributable to the nature of the criterion measure.