The Use of the Isometric Mid-thigh Pull in the Monitoring of Weightlifters: 25+ Years of Experience

Currently, multi-joint, position-specific isometric tests (MJIT) are commonly used as part of the monitoring of an athlete’s progress. Strong associations between isometric force-time curve parameters have been found. Perhaps the most commonly used test is the isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP): the IMTP was created in the early 1990s and its use has grown considerably since that time. One sport in which it has been used extensively from the early 1990s to the present, particularly by the authors, is weightlifting. The relationships between weightlifting performance and IMTP force-time characteristics are quite strong, particularly for RFD. The IMTP is not only useful in assessing a weightlifter’s performance but can also be used for monitoring fatigue.