A força de preensão manual é preditora do desempenho da força muscular de membros superiores e inferiores em mulheres sedentárias/Handgrip strength predicts upper and lower muscle strength in sedentary women

The handgrip strength (HGS) is associated with cardiovascular risk factors and mortality. In this sense, the aim of the present study was to verify the existence of correlation between HGS and muscle strength measured by one maximum repetition (1MR) tests and isometric dynamometry. 57 sedentary women at least six months (age 31.7 ± 8.2 years, body mass 64.3 ± 12.3 kg, height 158.0 ± 10.0 cm, body mass index 25.7 ± 4.5 kg/m^sup 2^, body fat percentage 33.3 ± 7.2) participated of this study. HGS was measured by a manual mechanical dynamometer. 1MR tests were performed in the vertical bench press, frontal lat-pull down, horizontal leg press, leg extension and leg curl exercises. Isometric strength of the quadriceps and biceps was performed in digital dynamometer. Pearson and Spearman coefficients revealed that, with exception of the isometric strength of the quadriceps, all tests presented significant correlation with HGS: vertical bench press (r = .59, p = .01), frontal lat-pull down (r = .56, p = .01) horizontal leg press (r = .37, p = .01), leg extension (r = .36, p = .01), leg curl (r = .48, p = .01), and isometric strength of biceps (r = .44, p = .01). It can be concluded that HGS may be a good predictor of muscle strength performance of the upper and lower members in sedentary women. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]