Flexion Endurance Testing: V-Sit vs Plank

An article by Dr. S McGill compared the V-sit flexion endurance test vs the front plank test for endurance.

• The data from this study came from two sources (firefighters and kinesiology students).

• The main objective of this study was to assess the relationship between the V-sit test and the plank test for torso flexion endurance.

• The pearson correlation was r=0.34 (low correlation) as well as the r-squared value. It almost seems obvious that these two wouldn't correlate well as they are two totally different positions.

I think the main reason McGill did this study was because people were using the PLANK test in place of the V-SIT to test flexion endurance (which has plenty of data correlating poor endurance times with low back disorders).
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• The moral of the story is to use the V-sit when doing your tests for flexion endurance.

• He also cautioned against "training the test" due to the high compressive loads.