The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between movement velocity and relative load in three lower limbs exercises commonly used to develop strength: leg press, full squat and half squat. The percentage of one repetition maximum (%1RM) has typically been used as the main parameter to control resistance training; however, more recent research has proposed movement velocity as an alternative. Fifteen participants performed a load progression with a range of loads until they reached their 1RM. Maximum instantaneous velocity (Vmax) and mean propulsive velocity (MPV) of the knee extension phase of each exercise were assessed. For all exercises, a strong relationship between Vmax and the %1RM was found: leg press (r2adj = 0.96; 95% CI for slope is [-0.0244, -0.0258], P < 0.0001), full squat (r2adj = 0.94; 95% CI for slope is [-0.0144, -0.0139], P < 0.0001) and half squat (r2adj = 0.97; 95% CI for slope is [-0.0135, -0.00143], P < 0.0001); for MPV, leg press (r2adj = 0.96; 95% CI for slope is [-0.0169, -0.0175], P < 0.0001, full squat (r2adj = 0.95; 95% CI for slope is [-0.0136, -0.0128], P < 0.0001) and half squat (r2adj = 0.96; 95% CI for slope is [-0.0116, 0.0124], P < 0.0001). The 1RM was attained with a MPV and Vmax of 0.21 ± 0.06 m/s and 0.63 ± 0.15 m/s, 0.29 ± 0.05 m/s and 0.89 ± 0.17 m/s, 0.33 ± 0.05 m/s and 0.95 ± 0.13 m/s for leg press, full squat and half squat, respectively. Results indicate that it is possible to determine an exercise-specific %1RM by measuring movement velocity for that exercise.
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