SAFETY SOLUTION FOR THE POWERLIFTING SQUAT - DIVA
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Safety solution for the powerlifting squat
Improving the safety for lifters and spotters in competition
Magnus Wikström
Industrial Design Engineering, master's level (60 credits)
2020
Luleå University of Technology
Department of Business Administration, Technology and Social Sciences
SAFETY SOLUTION FOR THE POWERLIFTING SQUAT Improving the safety for lifters and spotters in competition Magnus Wikström 2020 Supervisors: Björn Welde, Karin Sjöö Åkeblom, Lars Eklöf Reviewer: Tobias Persson Examiner: Åsa Wikberg Nilsson
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I want to thank Eleiko Group and Sigma Industry for the opportunity to do this project as my master thesis. Combining my love for powerlifting with my interest in engineering resulted in my dream master thesis project becoming reality. It has been very educative, having a collaboration between an employer and a consultant firm in the project. Getting a glint into the field of exercise equipment development, as well as the world of engineering consultant. I want to thank Björn Welde from Eleiko for the supervision of this project and Karin Sjöö Åkeblom from Sigma for the coaching and guidance. I also want to thank all the people devoting their time for interviews, data collection, idea generation, and proof reading. Lastly, I want to thank friends and family for the support outside the project. It would not have been possible without you. Luleå, June 2020 Magnus Wikström
ABSTRACT
In powerlifting the athletes compete to lift as much The result is a feasible conceptual solution that, with
weight as possible in the squat, bench press and deadlift, minimal changes on use improve the safety for lifters and
pushing their bodies to extreme levels of strength. When spotters. The concept accomplishes this with mechanical
lifting heavy weights, safety becomes an important barriers in the form of straps. The straps are mounted
concern, especially where the lifters can get injured by to steel beams that attaches to the uprights of the rack
the barbell if a lift is unsuccessful. Today in the squat, the and reaches over the athlete, enclosing the barbell. The
only safety mechanism available are the spotters, a team concept also includes a pair of extension legs, which
of officials who surround the lifter during competition. attaches to the base of the rack, increasing the size of the
This product development project aims to improve the footprint and provide additional stability. The solution
safety of lifters and spotters in competition. is made to be retrofitted to already existing combo racks
made by Eleiko. Key features of the concepts are the
This project followed the CDIO process model, going straps passively adjust in height when adjusting the
through the four phases of conceive, design, implement, height of the rack and the straps accommodate lifters with
and operate. Using literature review, interviews, different grip widths when the rack is in the folded in
observations, ergonomic analysis, fault tree analysis gave position.
insights and information, which then were comprised
into a Product Design Specification. The design phase Keywords: Industrial Design Engineering, User
included idea generation using creative sessions, resulting Experience, Ergonomics, Product Development, Safety,
a lot of ideas on how the problems could be solved. In the Powerlifting, Squat
subsequent phases the ideas were developed using CAD,
evaluated using FEM and usability testes, and narrowed
down using the PDS.
SAMMANFATTNING
I styrkelyft tävlar atleter i att lyfta så mycket vikt som Resultatet av projektet är en konceptuell produktlösning,
möjligt i delgrenarna, knäböj, bänkpress och marklyft. som med minimal påverkan på lyftare och klovare
Det göra att lyftarna pressar sina kroppar till extrema ökar säkerheten i knäböj. Konceptet åstadkommer
nivåer av styrka. När tunga vikter ska lyftas är säkerheten det med nylonremmar som agerar mekaniska
alltid en angelägenhet, speciellt med tanke på följderna barriärer för skivstången. Remmarna sitter fast i en
av klämmas under en skivstång. I dagsläget finns det en stålbalk som sträcker sig över lyftaren och monteras
säkerhetsmekanism för knäböj på en styrkelyftstävling. i stolparna på racket. Konceptet innehåller också
Klovarna, de funktionärer som omringar lyftaren på ett par förlängningsben som fästs i basen av det
podiet har i uppgift att fånga vikten och hjälpa lyftaren befintliga racket. De förbättrar stabiliteten för racket
tillbaka i racken om något går fel. Misslyckas dem med genom att utöka fotavtrycket. Konceptet är tänkt att
sin uppgift kan det ge ödesdigra konsekvenser. Målet eftermonteras på befintliga styrkelyftsställningar från
med det här produktutvecklingsprojektet är att lösa det Eleiko. Nyckelfunktioner för konceptet är den passiva
problemet och följaktligen att förbättra säkerheten för höjdjusteringen, höjden på remmarna justeras automatiskt
både lyftare och klovare på tävling. när höjden på ställningen ställs in för lyftare av olika
längd. Konceptet tillåter även att lyftare att knäböja med
Projektet har använt processmodellen CDIO, en brett grepp om stången och infällt rack obehindrat då
linjär process som består av fyra steg, conceive, remmarna inte kommer i vägen för armarna.
design, implement och operate. Under conceive-fasen
undersöktes problemet noggrannare. Med stöd av Nyckelord: Teknisk Design, Användarupplevelse,
resultaten från litteraturstudier, intervjuer, observationer, Ergonomi, Produktutveckling, Säkerhet, Styrkelyft,
ergonomisk analys och felträdsanalys upprättades Knäböj
en designspecifikation. Efter det genererades idéer i
kreativa sessioner, vilket resulterade i ett brett spektrum
av idéer och möjliga lösningar. I följande faser
utvecklades idéerna till koncept med hjälp av CAD.
De tidiga koncepten utvärderades sedan med FEM och
användartester och skalades ner till ett slutgiltigt koncept
med designspecifikationen som utgångspunkt.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction 1 4.6 Operate 26
1.1 Background 1 4.6.1 Product usability testing 26
1.2 Stakeholders 2 4.6.2 Material testing - FEM 27
1.2.1 Primary stakeholders 2 4.6.2 Detail design – finalization and visualization 27
1.2.2 Secondary stakeholders 2 4.7 Method Discussion 28
1.3 Objectives and Aims 2
1.4 Research questions 2 5. Results 29
1.5 Scope 3 5.1 Process 29
1.6 Thesis outline 3 5.2 Results from Conceive 29
5.2.1 Movement space calculations 29
2. Context Immersion 4 5.2.2 Interviews 30
2.1 Current state 4 5.2.3 Observation 31
2.1.1 Current situation 4 5.2.4 Fault Tree Analysis 33
2.1.2 Rules and Regulations 7 5.2.5 OWAS 34
2.1.3 Eleiko Group 8 5.2.6 Brand DNA Analysis 35
2.1.4 Base of the project 9 5.2.7 User Need Assessment 36
2.2 Benchmarking 11 5.2.8 Product Design Specification 37
5.3 Results from Design 38
3. Theoretical framework 13 5.3.1 Creative sessions 38
3.1 Industrial Design Engineering 13 5.3.2 Seven early concepts 39
3.2 Product development opportunities 14 5.3.3 Early concept selection 41
3.3 User experience and Usability 14 5.4 Results from Implement 42
3.3.1 User experience 14 5.4.1 Prototyping 42
3.3.2 Usability 14 5.4.2 Three concepts 43
3.4 Safety 15 5.4.3 Concept selection 44
3.4.1 Mechanical hazards 15 5.5 Results from Operate 46
3.5 Fitting the human 16 5.5.1 Product Usability Testing 46
3.5.1 Ergonomics 16 5.5.2 Material testing 47
3.5.2 Human factors 16 5.6 Final Result 48
4. Methods and implementation 18 6. Discussion 54
4.1 Process 18 6.1 Positioning the result 54
4.2 Project planning 19 6.1.1 Industrial Design Engineering 54
4.3 Conceive 19 6.1.2 Product Opportunity 54
4.3.1 Literature review 19 6.1.3 User Experience and Usability 54
4.3.2 Interviews 19 6.1.4 Safety 55
4.3.3 Observations 20 6.1.5 Fitting the human 55
4.3.4 Fault tree analysis (FTA) 20 6.2 Relevance 55
4.3.5 Benchmarking 21 6.3 Sustainability 56
4.3.6 Brand DNA analysis 21 6.4 Reflections about project 56
4.3.7 OWAS 21 6.5 Recommendations for further development 57
4.3.8 User Need Assessment 22
4.3.9 Product Design Specification (PDS) 22 7. Conclusions 59
4.4 Design 23
4.4.1 Brainstorming 23 8. References 61
4.4.2 Method 635 23
4.4.3 Braindrawing 23
4.4.4 Idea Clustering 23
4.4.5 Creative Sessions 23
4.4.6 Sketch Prototyping 24
4.4.7 Dot Voting 25
4.5 Implement 25
4.5.1 Computer-aided Design 25
4.5.2 Mock-up 26
4.5.3 Criteria weighing matrix 26
4.5.4 Concept selection matrix 26
TABLE OF FIGURES
Figure 1 Eleiko Group Figure 48 Magnus Wikström
Figure 2 Eleiko Group Figure 49 Magnus Wikström
Figure 3 Magnus Wikström Figure 50 Magnus Wikström
Figure 4 Magnus Wikström Figure 51 Magnus Wikström
Figure 5 Magnus Wikström Figure 52 Magnus Wikström
Figure 6 Magnus Wikström Figure 53 Magnus Wikström
Figure 7 Eleiko Group Figure 54 Magnus Wikström
Figure 8 Magnus Wikström Figure 55 Magnus Wikström
Figure 9 Magnus Wikström Figure 56 Magnus Wikström
Figure 10 Magnus Wikström Figure 57 Magnus Wikström
Figure 11 Magnus Wikström Figure 58 Magnus Wikström
Figure 12 Magnus Wikström Figure 59 Magnus Wikström
Figure 13 Magnus Wikström Figure 60 Magnus Wikström
Figure 14 Magnus Wikström Figure 61 Magnus Wikström
Figure 15 Magnus Wikström Figure 62 Magnus Wikström
Figure 16 Magnus Wikström Figure 63 Magnus Wikström
Figure 17 Magnus Wikström Figure 64 Magnus Wikström
Figure 18 Eleiko Group Figure 65 Magnus Wikström
Figure 19 Magnus Wikström Figure 66 Magnus Wikström
Figure 20 Magnus Wikström Figure 67 Magnus Wikström
Figure 21 Magnus Wikström Figure 68 Magnus Wikström
Figure 22 Eleiko Group Figure 69 Magnus Wikström
Figure 23 Magnus Wikström Figure 70 Magnus Wikström
Figure 24 Magnus Wikström Figure 71 Magnus Wikström
Figure 25 Magnus Wikström Figure 72 Magnus Wikström
Figure 26 Magnus Wikström Figure 73 Eleiko Group
Figure 27 Magnus Wikström Figure 74 Eleiko Group
Figure 28 Magnus Wikström
Figure 29 Eleiko Group
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Figure 31
Magnus Wikström
Magnus Wikström APPENDIX
Figure 32 Magnus Wikström
1. Gannt
Figure 33 Magnus Wikström
2. Interviews
Figure 34 Magnus Wikström
3. OWAS
Figure 35 Magnus Wikström
4. Benchmarking
Figure 36 Magnus Wikström
5. Dot voting
Figure 37 Magnus Wikström
6. Criteria weighing matrix
Figure 38 Magnus Wikström
Figure 39 Magnus Wikström
Figure 40 Magnus Wikström
Figure 31 Magnus Wikström
Figure 32 Magnus Wikström
Figure 33 Magnus Wikström
Figure 34 Magnus Wikström
Figure 35 Magnus Wikström
Figure 36 Magnus Wikström
Figure 37 Magnus Wikström
Figure 38 Eleiko Group
Figure 39 Eleiko Group
Figure 40 Magnus Wikström
Figure 41 Magnus Wikström
Figure 42 Magnus Wikström
Figure 43 Magnus Wikström
Figure 44 Magnus Wikström
Figure 45 Magnus Wikström
Figure 46 Magnus Wikström
Figure 47 Magnus Wikström
GLOSSARY
Accident J-hooks
The definition of an accident that will be used in this A J-hook is the component of the rack where the barbell
project is when the barbell with or without control is placed, often height adjustable. On most competition
reaches the ground in the squat with the risk of injury the specified racks, there are two J-hooks on each side, one
lifter or the spotters. for squat and one for bench press.
Range of motion Safety rack
The distance the barbell travels as the lifter performs the In powerlifting terms, a safety rack is a height adjustable
squat. This distance varies between lifters, depending on beam that stops the lifter from being crushed between the
length, body composition, and style of squat. barbell and the bench surface in the bench press, if the
attempt is not successful. This device is widely used for
Movement space the bench press in competition but is not designed to cope
Movement space in this project refers to the space that with the demands from the squat.
the lifter can move freely behind the rack. How far back
can the lifter walk with the barbell. And the highest and
lowest point of the range of motion.
Squat rack
A rack is in this setting is any apparatus where the
barbell is placed while being loaded for lifting. There
are multiple different types of squat racks. A so-called
combo rack is a special kind of rack for the squat and the
bench press in competition. Another rack is the so-called
power rack that looks more like a cage, where the lifter
stands inside. More examples of this are presented in the
benchmarking.
Figure 1 - Squat
1. INTRODUCTION
The question of “who is the strongest?” has in all 1.1 Background
times interested people. The sport of powerlifting is The sport of powerlifting is a competition where you not
described as the definitive measurement of human only compete against other athletes but the iron as well.
strength (International Powerlifting Federation, n.d-a). It should not be confused with Olympic weightlifting,
In powerlifting the athletes compete to lift as much according to USA Powerlifting (n.d) where the athletes
weight as possible in the squat, bench press and deadlift, lift a barbell from the floor to overhead in the Snatch
pushing their bodies to the limit. Each lifter is given and Clean-and-Jerk. In powerlifting the weight move
three attempts in each discipline. The best result from slower and the loads are significantly higher.
each discipline is added together, the highest total wins.
This master thesis project will look further into the The three disciplines of powerlifting test strength in
safety of the squat and how it can be improved through different parts of the lifters body. In competition, the
product innovation. squat is the first discipline. In the squat the lifters place
a barbell on their shoulders. The lift is then performed
My love for the sport of powerlifting was the motivation by the athlete squatting down to where the top surface of
for the initiation of this project. Being both a lifter and the legs at the hip joint is lower than the top of the knee
working as a coach in the sport gives me insights and and then stands back up erect (International Powerlifting
understanding of the sport both from a technical and Federation, n.d-a).
cultural standpoint.
Surrounding the lifter on the platform is a team of
The product design project was done as a master thesis officials, called spotters/loaders. Their task is to load
in Industrial Design Engineering at Luleå University of weights on the barbell between attempts and ensure
Technology. It was carried out in Luleå during the spring the safety of the lifters if they are not successful at
semester of 2020, in collaboration with Eleiko Group completing the lift themselves. As of right now the
AB and Sigma Industry. spotters/loaders are the only safety mechanism available
in the squat. If they cannot catch the weight, the
consequences can be catastrophic.
1
1.2 Stakeholders 1.2.2 Secondary stakeholders
In this project there are multiple different stakeholders. The secondary stakeholders are affected by the project in
Wasieleski & Weber (2017) describes a stakeholder a different way, either having economic or other interests
as any individual that can affect or can be affected by in the outcome of the project.
the work. The stakeholders are grouped in primary and
secondary stakeholders based on their relation to the Eleiko
product. Eleiko Group AB are the employer of the project, they
have an economical interest in the project. As well as
1.2.1 Primary stakeholders an interest in development of the sport and being first to
The primary stakeholders are the users that will come market.
in direct contact with the product in its setting. Either
being supported by it, using it directly or observing it International Powerlifting Federation
while judging or spectating in competition. Their needs The final product is meant to be implemented in
are more thoroughly mapped out in the result of the competition setting for the IPF. Therefore, the approval
conceive phase. of the IPF is crucial for the product. This approval
includes aspects of safety and cultural adherence.
Spotters & loaders
The users that will interact with the settings and Sigma Industry
adjustments of the product are the spotters and loaders. Sigma Industry act as coaches for this project,
They are tasked with loading and unloading the barbell, supporting the project with coaching, general
changing the height of the rack as well as spotting the engineering guidance and office space.
lifters. The final product of this project will aid their task
of ensuring the safety of the lifters. From here on they 1.3 Objectives and Aims
will be referred to as spotters. The objective is to develop a physical product solution
that increases safety for both lifters and spotters
Lifters in during the squat in powerlifting competition. In
The lifters are the second primary user, being the ones extension lowering the risk for accidents for lifters and
lifting the weight. Their performance and movement spotters on the platform. A solution of this kind may
space should not be compromised by the product. This develop the sport further by increasing the level of
applies to their hand placement and foot placement. competition.
Their experience and security are crucial.
The aim is to deliver a feasible conceptual solution
Referees & spectators to the problem to Eleiko. The delivery will include
Both the referees and the spectators must have a clear CAD-models, rendering, rough cost calculation and
view of the lifters. As for referees to make correct recommendation for further development.
judgement calls, and spectators must be able to see what
is happening on the platform. 1.4 Research questions
• How might the design of the concept solution
Organizers increase the safety, user experience, and usability for
Lastly of the primary stakeholders are the competition lifters and spotters in powerlifting competition?
organizers. Their interest lies in operation time, price, • How does safety impact the user experience of
size, assembly time and effort. Since the price and time squatting?
for assembly is outside the scope of the project, the
organizers will not be taken into consideration in the
development.
21.5 Scope
The project is carried out by one student during the
spring semester of 2020. To get to the result in time,
some limitations to the project scope had to be set.
Therefore, the result will be a physical product solution
that is compatible with the existing Eleiko IPF squat
stand/bench. No physical load bearing prototype will
be constructed due to lack of manufacturing and time
constraints. Production techniques and manufacturing of
the product will be outside of the scope of this project.
1.6 Thesis outline
In this thesis the following chapters are presented.
In the first chapter the introduction gives a short
background to why the project was initiated. This
is followed by the objectives & aims, scope and
stakeholders. The second chapter describes the current
situation in more detail. Explaining things that are
important for the reader to understand to comprehend
subsequent discussions. The third chapter summarizes
the literature review. Here the already established
knowledge is presented, which lays the foundation to
the project. The fourth chapter presents all the methods
used in the project, why they were selected, and how
they were implemented. The fifth chapter includes the
results from each phase as well as the final concept
design. In chapter six the result and execution of the
project is discussed in relation to the theory. In chapter
seven, conclusions are drawn from the project based
on the objectives and aims. Lastly, in chapter eight all
references found in the thesis is listed.
3Figure 2 - Adjusting the rack
2. CONTEXT IMMERSION
This chapter is a description of the context and serves supportive gear that protects against injury (International
as a deep dive that lays the foundation for the project. It Powerlifting Federation, n.d-b). The hi-tech supportive
describes the current state of the sport, the employer, the gear includes elastic suits, shirts and wraps for the knees
product of which is the base of the project, the limitation and wrists that the lifters may wear. In classic lifting the
of the rules and regulations and a short benchmarking of lifters are only allowed minimal supportive gear; knee
similar products. sleeves, lifting belts and wrist wraps.
2.1 Current state The amount of weight lifted in powerlifting is immense.
The current state of the project explains the current Looking at the world records you can understand what
state of the sport, including a detailed description on the top-level athletes can lift. For example, the world
how the powerlifting squat works, who participates in record squat for men in the equipped +120 kg class
competition and what the rules state. stands at 505 kg (International Powerlifting Federation,
2020-04-05).
2.1.1 Current situation
People of all ages, sizes, and backgrounds practice The spotters are usually a team of hand-picked
powerlifting. In competition, lifters are divided into age volunteers that the organizers of a competition put
categories and weight classes, allowing people of similar together. They can for example be members of the local
prerequisites to compete against each other. The age powerlifting club. If you are a lifter at a powerlifting
categories range from Sub-Junior (14-18) to Master IV club you have probably some experience in spotting
(70+). The weight classes are different for women and already, making the need for learning new tasks low.
men. Women range from -47 kgs (lighter than 47 kg), to
+84 kgs, and men from -59 kgs (lighter than 59 kg) to In powerlifting competition, the athletes lift one at the
120+ kgs (International Powerlifting Federation, n.d-a). time on a platform. For the squat, the combo rack is
placed on the platform, in such way that the lifter faces
Powerlifting competitions are also comprised of two the audience. The team of spotters load the barbell and
divisions of lifting, equipped and classic. In equipped adjust the rack to the right height for the lifter before
lifting the athletes are allowed to wear hi-tech the lifters comes on the platform. The time and extent
4different rules and regulations regarding drug testing,
personal lifting gear, equipment, and general rules of
competitions. By far the largest and most prestigious
regarding competition is the International Powerlifting
Federation, from here on referred to as the IPF. The IPF
is the only Powerlifting association recognised by the
Global Association of International Sports Federation
(GAISF, n.d).
“The IPF has taken it’s role as the premier global
Figure 3 - Illustration of a competition venue powerlifting federation very seriously and we have
worked diligently with our sporting partners and
of this operation is crucial for how fast the competition associates to become a responsible, high quality
runs. When the lifter has come out and has taken the organization for athletes committed to drug-free, high-
barbell out of the rack, the head referee gives the lifter standard competition” (International Powerlifting
the signal to start the lift. The referees sit in front and to Federation, n.d-b).
the sides of the platform, as seen in figure 3. Watching
the lifter from multiple angles to ensure the lift is being The IPF provides live stream coverage of mostly
performed correctly. It is essential for the referees to all international competitions watched by people all
see the lifters hip crease during the lift, to make sure the over the world. Having tiny mistakes by the spotters
squat is to depth. Depth is a term used in powerlifting that results in an accident broadcasted in real time to
to describe if the lifter reached a low enough bottom the whole world is not in their interest. Making their
position. It is when the top surface of the legs at the potential interest in a viable safety solution high.
hip joint to be lower than the top of the knee, seen in
figure 4. As the lifter stands back up again and when
considered done by the head referee, is given a signal to
place the barbell back in the rack.
Figure 4 - Squat depth
Competing in powerlifting can be done in several
different international federations. These play by
5The storyboard in figure 5 shows the sequence of events
in a successful attempt and in figure 6 an unsuccessful
attempt without spotter errors.
Figure 5 - Storyboard of successful lift
Figure 6 - Storyboard of unsuccessful lift with successful spotting
62.1.2 Rules and Regulations
The International Powerlifting Federation has a rulebook
that regulates all forms of competition and equipment
used in competition. It will come to play a role in this
project as it sets a base for the limitations of the final
product.
This is a summary of some of the most important rules
that will impact the project will follow. The International
Powerlifting Federation (2019-11-31) dictates that a
squat must be walked out, the lifter must remove the
barbell from the rack and move backwards to establish
the starting position. The hands and fingers must grip the
barbell but can be placed anywhere on the barbell inside,
or in contact with the inner collar. On the platform there
should be no less than two, no more than five spotters, at
all times. The head referee dictates how many spotters
are needed for the situation. The spotters are not allowed
to touch the barbell unless commanded by the head
referee or the lifter. The lifter is also mandated to stay
with the barbell if possible while getting help to replace
it in the rack. Failing to do so results in an official
warning, and possible disqualification.
There are some things that the rules do not regulate,
which will both limit and provide opportunities for
this project. The stance of the lifters is not in any way
limited by the rules, meaning the lifter can place their
feet as wide or narrow as they like. Neither does the
rules mention how far back the lifter can walk with
the barbell, this leaving it for interpretation. The rules
also fail to mention any form of training, need of prior
experience as well as physical attributes to be as spotter.
Neither do it mention what happens if the spotters are
not successful in helping the lifter in a failed attempt.
72.1.3 Eleiko Group chart, making their market position clear, see figure 8.
Eleiko Group AB is official VIP partner of the IPF and Also, Eleiko aims to have designs that are durable,
the employer of this project. They have identified the crafted and will withstand the test of time. Making
product innovation opportunity and were the stakeholder products that will have a long and useful life with the
initiating the project of developing a physical safety high technical qualities, timeless classic design, and
solution for the squat. low environmental impact. The user experience of the
Eleiko barbell is described as the “Eleiko feel”. A term
originating from their introduction of rubber weights
and needle bearings in the bar design (Eleiko, n.d-b).
This user experience is implemented in their whole line-
up of products as well, having a rigid and mechanical
feel in every component.
“A lot of what we do is driven by feel.
Strong mechanical sense and the ability to
detect subtle differences in positions and
movement is integral to creating products
that are well received. Identifying the just
right feeling translates into equipment that
performs and feels great.” (Eleiko, n.d).
Figure 7 - Barbell Assembly
Eleiko have a six-decade long history in of bold ideas
and ambitious goals. The company is heavily rooted
in the passion for strength and has come to make the
world’s finest barbell which has shaped the sport of
weightlifting (Eleiko, n.d-a). The company’s mission
is to “Make people stronger so they perform better
in sports and in life” (Eleiko, n.d-a). Eleiko are also
in a unique seat, being certified by the International
Weightlifting Federation, International Powerlifting
Federation and World Para Powerlifting, the three
large internationally recognised barbell sports. Eleiko
strive to be the number one strength company in the
world, not only developing and selling equipment but
also providing education. The Product Development
Manager placed the company on a price performance- Figure 8 - Price performance chart
82.1.4 Base of the project
The final product of this project will be developed as an
accessory to an already existing product, the Eleiko IPF
Squat Stand/Bench, seen in figure 9. Certified by the IPF
for professional powerlifting use, it is the gold standard
in competition. In this section the product platform for
this project with its history, specifications, limitation,
and opportunities for improvement will be presented.
The Eleiko IPF Squat Stand/Bench is an apparatus used
in two of the disciplines, supporting the barbell while
loading and setting up in the squat and bench press
as well as providing safety racks and a surface for the
athlete to lay on for the bench press. The rack must be
reconstructed between the different disciplines, but the
core components are preserved. The product is specified
in dimensions by the IPF rule book and supports
multiple functions that is essential to a powerlifting
competition.
The uprights are height adjustable with a range of
75-170 cm (figure 10). These are operated by on lever
arm and pins on either side, as seen in Figure 11. The
height adjustment is crucial to minimise loading times in
competition. The uprights also have a tilting mechanism
that allows for wider hand positioning (figure 10). The
uprights are individually tilted inwards by request from
the athlete to accommodate lifters with a full wide Figure 9 - Eleiko Squat stand/Bench
grip on the bar as well as smaller lifters who tend to
Figure 10 - Important functionallity
9hit the rack during the first step of the walkout. The tilt
mechanism is operated by a patent pending lever arm
that makes the process very easy for the spotters, seen in
figure 12.
At the bottom of the uprights are the attachment screws
for the safety racks used in the bench press as well as the
bench itself. The safety racks are an attachment Eleiko
brought to market that is widely used in competition. As
they are design today, they are not usable for the squat
due to placement and not being large enough.
The base of the rack must also be taken into
consideration. The base area is created by the bottom
frame with its 45-degree angled beams that allows for
wide foot positioning in the squat. Maintaining this
area will be important as well as ensuring the structures
rigidity for up to 550 kg loads.
Figure 11 - Uprights Figure 12 - Tiliting mechanism
102.2 Benchmarking
To understand the market and take inspiration from
similar product categories a market analysis and
benchmarking was performed. The process consisted of
three steps.
First, a look at competing brands whose equipment
is approved by the IPF. This analysis took price and
performance into consideration, and resulted in a price-
performance chart, seen in figure 13.
Second, was the benchmark of IPF approved combo
racks for competition use. Here, the offerings of different
companies from the previous step were compared. Most
Figure 13 - Price performance chart
of the combo racks are similar, but some differentiating
aspects were identified, see appendix 4. The benchmark
was performed based on the aspects of price, quality,
availability, and the special features that differentiates
them from the competition. The aspect of quality was
assessed by me, based on sturdiness, rigidness and, level
of finish. None of them have any safety mechanism for
the squat. This analysis was conducted based on my
personal preconceived notions.
Figure 14 - Benchmarking
Product Price (SEK) Performance/ Availability Differentiating
quality features
Eleiko Squat stand/ 37 700 High Worldwide Lever folding, sound
bench dampening
ER equipment IPF 32 700 Medium Worldwide Multiple colours,
Squat/Bench press steel rollers.
Rack 10-001
Rouge IPF Combo 23 900 High North America Oversized, looks
Rack beefy, sound
dampening
Pallini Bench + Squat - Medium Europe Steel rollers
Zaoba Bull BL-BSR 51 800 High Asia Oversized
11Lastly, other barbell related product that offer safety
mechanisms was explored. None of these are used
in IPF competition but could be inspirational for the
development work. Three product categories were found
inspiring.
Power rack
A power rack is a cage-like rack where the lifter stands
inside while performing the squat. The power rack
in figure 14 is an illustration of the Eleiko XF-80.
The safety mechanism is a metal bar, which is height
adjustable and limits the vertical movement space.
Figure 15 - Eleiko XF-80 Powerrack
Smith machine
A smith machine is a rail mounted barbell commonly
found in gyms. The smith machine in figure 15 is an
illustration of the Eleiko Classic Smith Machine. This
machine allows the barbell to travel on a fixed path
along a guiding rail. Letting the athlete rack the weight
anywhere along the rails.
Figure 16 - Eleiko Classic Smith Machine
Monolift
A monolift is an apparatus that allows the lifter to squat
without the need of a walk out. The monolift in figure
16 is from EliteFTS. The structure has two hooks that
folds away when the lifter takes the weight out of the
rack. This type of rack is not used in IPF competition
and heavily associated with other federations, which
does not comply with strict rules and drug testing. The
monolift can be equipped with straps mounted from
above for additional safety.
Figure 17 - EliteFTS Monolift
12Photo: Eleiko
Figure 18 - Barbells
3. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
The theory for this project was gathered and researched functions, and manufacturability. Norman (2013,
using the literature review method. All the information p.5) contributes with a slightly different definition,
and knowledge have been used as support for the “the service of creating and developing concepts and
decision making of this project to reach deeper insight to specification that optimises the function, value, and
the problems and how they could be solved. appearance of products and system for the mutual
benefit of user and manufacturer “.
3.1 Industrial Design Engineering
The design of a physical, mechanical product made Design engineering, or engineering design on the other
for human use fits the skills of an Industrial Design hand is the product development from an engineering
Engineer perfectly. The project will involve theories standpoint. Johannesson et al. (2013) describes it as
of user experience, usability, ergonomics, engineering designing of the measurable, technical aspects of a
design to establish an academic anchoring. Industrial product such as performance of components, geometry,
Design Engineering being described by Johannesson, dimensions, material properties and manufacturing
Persson, Pettersson (2013) as the bridge between methods.
industrial design and engineering design. Ulrich
& Eppinger (2012) defines design in a product
“Engineers are trained to think logically. As
development project as a leading role in defining form a result, they come to believe that all people
of the product to best meet the needs of the user, which must think this way, and they design their
includes both engineering design and industrial design.
machines accordingly” (Norman, 2013, p.6)
Therefore, there is a need to define these terms more
thoroughly. Cross (2008) mentions the conflicts that sometimes
arise between the camps of industrial designers and
IDSA (n.d) defines Industrial Design as “the design engineers. These conflicts are mostly based
professional practice of designing products, devices, on misconceptions about each other’s roles, and that
objects, and services used by millions of people different project requires different amount of skills from
around the world every day”. The industrial designer different people. This makes a mix of the two subjects a
typically focuses their work on the products appearance, perfect fit for product design.
133.2 Product development 3.3.1 User experience
opportunities User experience design, known as UX design is a
The task of this project is to develop a new type of new field within the design realm. It stems from the
product. Which is an opportunity to be first to market field of Human Computer Interactions and takes even
and possibly even create a new standard for others to more aspects from the interaction with a product into
follow. consideration (Interaction design Foundation, n.d).
Ulrich & Eppinger (2013) describes an idea in Norman (2013) describes user experience as taking the
the context of product development as a product whole experience of an activity into consideration, not
opportunity, a newly sensed need that has entered only the tasks the product is supposed to perform.
the first stages of its development. Some of these
opportunities become new products while others will The ISO standard 9241-11:2018 contributes a definition
not make it that far. Ulrich & Eppinger (2013) further of User Experience; “user’s perceptions and responses
describes that opportunities can be categorised in many that result from the use and/or anticipated use of a
ways. A useful was to look at it is to define two separate system, product or service”. Kraft (2012) adds onto
dimensions. One dimension being the knowledge of this definition, “I would describe user experience as the
the solution and the other knowledge of the needs. The feelings that the user gets when using a product. Using
farther you move away from the things your company feelings as a comparison model allows us to understand
knows and does well, the larger the risk. that the user experience can be anything from hate to
love”. Tullis & Albert (2013) push the importance of
Cross (2008) adds to this idea of opportunity the user experience not being connected to any field
identification and divides the grouping of opportunities of products or systems with the motivation that lets
into technology push and market pull. A technology them study almost any product or system from a UX
push being a technological advancement that gives perspective.
companies and suppliers the ability to create new
markets. A market pull on the other hand, being a look Tullis, T & Albert, B. (2013) points out the
into user wants and needs for opportunities. Most distinguishing between usability and user experience.
companies use a combination of both these tactics to “Usability is usually considered the ability of the user
find their opportunities for development. Cross (2008) to use the thing to carry out a task successfully, whereas
also tells us of area of opportunities. The least risky user experience takes a broader view, looking at the
being developed technology in an already developed individual’s entire interaction with the thing, as well as
market. The second and more promising is in a region the thoughts, feelings, and perceptions that result from
of developed technology being used in an undeveloped that interaction”.
market, and vice versa. Lastly the riskiest zone being
product innovation, where the both the technology and 3.3.2 Usability
markets are undeveloped. Nielsen (2012) defines usability as a quality attribute
which measures or describes how well the user can
3.3 User experience and Usability perform their task. Usability is divided into five quality
Designing products for humans requires that the user components, learnability, efficiency, memorability,
experience and usability will be the focus in every step errors, and satisfaction (Nilsen, 2012).
of the development process. This is especially true when
the employer has a widely appreciated brand experience. Learnability, how easy the first interaction with
the product is. Efficiency, how quickly the product
can accomplish its task after being understood.
Memorability, how well the user remembers how to use
14the product. Errors, how easily and often errors occur. feeling of security and stability. This consequently can
Satisfaction, how satisfactory is the product to use improve the willingness to learn, explore and use the
(Nielsen, 2012). design (Lidwell et al., 2003).
Jordan (2000) argues that by looking at the relations Lidwell et al. (2003) describes a forgiving design
between users and product in a more holistic way, as a contribution of six different parameters. Good
deeper understandings can be reached, called new affordance, reversibility of action, safety nets,
human factors. Jordan (2000) & Lidwell, Holden & confirmation, warnings, and help. It is further stated
Butler (2003) applies the Maslow hierarchy of human that the preferred way to reach forgiveness in a design
needs to the human factors of the product experience. is to use the affordance, reversibility, and safety nets.
The Maslow hierarchy of needs is based on the idea that Therefore, there is no reliance on warnings and help
lower-level needs must be addressed before higher-lever (Lidwell et al., 2003).
needs. It is comprised of the physiological needs, safety
needs, Belongingness and love needs, Esteem needs, Affordance being the relationship between a physical
and Self-actualisation needs (Jordan, 2000). object and a person. (Norman, 2013). Good affordance
is the practise of designing the physical characteristics
Lidwell et al. (2003) translates these basic needs into of an object to influence its function (Lidwell et al.,
user needs, arguing that the hierarchy of user needs 2003). When the objects affordance corresponds with its
should work in the same way. The user needs are environment, it becomes more efficient and easier to use
comprised of the need for functionality, reliability, (Lidwell et al., 2003).
usability, proficiency, and creativity (Lidwell et al.,
2003). Reversibility is the opportunity to reverse action of
already committed actions (Lidwell et al., 2003).
According to these models of needs, the safety and Jordan (2000) describes the ‘undo’ function as a great
reliability of the design must be fulfilled before any example of a quick and easy method for reversibility.
usability could be considered. It is possible to have an undo feature in electronic
systems and products. However, it is hard to implement
3.4 Safety in physical products. Here you must instead limit the
When designing a safety solution, it is obvious that the consequences of errors.
issue of safety must be addressed.
Safety nets are devices or function that minimizes
Sharp, Preece & Rodgers (2019, p.20) defines safety the negative consequences of user errors (Lidwell et
in the realm of usability as “protecting the user from al., 2003). Designing a physical safety net includes
dangerous conditions and undesirable situations.” Sharp understanding the hazards and errors it must protect the
et al. (2019) also states that safety also refers to the fears user from.
that the user might perceive of committing errors. Jordan
(2000) describes a similar approach of minimizing user 3.4.1 Mechanical hazards
errors and making the recovery from already made Myrcha & Gierasimiuk (2010) describe mechanical
errors, easier. Products can therefore become safer hazards as the physical characteristics of objects likely
by preventing the user from making serious errors, as to cause injuries to the users. Objects that poses a
well as giving the users means to recover from errors possibility of for example crushing, smashing, cutting,
already made. Lidwell et al. (2003) calls this approach or tripping should be classified as mechanical hazards.
forgiveness. A forgiving design provides the user with a The severity of it depends on the speed and mass of the
object. (Myrcha & Gierasimiuk, 2010).
15One type of safety net is a safety barrier. According 3.5.2 Human factors
to Smith (2001) a safety barrier can be a mechanical One aspect of an ergonomic approach in designing is
barrier which prevents external objects to cause and taking the sizes of different people into consideration.
accident. Myrcha & Gierasimiuk (2010) further Dreyfuss (1993) describes the field of human factors as
describes mechanical barriers as safeguards for the study of human measurements, capabilities, and
mechanical hazards. The safeguard should be a physical limitation, which have become more complex as
barrier which separates the human range of motion technology develops. Making the task of
from the hazard zone. The recommendations made by accommodating all humans in a safe and comfortable
Myrcha & Gierasimiuk (2010) for safeguards are that way gradually harder.
they should be of robust construction and be situated at
an appropriate distance from the danger zones. Further Norman (2013) argues that there is no such thing as an
the safeguards should not create any additional hazards
average person. This makes designing things hard, as the
for the user as well as not be easily disabled or rendered
design briefs usually demands that the products should
non-operational.
be usable for everyone. Using the anthropometric data is
3.5 Fitting the human a first way to get a hold of the measurements needed for
While designing physical products for human use the your product.
ergonomics and human factors are essential for user
comfort and safety. As stated before, anthropometric aspects are a part of an
ergonomic approach to product design. One definition of
3.5.1 Ergonomics
anthropometry found in the Oxford English Dictionary
The word Ergonomics comes from the Greek ergon
(n.d-b) is “The measurement of the human body in order
(work) and, nomos (laws) (IEA, n.d). The Oxford
English Dictionary (n.d-a) defines Ergonomics as to determine its average dimensions and proportions,
“The scientific study of the efficiency of people at different ages and in different populations”. The
in their working environments”. The International modern anthropometry describes both functional
Ergonomics Association (n.d) describes ergonomics and biomechanical anthropometry, describing the
as the understanding of interactions among humans measurements and how body parts move in relation to
and other elements of a system. Along with the each other. The measurements are used within the field
profession that applies theory, principles, data, and
of ergonomics to adapt the work and its environment to
methods for designing with optimized human well-
the anatomic and physical limitations of humans (NE.se,
being and performance in mind. Wikberg Nilsson et al.
(2015) further describes ergonomics as wide spectrum n.d-a). Most of the measurements of the human body is
of areas touching on multiple different scientific normally distributed over a large population. Therefore,
fields; psychology, industrial design, biomechanics, can a dimension of a population be described using only
physiology, anatomy, and anthropometry. Pheasant & two values, the average and standard deviation. Most
Haslegrave (2006) ties this all together by describing of these values can be described using these metrics,
the field of ergonomics as the science finding the best except muscle strength and body weight which does
match of the product to the user and the job to the
not follow a normal distribution in a population (Hägg,
user. Common criteria that the match is based on are
Ericson, Odenrick, 2013).
functional efficiency, ease of use, comfort, health and
safety and, quality of working life. To take an ergonomic
approach means that the product should not be design
for one criterion at the expense of others (Pheasant &
Haslegrave, 2006).
16Dreyfuss (1993) provides the anthropometric data in ergonomic product development. In the designing
to fit 98% of the population, which means including product that should not interfere with the user’s ability
measurements from the first to the 99th percentile, to move aspects of Biomechanics must be taken into
illustrated in figure 19. Or in other words, mean value consideration. Biomechanics are defined by the Oxford
plus 2.326 times the standard deviation (Dreyfuss, English Dictionary (n.d) as the science concerning
1993). mechanical principles of movement and structure
in living organisms. Hägg et al. (2013) tells us that
biomechanical calculations are used in ergonomics to
estimate stress on the human body from externals loads,
for example.
The ergonomics and its subcategories are heavily
involved in this project. Ergonomic needs and
limitations for all the primary stakeholders must be
Figure 19 - 98% in normal distribution
Measurements used for this project have been the taken into consideration. The ergonomic analysis of the
shoulder height and Buttock-knee depth, presented in spotter’s duties establishes one of the fundamental needs
figure 20 and 21 for the first percentile woman and the for a product like this. The anthropometrics of the lifters
99th percentile male. and spotters together make up the need for unobstructed
Anthropometrics are not the only factor necessary movement in the execution of the squat, playing a
decisive role in the development.
Figure 20 - 1% female and 99% male
Figure 21 - Anthropometric data
17Figure 22 - Barbell Assembly
4. METHODS AND IMPLEMENTATION
In this chapter the methods and implementation in the The chosen process model for the project is CDIO.
project are described; how they work, how they are used According to the CDIO initiative (n.d) the program is
and how they bring value to the result of the project. made for engineering education, based on its connection
to product, process and systems lifecycle development.
4.1 Process The CDIO framework consists of four phases:
Ulrich & Eppinger (2012) describes a product conceiving, designing, implementation, operation.
development process as a sequence of activities and They are illustrated in figure 23. The conceive phase
steps that is used by an enterprise to conceive, design, consists of the need identification, considering users,
and commercialize a product. The steps and activities technologies, regulations, and business strategies. In
are mostly intellectual and organizational, not physical. the Design phase, the ideas are generated based on the
Most corporations use some sort of process model, information and needs established in the prior phase.
some define and follow a precise model, while others Here you work with creative methods and try to come
are not capable of describing theirs. According to Ulrich up with as many ideas as possible before grouping
& Eppinger (2012), using a well-defined process can into designs. For the Implementation stage you then
be beneficial for multiple different reasons, quality bring the designs together into actual products. To
assurance, coordination, planning, management, and finish the implementation a concept selection process is
opportunities for improvement. performed. For the final stage of the process, operate,
you finalise the implementation to deliver intended
Figure 23 - CDIO process
18value to the customer. In this case making the fine 4.3.1 Literature review
tuning of the final concept before delivery. A further To establish a base for the project a literature review
explanation of the phases, methods used, and their was performed. According to Milton & Rodgers (2011)
contents is described in the following chapters. a literature review is the selection and evaluation of
documents and literature on a specific topic. This gives
This process model was chosen based on its linearity, the designers an informed point of view in the early
lightness, and prior positive experience. The end goal stage of the project. A good literature review should
of the project is well defined as of the project brief. You therefore include reviews of important documents
could say that in the beginning of the process we know and publication connected to the needs of the product
what the final product is going to be, just not how it development. The literature review consists of four
will be designed. Since the CDIO model is targeted at stages (Milton & Rodgers, 2013). The framing of the
engineering education and has no pre planned activities, issue, search for literature, evaluation of literature, and
it allows great adaptability to the need of the project. analysis and interpretation of the literature.
First, the subjects of information were established,
4.2 Project planning researching principles and theories of Industrial design
The first week of the project was spent mapping out all engineering, user experience, usability, safety, and
that needs to be done during the project and researching ergonomics. The search for information used the search
methods to do so. To get an understanding of all the engine provided by the library at Luleå University of
activities and their time scope, a project plan was Technology, both searching for printed literature and
established. “Planning is deciding in advance what to digital resources through databases of academic articles.
do, how to do it and who is to do it.” (Abraham, 2014) The evaluation of information was done based on the
A Gantt chart was used to map all the tasks and source and author. Primary sources of information, as
activities and their time frame. Ulrich & Eppinger well as books and publication made eminent authors in
(2012) describes a Gantt chart as a tool for representing the respective field, were prioritized. Understanding the
the timing of tasks and activities. The Gantt chart relativity of the information and connecting it to this
consists of horizontal bars representing different tasks project took a lot of reading to create an overview of
and their length represents the time frame of each task. the subjects. Followed by selecting and prioritizing the
This provides a timeline of the whole project. Along information included in the thesis based on applicability
with the different tasks and activities the length of every and connection. The literature review was mostly
phase was determined, and the gates were drawn into performed in the conceive phase of the project but also
the Gantt chart. All the activities were then colour coded spills over into later phases as new need for information
based on the respective phase and context for ease of are established.
use, see appendix 1.
4.3.2 Interviews
4.3 Conceive Learning more about the users and their thoughts and
The CDIO Initiative (n.d) describes the conceive stage needs was achieved through interviews. Milton &
as the phase of the project where customer needs are Rodgers (2011) writes “Interviews basically comprise
defined; with the help of pre-existing knowledge and a series of questions that are posed directly to the
where the first conceptual plans of the project are participants. They are a good way to get users to
formed. This section includes all the methods used in the comment on how they feel about products”. Lantz
conceive phase and how they were implemented in this (2013) writes that interviews can be modelled in many
project. ways depending on the objective. A way to describe
the outcome of an interview is its degree of structure.
Either a very open interview where the inquired are
free to explore and tell you their thoughts and ideas.
19Otherwise, a structured interview where the interviewer All the interviews were recorded and later transcribed.
is a living questionnaire. Lantz (2013) categorises All the transcripts were then sent to the interviewees
interviews into groups based on their level of structure, for approval. The full transcriptions can be found in
open, open controlled, semi structured, and structured. appendix 2.
In this project the open controlled and semi structured
types were used. The open controlled level is then 4.3.3 Observations
the interviewer has an open discussion but guides The problem of safety and that accidents can occur
the subject along in the topics rather than letting the in the squat has been identified as of the project brief
interviewed talk freely. The semi structured type is a but that does not explain how they happen. Kylén
more controlled structure, using more of a question- (2004) describes the observation as a method to
basis but letting the subject elaborate on the questions collect objective information about how people react
and adding follow up questions as the interview goes. in different situation. Osvalder, Rose, Karlsson (2011)
writes that the objective of the observation is to look
The interviews for this project was done with a few at users in their natural environment and not affecting
different groups to find out more of what the different the ongoing process. This to understand what people
aspects of the problem. The three groups were product actually do and not what they say they do, identifying
developers from Eleiko, lifters, and spotters. faults the user can make and the problems that can
occur.
First, interviews were held with two product developers
at Eleiko. The objective of these interviews was to The observations focused on accidents and how they
get a description of how the company develop their happen, due to time constraint and how rarely accidents
product and specific limitations in their organisation occur the observations were done using pre-recorded
and opportunities that they can offer. Two separate competition footage. The footage was selected based
interviews were held, with the Product Development on preconceived knowledge of accidents and dangerous
Manager and Technical Director. These interviews were situations that have occurred in recent times. Due to
open controlled, exploring the culture of the company, restriction in availability, the analysed footage comes
their history in the sport and their position on the from international competition on the absolute highest
market. The discussion was mainly free with some bullet level. As the sequence of events was observed, the most
points that was prepared in advance to have something important aspects of how and why the accident occurred
to fall back on. was written down. The result of the observations was
then summarized in following Fault Tree Analysis,
Interviews were also held with three lifters, of different which maps out all sequences of events that can lead to
levels of competition and with varying experience. The an accident.
selection of subjects was based on personal connection,
time in the sport and availability. The interviews were 4.3.4 Fault tree analysis (FTA)
semi structured, learning more about the user experience To reach a deeper understanding of the failures that
of the squat in competition as well as their prior could lead to an accident during the squat in competition
experience of safety. a Fault Tree Analysis was performed. Ericson (1999)
writes that the concept of a fault tree analysis is to
Another group of users are spotters. For these interviews describe a system or failure behaviour of a system with
I selected two people that have recently had spotter a visual diagram. Osvalder et al. (2011) writes that
duties in competition. These interviews were semi the method is based on an unwanted event and what
structured, focusing on the preparedness and state of must happen to lead up to that. Ericsson (1999) further
mind when the lifters are taking chances. describes that the visual diagram provides the reader
with easily understandable failure paths and relations
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