Drop jumps versus sled towing and their effects on repeated sprint ability in young basketball players

Energetic and Neuromuscular Demands of Unresisted, Parachute- and Sled-Resisted Sprints in Youth Soccer Players: Differences Between Two Novel Determination Methods

The aim of this study was to analyze the differences in terms of (1) muscle activation patterns; (2) metabolic power (MP) and energy cost (EC) estimated via two determination methods (i.e., the Global Positioning System [GPS] and electromyography-based [EMG]); and (3) the apparent efficiency (AE) of 30-m linear sprints in seventeen elite U17 male soccer players performed under different conditions (i.e., unloaded sprint [US], parachute sprint [PS], and four incremental sled loads [SS15, SS30, SS45, SS60, corresponding to 15, 30, 45 and 60 kg of additional mass]). In a single testing session, each participant executed six trials (one attempt per sprint type). The results indicated that increasing the sled loads led to a linear increase in the relative contribution of the quadriceps (R2 = 0.98) and gluteus (R2 = 0.94) and a linear decrease in hamstring recruitment (R2 = 0.99). The MP during the US was significantly different from SS15, SS30, SS45, and SS60, as determined by the GPS and EMG approaches (p-values ranging from 0.01 to 0.001). Regarding EC, significant differences were found among the US and all sled conditions (i.e., SS15, SS30, SS45, and SS60) using the GPS and EMG methods (all p ≤ 0.001). Moreover, MP and EC determined via GPS were significantly lower in all sled conditions when compared to EMG (all p ≤ 0.001). The AE was significantly higher for the US when compared to the loaded sprinting conditions (all p ≤ 0.001). In conclusion, muscle activation patterns, MP and EC, and AE changed as a function of load in sled-resisted sprinting. Furthermore, GPS-derived MP and EC seemed to underestimate the actual neuromuscular and metabolic demands imposed on youth soccer players compared to EMG.

Post-activation Performance Enhancement of Countermovement Jump after Drop Jump versus Squat Jump Exercises in Elite Rhythmic Gymnasts

Drop jump (DJ) and squat jump (SJ) exercises are commonly used in rhythmic gymnastics training. However, the acute effects of DJ and SJ on countermovement jump (CMJ) performance have not been investigated. This study aimed to verify the post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) responses induced by DJ and SJ with optimal power load and evaluate the relationship between peak PAPE effects and strength levels. Twenty female rhythmic gymnasts completed the following exercises in a randomized order on three separate days: 6 repetitions of DJs; 6 repetitions of SJs with optimal power load; and no exercise (control condition). Jump height was assessed before (baseline) and at 30 seconds and 3, 6, and 9 minutes after each exercise. DJs significantly improved jump height by 0.8 cm (effect size (ES) = 0.25; P = 0.003) at 30 seconds post-exercise compared with baseline. Jump height significantly decreased by -0.14 cm (ES = -0.61; P = 0.021) at 9 minutes after the control condition. SJs significantly improved jump height by 1.02 cm (ES = 0.36; P = 0.005) at 9 minutes post-exercise compared to the control condition. Jump height and relative back squat one-repetition maximum were positively related after performing DJs (r = 0.63; P = 0.003) and SJs (r = 0.64; P = 0.002). DJ and SJ exercises effectively improved countermovement jump height. DJ improved jump height early, while SJ produced greater potentiation effects later. Athletes with a higher strength level benefited the most from these exercises.

Are Surface Electromyography Parameters Indicative of Post-Activation Potentiation/Post-Activation Performance Enhancement, in Terms of Twitch Potentiation and Voluntary Performance? A Systematic Review

The aim was to identify if surface electromyography (sEMG) parameters are indicative of post-activation potentiation (PAP)/post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE), in terms of twitch potentiation and voluntary performance. Three databases were used in April 2024, with the following inclusion criteria: (a) original research, assessed in healthy human adults, and (b) sEMG parameters were measured. The exclusion criteria were (a) studies with no PAP/PAPE protocol and (b) non-randomized control trials. The following data were extracted: study characteristics/demographics, PAP/PAPE protocols, sEMG parameters, twitch/performance outcomes, and study findings. A modified physiotherapy evidence database (PEDro) scale was used for quality assessment. Fifteen randomized controlled trials (RCTs), with a total of 199 subjects, were included. The M-wave amplitude (combined with a twitch torque outcome) was shown to generally be indicative of PAP. The sEMG amplitudes (in some muscles) were found to be indicative of PAPE during ballistic movements, while a small decrease in the MdF (in certain muscles) was shown to reflect PAPE. Changes in the Hmax/Mmax ratio were found to contribute (temporally) to PAP, while the H-reflex amplitude was shown to be neither indicative of PAP nor PAPE. This review provides preliminary findings suggesting that certain sEMG parameters could be indicative of PAP/PAPE. However, due to limited studies, future research is warranted.

Sodium bicarbonate induces alkalosis, but improves high-intensity cycling performance only when participants expect a beneficial effect: a placebo and nocebo study

The study aimed to investigate the effects of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) intake with divergent verbal and visual information on constant load cycling time-to-task failure, conducted within the severe intensity domain. Fifteen recreational cyclists participated in a randomized double-blind, crossover study, ingesting NaHCO3 or placebo (i.e., dextrose), but with divergent information about its likely influence (i.e., likely to induce ergogenic, inert, or harmful effects). Performance was evaluated using constant load cycling time to task failure trial at 115% of peak power output estimated during a ramp incremental exercise test. Data on blood lactate, blood acid-base balance, muscle electrical activity (EMG) through electromyography signal, and the twitch interpolation technique to assess neuromuscular indices were collected. Despite reduced peak force in the isometric maximal voluntary contraction and post-effort peripheral fatigue in all conditions (P < 0.001), neither time to task failure, EMG nor, blood acid-base balance differed between conditions (P > 0.05). Evaluation of effect sizes of all conditions suggested that informing participants that the supplement would be likely to have a positive effect (NaHCO3/Ergogenic: 0.46; 0.15-0.74; Dextrose/Ergogenic: 0.45; 0.04-0.88) resulted in improved performance compared to control. Thus, NaHCO3 ingestion consistently induced alkalosis, indicating that the physiological conditions to improve performance were present. Despite this, NaHCO3 ingestion did not influence performance or indicators of neuromuscular fatigue. In contrast, effect size estimates indicate that participants performed better when informed that they were ingesting an ergogenic supplement. These findings suggest that the apparently ergogenic effect of NaHCO3 may be due, at least in part, to a placebo effect.

Does the sequence of plyometric and dynamic stretching exercises influence subsequent sprint performance? A randomized crossover intervention study

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the acute effects of the sequence order of drop jumps (DJ) and dynamic stretching (DS) on sprinting performances in competitive athletes and to investigate the relationships between post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) in sprint performance and lower limb power. Thirteen male jumpers and sprinters participated in this study (19 ± 2 years; 177 ± 7 cm; 71.7 ± 5.6 kg). Through a randomized crossover design, the athletes were exposed to three different conditions after a standardized warm-up: DS+DJ, DJ+DS, and control. Sprinting performance over 40 m was analysed with consideration of initial (0 to 20 m) and final acceleration (20 to 40 m) phases. The effect of intervention was examined by two-way repeated-measures of ANOVA. Pearson's correlation test was used to determine the association between PAPE during sprinting and jump performance. There was no effect of any factor on 40-m sprint performance. Meanwhile, the performance at 20-40 m was higher after the DS+DJ condition when compared to baseline (8.79 ± 0.43 vs. 8.91 ± 0.35 m/s; p = 0.015). However, the initial acceleration was worsened in the DJ+DS condition when compared to baseline (6.26 ± 0.25 vs. 6.22 ± 0.26 m/s; p = 0.002). There was a negative correlation between CMJ height and the improvement in final acceleration (r = -0.741; p = 0.004). The use of DS prior to DJ is an effective strategy to improve performance in the final acceleration phase (20-40 m). The athletes with lower levels of lower limb power benefited the most from this PAPE strategy.

Post-activation performance enhancement effect of drop jump on long jump performance during competition

Drop jump is widely used in training sessions, aiming for chronic effects on long jump performance. However, the acute effect of drop jump on long jump performance through its use as a Conditioning Activity (CA) has not been explored. The objective of this study was to verify the Post-activation Performance Enhancement (PAPE) responses induced by successive Drop Jumps (DJ) on competitive long jump performance. Eleven male jumpers (19.0 ± 2.0 years; 178.0 ± 9.0 cm; 73.1 ± 8.9 kg; and personal record 5.78 ± 0.44 m) volunteered for participation. The athletes performed 5 drop jumps 2 min (1'45-2'15 min) before the second, and fourth attempt during official competition of state level, the attempts without the use of CA were considered controls. The performance of the second (5.63 ± 0.43 m), third (5.65 ± 0.46, g = 0.24) and fourth (5.71 ± 0.34 m) jumps performed after activation were higher than the first (5.54 ± 0.45 m) in the control condition, p = 0.02, and p = 0.01 respectively. Differences were also found in the take-off vertical velocity of the jump between the fourth (1.55 ± 0.21) and the first jump (1.30 ± 0.40), p = 0.006. Jump performance showed positive correlation with approach velocity, r = 0.731, vertical take-off velocity, r = 0.412, and take-off duration, r = 0.508. The mean performance in jumping post-activation (5.67 ± 0.38 m) was higher than that without the use of previous CA (5.59 ± 0.44 m), p = 0.02, g = 0.19. The use of DJs as a CA prior to the long jump promotes improvements in the performance of the jump, which can be explained by the increase in the take-off vertical velocity in the athletes.

Acute effects of prior conditioning activity on change of direction performance. A systematic review and meta-analysis

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis on the acute effects of prior conditioning activity (CA) on change of direction (COD) performance. Eligible studies, involving healthy participants undergoing acute CA with at least one measure of COD performance, were analysed across diverse databases. A total of 34 studies were included for systematic review with 19 studies included for the meta-analysis. The intervention condition resulted in significantly faster (Z = 4.39; standard mean difference [SMD] = 0.49; p < 0.05) COD performance compared with the control condition. Both unloaded and light loaded CA resulted in significantly greater (SMD = 0.58-0.59) COD performance compared to the control condition. Moreover, heavy loaded CA demonstrated a significant but small (SMD = 0.24) improvement in COD performance compared to the control condition. Age and study design had no effect on the overall meta-analysis outcomes. Both males and females exhibited similar moderate effects with CA but only males demonstrated significantly greater COD performance compared to control conditions. Our findings indicate that a range of CA protocols can acutely improve COD performance with unloaded and light-loaded CA resulting in the greatest performance enhancements. These findings will assist practitioners with the design and implementation of appropriate acute CA to improve COD performance.

The Acute Demands of Repeated-Sprint Training on Physiological, Neuromuscular, Perceptual and Performance Outcomes in Team Sport Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Repeated-sprint training (RST) involves maximal-effort, short-duration sprints (≤ 10 s) interspersed with brief recovery periods (≤ 60 s). Knowledge about the acute demands of RST and the influence of programming variables has implications for training prescription.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the physiological, neuromuscular, perceptual and performance demands of RST, while also examining the moderating effects of programming variables (sprint modality, number of repetitions per set, sprint repetition distance, inter-repetition rest modality and inter-repetition rest duration) on these outcomes.

METHODS

The databases Pubmed, SPORTDiscus, MEDLINE and Scopus were searched for original research articles investigating overground running RST in team sport athletes ≥ 16 years. Eligible data were analysed using multi-level mixed effects meta-analysis, with meta-regression performed on outcomes with ~ 50 samples (10 per moderator) to examine the influence of programming factors. Effects were evaluated based on coverage of their confidence (compatibility) limits (CL) against elected thresholds of practical importance.

RESULTS

From 908 data samples nested within 176 studies eligible for meta-analysis, the pooled effects (± 90% CL) of RST were as follows: average heart rate (HRavg) of 163 ± 9 bpm, peak heart rate (HRpeak) of 182 ± 3 bpm, average oxygen consumption of 42.4 ± 10.1 mL·kg-1·min-1, end-set blood lactate concentration (B[La]) of 10.7 ± 0.6 mmol·L-1, deciMax session ratings of perceived exertion (sRPE) of 6.5 ± 0.5 au, average sprint time (Savg) of 5.57 ± 0.26 s, best sprint time (Sbest) of 5.52 ± 0.27 s and percentage sprint decrement (Sdec) of 5.0 ± 0.3%. When compared with a reference protocol of 6 × 30 m straight-line sprints with 20 s passive inter-repetition rest, shuttle-based sprints were associated with a substantial increase in repetition time (Savg: 1.42 ± 0.11 s, Sbest: 1.55 ± 0.13 s), whereas the effect on sRPE was trivial (0.6 ± 0.9 au). Performing two more repetitions per set had a trivial effect on HRpeak (0.8 ± 1.0 bpm), B[La] (0.3 ± 0.2 mmol·L-1), sRPE (0.2 ± 0.2 au), Savg (0.01 ± 0.03) and Sdec (0.4; ± 0.2%). Sprinting 10 m further per repetition was associated with a substantial increase in B[La] (2.7; ± 0.7 mmol·L-1) and Sdec (1.7 ± 0.4%), whereas the effect on sRPE was trivial (0.7 ± 0.6). Resting for 10 s longer between repetitions was associated with a substantial reduction in B[La] (-1.1 ± 0.5 mmol·L-1), Savg (-0.09 ± 0.06 s) and Sdec (-1.4 ± 0.4%), while the effects on HRpeak (-0.7 ± 1.8 bpm) and sRPE (-0.5 ± 0.5 au) were trivial. All other moderating effects were compatible with both trivial and substantial effects [i.e. equal coverage of the confidence interval (CI) across a trivial and a substantial region in only one direction], or inconclusive (i.e. the CI spanned across substantial and trivial regions in both positive and negative directions).

CONCLUSIONS

The physiological, neuromuscular, perceptual and performance demands of RST are substantial, with some of these outcomes moderated by the manipulation of programming variables. To amplify physiological demands and performance decrement, longer sprint distances (> 30 m) and shorter, inter-repetition rest (≤ 20 s) are recommended. Alternatively, to mitigate fatigue and enhance acute sprint performance, shorter sprint distances (e.g. 15-25 m) with longer, passive inter-repetition rest (≥ 30 s) are recommended.

Acute effects of ballistic versus heavy-resistance exercises on countermovement jump and rear-hand straight punch performance in amateur boxers

Background

Ballistic and heavy-resistance exercises may potentially enhance lower body power, which is paramount for the punching performance of amateur boxers. This study aimed to determine the acute effects of ballistic exercise (BE) and heavy-resistance exercise (HRE) on countermovement jump (CMJ) and rear-hand straight punch performance in amateur boxers.

Methods

Ten amateur boxers performed two conditioning exercises in a randomized and counterbalanced order as follows: squat jump with 4 sets × 8 repetitions at 30% one-repetition maximum (1RM) for BE and squat with 3 sets × 5 repetitions at 80% 1RM for HRE. The jump height (JH), relative maximal force (RMF), relative maximal power (RMP) of the CMJ, punch force (PF), and punch speed (PS) of a rear-hand straight punch were measured before and 3, 6, 9, and 12 min after either BE or HRE.

Results

No significant condition × time interaction was found for JH (p = 0.303), RMF (p = 0.875), RMP (p = 0.480), PF (p = 0.939), and PS (p = 0.939). In addition, no main effect of the condition for JH (p = 0.924), RMF (p = 0.750), RMP (p = 0.631), PF (p = 0.678), and PS (p = 0.712). A significant main effect of time was observed for PF (p = 0.001) and PS (p = 0.001), whereas JH (p = 0.081), RMF (p = 0.141), and RMP (p = 0.430) were not. Pairwise comparison identified that PF (p = 0.031) and PS (p = 0.005) significantly increased at 9 min compared with those at baseline.

Conclusions

The findings of this study demonstrated that BE and HRE protocols can potentiate the rear-hand straight punch performance at 9 min but bring less favorable improvements for JH, RMF, or RMP of CMJ.

Effects of plyometric and whole-body vibration on physical performance in collegiate basketball players: a crossover randomized trial

While many studies suggested the isolated effects of plyometric and whole-body vibration exercises on physical performance variables, only few studies have compared the acute effects of plyometric and whole-body vibration on the occurrence of post-activation potentiation and the resultant improvements in performance. Therefore, we aimed to compare the acute effects of plyometric exercises and whole-body vibration training on physical performance in collegiate basketball players. Twenty-four collegiate male basketball players (age 20.8 ± 2.02 years, height 1.79 ± 0.7 m, and weight 71.2 ± 7.6 kg) participated in this randomized crossover study. Subjects were received both plyometric and whole-body vibration exercises after a 48-h washed-out period. Countermovement Jump height, sprint, and agility time were measured at baseline, 4- and 12-min post-plyometric, and whole-body vibration exercises. The result suggests a positive effect of both the plyometric and whole-body vibration exercises on countermovement jump and agility time (p = 0.001). While the countermovement jump height and agility were higher in the plyometric group (mean difference 1.60 cm and 0.16 s, respectively), the sprint performance was higher in the whole-body vibration group. However, these differences were statistically non-significant between the two groups (p > 0.05). This study suggests that both plyometric and whole-body vibration exercises may improve post-activation potentiation, which leads to better physical performance.

Trial registration CTRI/2019/05/019059. Registered with the Clinical trials registry, India on 10/05/2019. http://ctri.nic.in/Clinicaltrials/advsearch.php.