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The primary aim of this study was to examine the effects of 6-week strength training with whole body vibration (WBV) on leg strength and jumping performance in volleyball and beach volleyball players. Twenty-three sub-elite male volleyball (VB; n=12) and beach volleyball players (BVB; n=11) aged 21.2±3.0 years were divided into two groups and subjected to 6 weeks of strength training (three one-hour sessions per week): (I) 12 players (6 VB and 6 BVB players) underwent training with WBV (30-40 Hz, 1.7-2.5 mm, 3.0-5.7 g), and (II) 11 players (6 VB and 5 BVB players) underwent traditional strength training. Squat jump (SJ) and countermovement squat jump (CMJ) measurements by the Ergo Tester contact platform and maximum leg press test (1RM) were conducted. Three-factor (2 time x 2 WBV use x 2 discipline) analysis of variance for SJ, CMJ and 1RM revealed a significant time main effect (p<0.001), a WBV use effect (p<0.001) and a discipline effect (p<0.001). Significantly greater improvements in the SJ (p<0.001) and CMJ (p<0.001) and in 1RM (p<0.001) were found in the WBV training groups than in traditional training groups. Significant 3-way interaction effects (training, WBV use, discipline kind) were also found for SJ, CMJ and 1RM (p=0.001, p<0.001, p=0.001, respectively). It can be concluded that implementation of 6-week WBV training in routine practice in volleyball and beach volleyball players increases leg strength more and leads to greater improvement in jump performance than traditional strength training, but greater improvements can be expected in beach volleyball players than in volleyball players.

word count: 250 Text-only word count: 3407Number of figures and tables: 2 "Accuracy of Jump-Mat Systems for Measuring Jump Height" by Pueo B et al. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance © 2016 Human Kinetics, Inc. AbstractPurpose: Vertical-jump tests are commonly used to evaluate lower-limb power of athletes and non-athletes. Several types of equipment are available for this purpose. Here we compared the error of measurement of two jump-mat systems (Chronojump-Boscosystem and Globus Ergo Tester) with that of a motion-capture system as a criterion. Additionally we determined the modifying effect of foot length on jump height. Methods: Thirty-one young adult males alternated four countermovement jumps with four squat jumps. Mean jump height and standard deviations representing technical error of measurement arising from each device and variability arising from the subjects themselves were estimated with a novel mixed model and evaluated via standardization and magnitude-based inference. Results: The jump-mat systems produced nearly identical measures of jump height (differences in means and in technical errors of measurement 1 mm). Countermovement and squat-jump height were both 13.6 cm higher with motion capture (90% confidence limits ±0.3 cm), but this very large difference was reduced to small unclear differences when adjusted to a foot length of zero. Variability in countermovement and squat-jump height arising from the subjects was small (1.1 and 1.5 cm respectively, 90% confidence limits ±0.3 cm); technical error of motion capture was similar in magnitude (1.7 and 1.6 cm, ±0.3 and ±0.4 cm), while that of the jump mats was similar or smaller (1.2 and 0.3 cm, ±0.5 and ±0.9 cm). Conclusions: The jump-mat systems provide trustworthy measurements for monitoring changes in jump height. Foot length can explain the substantially higher jump height observed with motion capture.

Vertical jump performance is a commonly used test to measure lower-limb muscle power that is carried out with several types of equipment. The aim of this study was to validate an open-source jump mat (Chronojump Boscosystems) against a proprietary jump mat (Globus Ergo Tester). Sixty-three active sportsmen (age 23.3 ± 2.4 years) completed 8 maximal-effort countermovement jumps (CMJ). The heights of the 504 CMJ were measured from the two jump mats simultaneously. Reliability was examined with intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC), paired samples t-tests, coefficient of variation (CV) and Cronbach’s α. Bivariate Pearson’s correlation coefficient ( r ) was used to examine validity. Effects were evaluated using non-clinical magnitude-based inference. There was almost perfect agreement between instruments (ICC = 0.999−1.000, most likely positive 100/0/0). Paired t -test showed a mean difference of 0.03 ± 0.21 cm (90% CI -0.04 − -0.01) between instruments (most likely trivial 0/100/0). Both instruments showed very good stability (α = 1.00, CV = 4.28±1.95%). The smallest worthwhile change and typical error values were 1.3 and 0.29 cm, respectively and therefore, the signal-to-noise ratio of both instruments was large: 4.5. Finally, almost perfect correlation between instruments was observed ( r = 0.999, most likely positive 100/0/0). Chronojump can be regarded as a sensitive instrument to detect changes in jump height performance over the possible noise around the measure. The results supported the open-source jump mat to be a useful, valid and reliable, low-cost testing device to monitor variations in vertical jumping performance.

Jimenez-Olmedo JM, Penichet-Tomas A, Saiz-Colomina S, Martinez-Carbonell JA, Jove-Tossi MA. Serve analysis of professional players in beach volleyball.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the contribution of anthropometric and strength determinants of 2000 m ergometer performance in traditional rowing. Nineteen rowers competing at national level participated in this study. Anthropometric characteristics, vertical jumps and bench pull tests were assessed to determine conditional factors, whereas the 2000 m test was used to set rowing performance. Pearson correlation coefficient, linear stepwise and allometric regression analyses were used to predict rowing performance (R2 > 50%). Height, body mass and body muscle correlated with rowing performance in male and female rowers. Similarly, power output for squat jump and countermovement jump power correlated with performance. Finally, mean propulsive velocity, mean power and maximum power in bench pull also correlated with the test. Stepwise multiple regression analysis identified body mass (R2 = 0.69, p < 0.001) and mean propulsive velocity in bench pull (R2 = 0.76, p < 0.001) for male rowers and body muscle (R2 = 0.89, p = 0.002) and maximum power in bench pull (R2 = 0.62, p = 0.036) for female rowers as the best predictors of rowing performance. These results determine the relevance of anthropometric characteristics and, in contrast to Olympic rowing, support the greatest importance of upper body power in traditional rowing training.

The purpose of this study was to verify if a conditioning activity was effective to elicit postactivation performance enhancement (PAPE) and to increase the performance in vertical jump (VJ) in elite female volleyball players. Eleven national Superliga-2 volleyball players (22.6 ± 3.5 years) were randomly assigned to an experimental and control group. Countermovement jumps (CMJ) were performed on eight occasions: before (Pre-PAPE) and after activation (Post-PAPE), after the match (Pre-Match), and after each of the five-match sets (Set 1 to 5). ANOVA showed significantly increased jump performance for the experiment between baseline (Pre-PAPE) and all the following tests: +1.3 cm (Post-PAPE), +3.0 cm (Pre-Match), +4.8 cm (Set 1), +7.3 cm (Set 2), +5.1 cm (Set 3), +3.6 cm (Set 4), and +4.0 cm (Set 5), all showing medium to large effect size (0.7 < ES < 2.4). The performance of the control group did not show significant increases until Set 3 (+3.2 cm) and Set 5 (+2.9 cm), although jump heights were always lower for the control group than the experimental. The use of conditioning activity generates increased VJ performance in Post-PAPE tests and elicited larger PAPE effects that remain until the second set of a volleyball match.

Purpose. beach handball is a physically demanding sport. the aim of the study was to establish the relationships between anthropometric characteristics and overarm ball speed, a key performance factor. Methods. Overall, 11 male players from the Spanish beach handball national team were recruited. throw speed was assessed in 3 throw types: standing throw (St), standing throw after two steps (rSt), and jump throw with a run-up and self-spin (rSSt). Pearson correlation was used to determine the correlation between variables. Magnitudes were evaluated qualitatively with magnitude-based inference, and the effects of anthropometric variables on the throw tests were analysed with stepwise multiple regression. Results. Maximal throw speed was 25.64 ± 4.14 m • s-1 for St, 23.71 ± 4.24 m • s-1 for rSt, and 24.83 ± 5.49 m • s-1 for rSSt. Large positive correlations were found between throw speed and middle, ring, and little finger lengths (P4 polygon) (r = 0.66 and 0.61 for St and rSSt, respectively). Very large (r = 0.77) and large (r = 0.68) correlations were observed between St and rSt, respectively, and elbow breadth. these results were likely positive for St: P4 (76/24/0), elbow epicondyle distance (EED) (91/9/0); and for rSt: EED (79/21/0); and possibly positive for rSt: P4 (68/32/0). St and rSt were predicted by P4 in 44% and by combining P4 and finger span FS1 in 68%. Conclusions. St and rSt ball speed in beach handball was related to specific hand/elbow anthropometric characteristics which can be easily measured.