Makaruk, H, Winchester, JB, Sadowski, J, Czaplicki, A, and Sacewicz, T. Effects of unilateral and bilateral plyometric training on power and jumping ability in women. J Strength Cond Res 25(12): 3311-3318, 2011-The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of unilateral and bilateral plyometric exercise on peak power and jumping performance during different stages of a 12-week training and detraining in women. Forty-nine untrained but physically active female college students were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: unilateral plyometric group (n = 16), bilateral plyometric group (BLE; n = 18), and a control group (n = 15). Peak power and jumping ability were assessed by means of the alternate leg tests (10-second Wingate test and 5 alternate leg bounds), bilateral leg test (countermovement jump [CMJ]) and unilateral leg test (unilateral CMJ). Performance indicators were measured pretraining, midtraining, posttraining, and detraining. Differences between dependent variables were assessed with a 3 × 4 (group × time) repeated analysis of variance with Tukey's post hoc test applied where appropriate. Effect size was calculated to determine the magnitude of significant differences between the researched parameters. Only the unilateral plyometric training produced significant (p < 0.05) improvement in all tests from pretraining to midtraining, but there was no significant (p < 0.05) increase in performance indicators from midtraining to posttraining. The BLE group significantly (p < 0.05) improved in all tests from pretraining to posttraining and did not significantly (p > 0.05) decrease power and jumping ability in all tests during detraining. These results suggest that unilateral plyometric exercises produce power and jumping performance during a shorter period when compared to bilateral plyometric exercises but achieved performance gains last longer after bilateral plyometric training. Practitioners should consider the inclusion of both unilateral and bilateral modes of plyometric exercise to elicit rapid improvements and guard against detraining.

BackgroundLow level laser therapy (LLLT) is among novel methods for preventing and treating muscle damage and soreness induced by volitional exercise, but little is known about using LLLT before neuromuscular electrical stimulation. The aim of this first randomised, double blind, crossover trial addressing this issue was to evaluate effects of LLLT on muscle damage and oxidative stress, as well as recovery of muscle function after a single session of isometric neuromuscular electrical stimulation(NMES).MethodsTwenty four moderately active, healthy men aged 21–22 years received 45 electrically evoked tetanic, isometric contractions of the quadriceps femoris, preceded by LLLT or sham-LLLT. Maximal isometric voluntary muscle torques, perceived soreness, and blood samples were analysed from baseline to 96 h post intervention. We measured plasma markers of muscle damage (the activity of creatine kinase), and inflammation (C-reactive protein), and evaluated redox state parameters.ResultsNMES-evoked contractions induced oxidative stress, demonstrated by an increase in lipid peroxidation and impairments in enzymatic antioxidant system. LLLT irradiations had a protective effect on NMES-induced decrease in enzymatic antioxidant defence and shortened the duration of inflammation. This effect of irradiations on redox state and inflammation did not affect lipid peroxidation, muscle damage, and muscle torque.ConclusionsLLLT may protect from impairments in enzymatic antioxidant system and may shorten inflammation induced by a single NMES session in moderately active, healthy men. However, the effects of LLLT on redox state and inflammatory processes do not seem to affect muscle damage and recovery of muscle function after NMES.Trial registrationThe study was retrospectively registered in the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR); The trial registration number: ACTRN12619000678190; date of registration: 6 May 2019.

The aim of this study was to examine the chronic effects of single and repeated jumps training on vertical landing force (VGRF) and jump height in untrained men. The VGRF and jump height were compared after a six-week plyometric training programme containing single and repeated jumps, together with two additional parameters: landing time (LT) and range of the knee flexion during landing (KF). Thirty-six untrained physical education students with a plyometric training background were randomly assigned to a single jump group (SJG, n =12), repeated jumps group (RJG, n =12), and control group (CON, n =12). The SJG performed only single jumps, the RJG executed repeated (consecutive) jumps, whereas the CON did not perform any exercises at all. A countermovement jump (CMJ), repeated countermovement jumps (RCMJ), and a drop jump (DJ) were tested before and after the training. Only the RJG showed a significantly reduced VGRF (p < 0.05) in all tests. Both plyometric groups significantly improved (p < 0.05) their jump height in all tests. The LT was significantly greater in the RJG, compared to the SJG, in all tests. The KF was also significantly (p < 0.05) greater in the RJG than in the SJG for CMJ and RCMJ. The results suggest that repeated jumps are beneficial for simultaneous landing force reduction and jumping performance enhancement.