Acute Effect of Countermovement Jumping on Throwing Performance in Track and Field Athletes During Competition

Abstract

Karampatsos, GP, Korfiatis, PG, Zaras, ND, Georgiadis, GV, and Terzis, GD. Acute effect of countermovement jumping on throwing performance in track and field athletes during competition. J Strength Cond Res 32(1): 359-364, 2017-The purpose of the study was to investigate whether performing 3 consecutive countermovement jumps (CMJs) just before an attempt enhances performance in track and field throwers during competition. Twelve shot putters, 8 hammer throwers, 9 discus throwers, and 3 javelin throwers of both sexes participated in the study. They performed 3 maximal CMJs 85 ± 12 seconds before the second, fourth, and sixth attempt during 3 different official competitions of national level. Maximal strength (1 repetition maximum [1RM]) in squat and bench press was measured 1 week after the competition. Mean throwing performance was significantly higher after the CMJs intervention (2.66 ± 4.3%, range of increase 0.02-18.98%, p = 0.0001). Similarly, maximum throwing performance was significantly higher after the CMJs (2.76 ± 3.29%, range of increase 0.09-13.93%, p = 0.0009). All but 2 athletes increased their best performance after the CMJs. The percentage increase in performance was similar between sexes (male athletes 2.56 ± 3.01%; female athletes 3.06 ± 3.76%, p = 0.677), but it was higher for the "lighter throws" (discus and javelin throw: 4.66 ± 4.11%) compared with the "heavier throws" (shot and hammer throw: 1.62 ± 2.04%, p = 0.008). The percentage increase in performance was not significantly correlated with 1RM squat or bench press, anthropometric characteristics, and personal best performance. These results suggest that performing 3 CMJs approximately 1 minute before an attempt may increase track and field throwing performance during competition.

Post-activation Potentiation Versus Post-activation Performance Enhancement in Humans: Historical Perspective, Underlying Mechanisms, and Current Issues

“…Given the time course and magnitude of effect, it is therefore possible that increases in muscle temperature contribute to the improvement in voluntary performance after a brief bout of high-intensity exercise (i.e., PAPE). In studies reporting moderate improvements in performance (1–5%; e.g., Yetter and Moir, 2008; Wyland et al, 2015; Karampatsos et al, 2017), changes in muscle temperature could theoretically explain the majority of the performance improvement, and in studies showing improvements of 5–10% (Mina et al, 2014; Dello Iacono et al, 2016; Kummel et al, 2016; Suchomel et al, 2016; Bogdanis et al, 2017), at least some of the change could be associated with temperature changes. Based on this evidence, PAPE experienced after a conditioning activity (that was not preceded by an extensive warm-up period) might be largely, or wholly, explicable by an increase in muscle temperature, particularly when fast rates of force development or muscle shortening are critical to performance of the test contraction.…”

Comparison of Loaded Countermovement Jump with Different Variable Resistance Intensities on Inducing Post-Activation Potentiation

“…Secondly, the rest interval selected for this study might not necessarily be the optimal recovery period. Previous studies have shown that performing plyometric and VR squat can induce PAP with only 60-90 s of recovery [16,26]. Future studies could look into examining the PAP effect using different recovery periods.…”

“…A plyometric exercise may induce less fatigue as compared to a traditional resistance exercise, which can lead to a greater potentiation effect to be achieved [25]. In support of this, Karampatso et al [16] reported that a 1-min recovery period of three repetitions of vertical jump was sufficient to improve throwing performance. This recovery time is much shorter than that required after performing heavy weights lifting (4-10 min) [25,31].…”

“…In addition to improving jump and sprint performances [5,6,17,18,23,29], PAP induced by performing plyometric exercises has also been reported to improve throwing (shot put, hammer throw, discus and javelin) [16] and judo performances [20]. It has even been suggested that that plyometric might be more effective than a traditional resistance exercise in inducing PAP as plyometric exercises are associated with preferential recruitment of type II motor units, which is the mechanism underpinning PAP [25].…”

A development model to guide the recruiting of female shot putters at the NCAA Division I Championship level

“…Power training methods for the throws are generally centered around classical weight lifting, which is built around the power and Olympic lifts (Poprawski, 1988), along with various forms of running, jumping, special strength exercises, and plyometric routines and circuits (Pavlovic, Brankovic, & Zivkovic, 2012;Judge et al, 2013;Judge & Bellar, 2012;Terzis, Spengos, Karampatsos, Manta, & Georgiadis, 2009;Karampatsos, Korfiatis, Zara, Georgiadis, & Terzis, 2017;Zaras et al, 2013). The inability of the majority of throwing athletes in the United States to participate in a comprehensive year-round system of throws training until they matriculate into the collegiate system, delays exposure to high-level training methods until they are nearly 20 years of age.…”