Effects of a 10-Month Neuromuscular Training Program on Strength, Power, Speed, and Vault Performance in Young Female Gymnasts

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate a 10-month neuromuscular training (NMT) intervention on isometric and dynamic kinetics, standing long jump (SLJ) distance, speed, and sport-specific performance. Methods: Forty-three prepubertal female gymnasts were allocated into either a gymnastics + NMT (gNMT; n = 16), gymnastics only (GYM, n = 15), or maturity-matched control (CON; n = 12) group. The gNMT followed a 10-month, twice-weekly NMT program that targeted movement competency, strength, power, and speed. Vaulting vertical take-off velocity, speed, SLJ distance, and kinetics during an isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP), countermovement jump (CMJ), and drop jump (DJ) were measured at baseline and thereafter at 4, 7, and 10 months. Within-group differences were calculated using 3 Â 4 repeated-measures ANCOVA. Results: Interaction effects were observed for SLJ distance and various IMTP, DJ, and vaulting variables. The gNMT showed significant improvements in IMTP absolute force and SLJ distance after 4 months and each subsequent testing session. IMTP relative force and various CMJ and DJ kinetics significantly improved in the gNMT from 7 months. Significant gains in speed and vaulting take-off velocity occurred after 10 months. The GYM group achieved some significant improvements in CMJ impulse, absolute isometric strength, and DJ spring-like behavior, whereas the CON group did not experience any changes. Conclusions: The addition of NMT to gymnastics training improved various isometric and dynamic kinetics, SLJ distance, speed, and vaulting take-off velocity in the gNMT, changes that were not equally evidenced for GYM or CON. The threshold for most of the training-induced adaptations observed in IMTP relative force, CMJ and DJ kinetics, sprint speed, and vaulting were achieved after 7 months, emphasizing the efficacy of long-term NMT programs for young gymnasts.

The Influence of Competitive Level on Stretch-Shortening Cycle Function in Young Female Gymnasts

“…Previous researchers have reported that exposure to gymnastics-specific training could serve as an effective stimulus for SSC development [ 9 ]. While there were consistent trends for regional gymnasts to outperform their recreational counterparts and for elite gymnasts to outperform regional gymnasts, there were only significant differences between elite and recreational groups.…”

“…Current literature shows that gymnasts typically outperform their non-gymnast peers on a range of jump tests, including squat and countermovement jumps [ 7 ] and drop jumps [ 7 , 8 ]. These findings may reflect how participation in the sport of gymnastics can serve as a vehicle to improve indices of strength and power performance [ 9 ], or alternatively coaches intuitively select gymnasts with good jumping abilities. Recently, research has shown that rate-of-force development (RFD) during an isometric mid-thigh pull is significantly greater in elite level young female gymnasts compared to recreational level gymnasts [ 10 ].…”

The effect of plyometric training and moderating variables on stretch-shortening cycle function and physical qualities in female post peak height velocity volleyball players

“…Significant improvements in standing long jump (broad jump) have been demonstrated in girls from various sports and similar age range as players in the current study (age 13–16). For example, after a 7-week horizontal jump training intervention ( Talukdar et al, 2022 ), after both 8-week bilateral and unilateral plyometric interventions ( Kong, 2018 ), after both sagittal plane and frontal plane 6-week plyometric interventions ( McCormick et al, 2016 ), after a 10-month combined movement competency, strength, ballistic, plyometric and speed training program ( Moeskops et al, 2022a ), and after an 8-week plyometric, speed and strength training intervention ( Marta et al, 2014 ). The disagreement with the literature also applies to horizontal single and triple hopping where 15-year-old soccer, basketball and volleyball players were able to significantly improve their single leg hop distance after a 6-week neuromuscular training program ( Myer et al, 2005 ).…”

Assessing Strength and Power in Youth Populations

“…For instance, when profiling the isometric strength of young gymnasts, Moeskops et al (6) noted an approximate 50% increase in absolute force (N) from early prepubertal to pubertal stages in female gymnasts but with negligible changes in relative force (N/kg) across the same group. In a follow-up study, Moeskops et al (7) also were able to show that a 10-month neuromuscular training program increased the relative strength of young gymnasts. Where relative strength increases through time, this provides an indication that gains in performance are over and above those that would be expected solely from increases in size ( i.e.…”