The Acute Potentiating Effects of Back Squats on Athlete Performance

Abstract

Crewther, BT, Kilduff, LP, Cook, CJ, Middleton, MK, Bunce, PJ, and Yang, G-Z. The acute potentiating effects of back squats on athlete performance. J Strength Cond Res 25(12): 3319-3325, 2011-This study examined the acute potentiating effects of back squats on athlete performance with a specific focus on movement specificity and the individual timing of potentiation. Nine subelite male rugby players performed 3 protocols on separate occasions using a randomized, crossover, and counterbalanced design. Each protocol consisted of performance testing before a single set of 3 repetition maximum (3RM) back squats, followed by retesting at ∼15 seconds, 4, 8, 12, and 16 minutes. The 3 tests were countermovement jumps (CMJs), sprint performance (5 and 10 m), and 3-m horizontal sled pushes with a 100-kg load. Relationships between the individual changes in salivary testosterone and cortisol concentrations and performance were also examined. The 3RM squats significantly (p < 0.001) improved CMJ height at 4 (3.9 ± 1.9%), 8 (3.5 ± 1.5%), and 12 (3.0 ± 1.4%) minutes compared with baseline values, but no temporal changes in sprinting and sled times were identified. On an individual level, the peak relative changes in CMJ height (6.4 ± 2.1%, p < 0.001) were greater than the 3-m sled (1.4 ± 0.6%), 5-m (2.6 ± 1.0%), and 10-m sprint tests (1.8 ± 1.0%). In conclusion, a single set of 3RM squats was found effective in acutely enhancing CMJ height in the study population, especially when the recovery period was individualized for each athlete. The study results also suggest that the potentiating effects of squats may exhibit some degree of movement specificity, being greater for those exercises with similar movement patterns. The current findings have practical implications for prescribing warm-up exercises, individualizing training programs, and for interpreting postactivation potentiation research.

The acute effects of heavy sled towing on subsequent sprint acceleration performance

“…The main findings of the present study fall in line with the initial hypotheses, with the 3 × sled towing group identifying significant improvements in sprint performance following 8-min of recovery. These findings support the work from previous PAP research [23][24][25] , which has highlighted the requirement of at least 8-min of recovery from a heavy CA to enhance subsequent strength or power performance in biomechanically similar movements. Further to these findings, when individual- Note: * = p < 0.05, ** = p < 0.01 ised time periods of recovery are permitted, significant increases in sprint performance were realized, with participants within the 3 × sled towing group all achieving their best sprint times following 8-12 minutes of recovery (8-min post, 75%; 12-min post, 25%).…”

Limited Post-activation Potentiation Effects Provided by the Walking Lunge on Sprint Acceleration: A Preliminary Analysis

“…In opposition to these findings, 30-m sprint times did not improve 4 min after performing a 3RM back squat in well-trained male and female track and field athletes [20]. A 3RM back squat also did not lead to improvements in 0-5 m [10], 0-10 m [10,18], or 0-30 m sprint times [18] in strength-trained collegiate American football or rugby players. Division I collegiate male track and field athletes did not experience potentiation in a 40-m sprint 1 min after performing 3 power cleans with 90% of 1RM [15].…”

“…There are a number of elements that will influence the fatigue and potentiation that may result within a complex pair. These include: the athlete's training experience and level of strength, with stronger athletes experiencing greater PAP effects and potentiating sooner following a conditioning activity [5 -8]; rest period length within the complex pair, with the optimal time being highly individual [7, 9 -12]; intensity of the conditioning activity performed, which relates to the loading of the exercise [11,13,14]; and biomechanical similarities between the preload or conditioning activity and subsequent power-based exercise [10,15]. The consideration of biomechanical similarities between the preload or conditioning activity and power-based exercise takes on greater importance considering the more recent investigations into PAP and sprint performance.…”

“…For example, only Bevan et al [19] illustrated that 10-m sprint performance can be potentiated by a strength exercise. Numerous other studies have illustrated that speed over distances less than 20 m were not potentiated by a strength-based conditioning activity [10,15,16,18,20,21]. Yetter and Moir [16] stated that an exercise such as a back squat may not provide a movement-specific stimulation to the muscles required for sprint acceleration due to the different mechanical demands of acceleration versus maximal velocity sprinting.…”

Effect of Bulgarian Split Squat Exercise on 20 Meters Sprint Performance

“…Vanderka et al (2016), show in their study that there is no significant difference in the sprint time for athletes and footballers after jump squat, and the sprint time is negatively affected. On the other hand, Crewther et al (2011), report that there is no significant difference on rugby players in sprint performance after a single squat set with three repetitions exercise of 90% of 1 RM. Since these studies are parallel to our study, the tests are performed on elite athletes.…”