Efficacy of depth jumps to elicit a post-activation performance enhancement in junior endurance runners

Richard Blagrove, Kristina Holding, Stephen Patterson, Glyn Howatson, Phil Hayes

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

13 Citations (Scopus)
17 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the effect of performing depth jumps (DJ) pre-exercise on running economy (RE) and time to exhaustion (TTE) at the speed associated with maximal oxygen uptake (sV̇O2max) in a group of high-performing junior middle-distance runners.Design: Randomized crossover study.Methods: Seventeen national- and international-standard male distance runners (17.6 ± 1.2 years, 63.4 ± 6.3 kg, 1.76 ± 0.06 m, 70.7 ± 5.2 ml.kg-1.min-1) completed two trials. Following a 5 min warm-up at 60% V̇O2max, participants performed a 5 min run at 20%Δ below oxygen uptake corresponding with lactate turn-point to determine pre-intervention RE. Participants then completed either six DJ from a box equivalent to their best counter-movement jump (CMJ) or a control condition (C) involving body weight quarter squats. After a 10 min passive recovery, another 5 min sub-maximal run was performed followed by a run to exhaustion at sV̇O2max.Results: Compared to the C trial, DJ produced moderate improvements (-3.7%, 95% confidence interval for effect size: 0.25-1.09) in RE, which within the context of minimal detectable change is considered possibly beneficial. Differences in TTE and other physiological variables were most likely trivial (ES: <0.2). Individual responses were small, however a partial correlation revealed a moderate relationship (r=-0.55, p=0.028) between change in RE and CMJ height.Conclusions: The inclusion of a set of six DJ in the warm-up routine of a well-trained young male middle-distance runner is likely to provide a moderate improvement in RE.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)239-244
JournalJournal of Science and Medicine in Sport
Volume22
Issue number2
Early online date3 Aug 2018
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2019

Keywords

  • warm-up
  • potentiation
  • pre-activation
  • running
  • physiology
  • plyometrics

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