Prior evidence demonstrates the efficacy by which plyometric activities during warm-up conditions augment the subsequent performance in power-centric exercise. We investigated the acute effects of loaded jump squats incorporated into a standard sprinters’ warm-up protocol on subsequent sprint performance in collegiate track athletes. Sprint times of 22 male and female collegiate track athletes were measured in 10-m intervals during a 30-m sprint trial following a standard sprinters’ warm-up routine with or without plyometric exercise. Subjects were tested on two separate occasions, once with loaded jump squats as the experimental treatment (two sets of eight jumps, load = 13% bodyweight) (PLYO) and once with time-equated rest as the control treatment (CON). Treatments were implemented following a standard sprinters’ warm-up routine familiar to the subjects. A dependent T-test was used for comparison of sprint interval times between conditions with a significant effect indicated by a p-value < 0.05. Sprint time did not differ between CON vs. PLYO at the 10 m (PLYO = 1.90 ± 0.12 s vs. CON = 1.90 ± 0.11 s, p = 0.66), 20 m (PLYO = 3.16 ± 0.21 s vs. CON = 3.15 ± 0.19 s, p = 0.53), and 30 m (PLYO = 4.32 ± 0.32 s vs. CON = 4.31 ± 0.28 s, p = 0.61) intervals. There was no interaction between treatment and sex, sex-specific ranking (above vs. below sex-specific mean), or sprint event (short vs. short–long vs. long) for 10 m, 20 m, or 30-m interval sprint times. At least within the limits of the current investigation, no evidence was provided to suggest that jump squats loaded at 13% bodyweight are an effective means to acutely potentiate sprint performance in collegiate track athletes. However, a further examination of responders indicates that the present loaded jump squat protocol may preferentially potentiate sprint performance in faster male athletes.

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Certain anthropometric, spatiotemporal and kinematic characteristics can contribute to 100-meter sprint performance. However, it is unclear how these are different by gender for medalists and non-medalists in elite level events such as the USA Olympic Trials. PURPOSE:The purpose of this study was to analyze differences on specific anthropometric, spatiotemporal and kinematic data at 80-meters by gender for international level medalists and non-medalists. METHODS: 38 sprinters (19 males, 19 females) who made the 100-meter final or semifinal in the 2014-2019 United States National Championships were included in this study. Anthropometric data was collected using a tape measure. High speed video (300 Hz, Casio EXILM Pro EX-F1), taken at 80-meters into the 100-meter race, and kinematic software were used to collect sagittal plane kinematic variables. Group differences were assessed using a series of one-way ANOVAs. RESULTS: In males, leg length (0.93 ± 0.02m, 0.95 ± .01m; p < 0.05) and average contact time (0.085 ± 0.004s, 0.094 ± 0.007s; p < 0.01) were significantly shorter while velocity (11.50 ± 0.43m/s, 10.83 ± 0.33m/s; p < 0.01), average upper leg full extension angle (152.45 ± 7.63°, 145.63 ± 3.46°; p < 0.05), and average horizontal backward foot velocity at touchdown (8.49 ± 0.33m/s, 7.84 ± 0.47m/s; p < 0.01) were significantly larger in medalists versus non-medalists. In females, only leg length was significantly longer in medalists versus non-medalists (0.89 ± 0.03m, 0.86 ± 0.03m; p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that among females, of the variables measured here, only anthropometric characteristics seem to influence medal position.. Conversely, form and technique heavily dependent upon kinematics separate males from making a medal position. These data suggest that males may need to focus on specific kinematic outcomes in order to increase the changes of successfully making the podium in a 100-meter race.

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