Enhancement of jump performance after a 5-RM squat is associated with postactivation potentiation

Abstract

Weight lifting exercise may induce postactivation potentiation (PAP), thereby enhancing performance of a subsequent biomechanically similar "explosive" movement. However, it has not been shown that weight lifting induces PAP, indicated as potentiation of muscle twitch force. Therefore, the present study tested whether a five repetition maximum squat (5-RM squat) both induced PAP and increased the height of subsequently performed counter-movement jumps (CMJs). Eleven male athletes completed four laboratory sessions on separate days. Two sessions determined whether the 5-RM squat induced PAP: in one, a quadriceps maximal twitch was evoked immediately before and 8 min after a set of five CMJs (control); in the other, a twitch was evoked before a CMJ set, which was followed by a 4-min rest, a 5-RM squat, a 4-min rest, and a second twitch. Another two sessions tested the effect of the 5-RM squat on jump performance: in one session, two sets of five CMJs were performed with an 8-min rest between the sets (control); in the second, a 5-RM squat was performed 4 min after the first set of CMJs, and then after another 4 min the second set of CMJs was performed. Neither twitch torque nor CMJ height changed in the control sessions (P > 0.05). In contrast, interpolation of the 5-RM squat increased (P < 0.05) both twitch torque (49.5 ± 7.8 to 54.8 ± 11.9 N m; i.e., PAP = 10.7%) and CMJ height (48.1 ± 5.6 to 49.5 ± 5.9 cm; 2.9%). Since PAP was present at the time when CMJ height increased, it was concluded that PAP may have contributed to the increased CMJ height after a 5-RM squat.

The effects of a postactivation potentiation warm-up on subsequent sprint performance

“…Each experimental trial began with the same standardized bicycle warm-up used in the control trial and was followed by the 4-min active rest period of a slowly walking around the track [7,32,33]. Although the optimal rest period may be highly dependent on individual needs, the rest period between exercises chosen for this study appears to be a favorable balance between fatigue and potentiation and is supported in similar studies [3,19,24,[35][36][37].…”

The post-activation potentiation effect on sprint performance after combined resistance/sprint training in junior basketball players

“…Post-activation potentiation was initially considered to be caused only after a maximal voluntary isometric contraction or tetanic electrical stimulation (Sale, 2002), but recent studies showed that concentric or eccentric contractions can be effective as well (Baudry & Duchateau, 2004). Post-activation potentiation affects positively twitch torque (Sale, 2002), rate of force development (Baudry & Duchateau, 2007;Sale, 2002) and explosive movements (Mitchell & Sale, 2011;Tillin & Bishop, 2009). However, no post-activation potentiation effect was observed when the preceded stimulus was a task involving a stretch-shortening cycle, such as the countermovement jump (Lloyd & Deutsch, 2008;Mitchell & Sale, 2011).…”

“…However, no post-activation potentiation effect was observed when the preceded stimulus was a task involving a stretch-shortening cycle, such as the countermovement jump (Lloyd & Deutsch, 2008;Mitchell & Sale, 2011). Relevant studies have shown an enhancement in jumping (Mitchell & Sale, 2011) and running performance due to post-activation potentiation after resistance sets (Chatzopoulos et al, 2007;McBride, Nimphius, & Erickson, 2005), although there are some studies which reported no such effect on jumping performance (Chiu et al, 2003). Based on the principle of post-activation potentiation effect, specific resistance training methods have been designed, the so-called "combined resistance training" (Verkhoshansky & Tatyan, 1973), which combines resistance training sets and explosive movements in the same training session.…”

“…Post-activation potentiation affects positively twitch torque (Sale, 2002), rate of force development (Baudry & Duchateau, 2007;Sale, 2002) and explosive movements (Mitchell & Sale, 2011;Tillin & Bishop, 2009). However, no post-activation potentiation effect was observed when the preceded stimulus was a task involving a stretch-shortening cycle, such as the countermovement jump (Lloyd & Deutsch, 2008;Mitchell & Sale, 2011). Relevant studies have shown an enhancement in jumping (Mitchell & Sale, 2011) and running performance due to post-activation potentiation after resistance sets (Chatzopoulos et al, 2007;McBride, Nimphius, & Erickson, 2005), although there are some studies which reported no such effect on jumping performance (Chiu et al, 2003).…”

Postactivation potentiation and muscular endurance training

“…9 Several studies, however, have reported potentiation of functional performance (i.e., vertical jump, sprint speed, and bench press throws) after maximal 14,15 and submaximal muscular efforts. [16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29] Other studies have failed to induce potentiation of functional performance after 100% MVC knee extensions, 30,31 and after submaximal squat [32][33][34][35][36][37][38] and bench press 39,40 conditioning contractions. Decreased jump performance has also been observed after submaximal squat conditioning contractions.…”