Influence of Strength Level on the Acute Post-Activation Performance Enhancement Following Flywheel and Free Weight Resistance Training

Abstract

This study aimed to compare the post-activation potentiation performance enhancement (PAPE) response to the acute inertial flywheel (FW) and free weight resistance training (TRA) on subsequent countermovement jump (CMJ) and sprint performance (10 m sprint). This study used a randomized crossover design including twenty-eight healthy males that were divided into strong (relative one-repetition maximum (1RM) back squat > 2.0 × body mass) and weak (relative 1RM back squat < 2.0 × body mass) groups. All participants performed the following: (a) three reps at 90% of their 1RM back squat (TRA) and (b) three reps on an inertial FW (plus one repetition to initiate flywheel movement) with an intensity that generated a mean propulsive velocity equal to that achieved with 90% of the 1RM back squat. Before and after the conditioning activity, participants performed two CMJs and two 10 m sprints. Within-group analyses showed significantly greater CMJ (d > 0.9, p < 0.001) and sprint performance (d > 0.5, p < 0.05) in the FW and the TRA group. Between-group analysis showed that sprint changes were significantly greater in the FW-strong group when compared with the TRA (F1,18 = 5.11, p = 0.036, η2p = 0.221—large) group. These results suggest that using a squat activation protocol on a FW may lead to an acute positive effect on jump and sprint performance, especially in stronger individuals.

Postactivation Performance Enhancement (PAPE) Increases Vertical Jump in Elite Female Volleyball Players

“…In addition, these statistically significant results are consistent with their moderate effect sizes, as depicted in Table 3 , showing practical significance for the improvement percentage and the jump height reached in the CMJ in the Post-test. Hence, our study suggests that a conditioning activity would generate a positive effect on VJ performance, i.e., PAPE, as a result of an increase in muscle strength obtained 8 min after activation protocol [ 29 , 31 , 47 , 52 , 56 , 59 ].…”

“…However, contradictory results were found in the reviewed literature: the improvements in VJ found by Dobbs et al (2018) were not statistically significant. In addition, some authors did not find effects on jumping performance after a PAP protocol [ 14 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 ]. Furthermore, the persistence of PAP is significant only for a limited period of time from 28 s to less than 3 min [ 31 ], obtaining the performance peak improvement (PAPE) at 6–20 min [ 25 , 32 ].…”

The Maximum Flywheel Load: A Novel Index to Monitor Loading Intensity of Flywheel Devices

“…Although speed is currently the most commonly used variable to monitor loading intensity in real-time for ISO-load [2,10,11], power is more widely used in FRTD [4]. However, a recent work showed that angular acceleration is more sensitive to changes in load in leg extension exercise executed on an FRTD [30].…”

“…The comparison of differences in training effects between FW-load and ISO-load has been of great interest [8][9][10][11][12][13][14]. In these studies, a higher mechanical demand on the knee extensors [9], increased metabolic demands [10], comparable muscle hypertrophy [13], and higher eccentric muscle activity [8] were observed when FW-loads were used in comparison with ISO-loads.…”

“…However, many past studies lacked a sound criterion to match loading in the two training devices [9,10,13]. To match the external load to compare FW-load against ISO-load, some authors used a subjective scale [8], peak concentric power output [15], or linear mean propulsive velocity [11] (corresponding to 90% of RM on ISO-load). Therefore, comparisons between loading condition and subsequent training effects might have led to misinterpretation of the results.…”