Which Measure of Drop Jump Performance Best Predicts Sprinting Speed?

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate which measure of a drop jump (DJ) has the highest correlation with sprinting speed over 60 m. For use of comparison, maximal leg strengths in a front squat, countermovement jump, and squat jump were also assessed. The subjects in the study were all high-caliber female university rugby players. Subjects did DJs from 0.12, 0.24, 0.36, 0.48, 0.60, 0.72, and 0.84 m. Jump height and reactive strength index (RSI) were calculated at each drop height. Pearson correlations were used to analyze the relationship between the strength and jumping measures with sprinting speed. The DJ height from 0.84 m had the highest negative correlation with 0- to 10-m split (r = -0.66), the 10- to 30-m split (r = -0.86) and 30- to 60-m split (r = -0.86). The use of RSI is questioned as a measurement of DJ performance. It is suggested that maximal height achieved in a DJ is the most important DJ measure. If it is desired to measure ground contact time, then it may be more useful to use a second test where the jump height for the athlete is set by having the athlete jump onto a box or touch a target overhead set at a standard height and measure the ground contact time with a switch mat or force plate.

Relationships between unilateral horizontal and vertical drop jumps and 20 m sprint performance

“…However, the results of the present study suggest that rebound height (VDJ) and jump distance and normalised jump distance (HDJ) provide stronger relationships to short-sprint performance than RSI from VDJ and HDJ. This substantiates previous research (Holm et al, 2008;Shalfawi, Sabbah, Kailani, Tønnessen, & Enoksen, 2011;Barr & Nolte, 2011) and might be due to the inferior reliability compared to other DJ measures (Stålbom et al, 2007). As contact time is one of the two components of RSI, the findings could also be attributed to ground contact times (HDJ and VDJ) having very small correlations (p > 0.05) to any sprint times (R ≤ -0.295, and R ≤ -0.103, respectively).…”

“…It has been shown that contact times during VDJ are often above 250ms in moderately trained athletes (McCurdy et al 2010;Barr & Nolte, 2011;Ball & Zanetti, 2012;Dobbs, Gill, Smart & McGuigan, 2015). Thus, do not match sprinting ground contact times (Schmidtbleicher, 1992;Hunter et al, 2005;Coh & Tomazin, 2006).…”

Predictors of Linear and Multidirectional Acceleration in Elite Soccer Players

“…Indices of strength, power, reactive strength and asymmetry have previously been highlighted as predictors of both linear (5,37) and multidirectional (16,29,38) sprint performance. Indeed, faster multidirectional speed performances, greater relative lower body strength, and higher magnitude plant foot kinetics have been observed in stronger versus weaker recreational team sports players (29).…”

Assessing Reactive Strength Measures in Jumping and Hopping Using the Optojump™ System

“…Reactive strength has been previously described as a measure of an individual’s ability to change from an eccentric contraction to a concentric contraction (Young, 1995). It has been widely studied due to its association to sprint performance (Cronin and Hansen, 2005; Barr and Nolte, 2011), ability to monitor neuromuscular fatigue (Hamilton, 2009; Beattie and Flanagan, 2015) and ability to identify individual limb differences (Flanagan et al, 2008; Schiltz et al, 2009). …”