Enhancement of power in the concentric phase of the squat and jump: Between-athlete differences and sport-specific patterns
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14198/jhse.2017.121.03Keywords:
Power output, Utilization of elastic energy, Weight-Lifting exercisesAbstract
This study compares the differences in peak and mean power in the acceleration, as well as over the entire concentric phase of jumps and squats performed with and without countermovement (i.e. delta power) in athletes of different specializations. The participants performed either barbell squats or barbell jumps with and without countermovement bearing a weight of 70% 1RM. Results identified a significantly higher delta mean power in the entire concentric phase of jumps than in squats for high jumpers (29.8%, p=0.009) and volleyball players (24.3%, p=0.027). More specifically, their values were significantly higher during jumps in indoor volleyball players but not in beach volleyball players. On the other hand, rock & roll performers exhibited a significantly higher delta mean power during squats than jumps (19.5%, p=0.034) but this was only evident in those who specialized in acrobatics as opposed to dance. However, the values did not differ significantly during either jumps or squats for hockey players (9.5%, p=0.424) and karate competitors (11.6%, p=0.331). A similar trend was observed for peak and mean power in the acceleration phase of jumps and squats. It may be concluded then, that enhancement of power in the concentric phase of jumps and squats bearing an external load, differs in athletes with diverse demands on the explosive strength of their lower limbs. For most athletes, jumping may be considered a more specific alternative for the estimation of the ability to utilize elastic energy during countermovement exercise, whereas for others it may be the squat.Downloads
References
Avis, F. J., Toussaint, H. M., Huijing, P. A., & Van Ingen Schenau, G. J. (1986). Positive work as a function of eccentric load in maximal leg extension movements. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 55(5), 562‒568. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00421653
Bobbert, M., Gerritsen, K., Litjens, M., & Van Soest, A. (1996). Why is countermovement jump height greater than squat jump height? Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 28(11), 1402‒1413. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005768-199611000-00009
Bosco, C., Viitasalo, J. T., Komi, P. V., & Luhtanen, P. (1982). Combined effect of elastic energy and myoelectrical potentiation during stretch-shortening cycle exercise. Acta Physiologica Scandinavica, 114(4), 557‒565. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-1716.1982.tb07024.x
Bosco, C., & Viitasalo, J. T. (1982). Potentiation of myoelectrical activity of human muscle in vertical jumps. Electromyography and Clinical Neurophysiology, 22(7), 549‒562.
Finni, T., Ikegawa, S., Lepola, V., & Komi, P. (2001). In vivo behavior of vastus lateralis muscle during dynamic performances. European Journal of Sport Science, 1(1), 1‒13. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461390100071101
Gažovič, O. (1995). Reliabilita stanovenia maximálnych parametrov sily pri tlaku na lavičke [Reliability of assessing of maximal parameters of strength during bench press]. 2nd Scientific Conference. Bratislava, Slovakia: Comenius University, 104‒108.
Harrison, A. J., Keane, S. P., & Coglan, J. (2004). Force-velocity relationship and stretch-shortening cycle function in sprint and endurance athletes. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 18(3), 473–479. https://doi.org/10.1519/13163.1
Ishikawa, M., & Komi, P. V. (2004). Effects of different dropping intensities on fascicle and tendinous tissue behavior during stretch-shortening cycle exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 96(3), 848‒852. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00948.2003
Jennings, C. L., Viljoen, W., Durandt, J., & Lambert, M. I. (2005). The reliability of the FiTRO Dyne as a measure of muscle power. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 19(4), 167‒171.
Komi, P. V., & Bosco, C. (1978). Utilisation of stored elastic energy in leg extensor muscles by men and women. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 10(4), 261‒265.
Komi, P. V. (1984). Physiological and biochemical correlates of muscle function: effects of muscle structure and stretch-shortening cycle on force and speed. Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews, 12, 81‒121.
Komi, P. V., & Gollhofer, A. (1997). Stretch reflexes can have an important role in force enhancement during SSC exercise. Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 13(4), 451‒460. https://doi.org/10.1123/jab.13.4.451
Kyselovičová, O., & Zemková, E. (2010). Modified aerobic gymnastics routines in comparison with laboratory testing of maximal jumps. Sport Scientific & Practical Aspects, 7(1), 37‒40.
Ross, A., Leveritt, M., & Riek, S. (2001). Neural influences on sprint running: training adaptations and acute responses. Sports Medicine, 31(6), 409‒425. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200131060-00002
Thys, H., Faraggiana, T., & Margaria, R. (1972). Utilization of muscle elasticity in exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 32(4), 491‒494. https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.1972.32.4.491
Thys, H., Cavagna, T., & Margaria, R. (1975). The role played by elasticity in an exercise involving movements of small amplitude. Pflügers Archiv, 354(3), 281‒286. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00584651
Van Ingen Schenau, G. J., Bobbert, M. F., & de Haan, A. (1997). Does elastic energy enhance work and efficiency in the stretch-shortening cycle? Journal of Applied Biomechanics,13(4), 389‒415. https://doi.org/10.1123/jab.13.4.389
Zatsiorsky, V. M., & Kraemer, W. J. (2006). Science and practice of strength training. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Zemková, E., & Dzurenková, D. (2004). Functional diagnostics of karate athletes. Kinesiologia Slovenica, 10(1), 57‒70.
Zemková, E., & Dzurenková, D. (2009). Functional diagnostics of jumping performance in rock and roll dancers. Acta Facultatis Educationis Physicae Universitatis Comenianae, XLIX(1), 63‒74.
Zemková, E., Ollé, G., & Hamar, D. (2011). Enhancement of power in concentric phase of closed chain exercises with different coordination demands. 12th International Conference of Sport Kinetics 2011 "Present and Future Research in the Science of Human Movement". Cracow, Poland: IASK, 145‒146.
Zemková, E., & Hamar, D. (2013). Utilization of elastic energy during weight exercises differs under stable and unstable conditions. The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 53(2), 119‒129.
Zemková, E., Jeleň, M., Kováčiková, Z., Ollé, G., Vilman, T., & Hamar, D. (2014). Enhancement of peak and mean power in concentric phase of resistance exercises. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 28(10), 2919‒2926. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000000517
Zemková, E., Jeleň, M., Kováčiková, Z., Ollé, G., Vilman, T., & Hamar, D. (2015). Reliability and methodological issues of power assessment during chest presses on unstable surface with different weights. The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 55(9), 922‒930.
Downloads
Statistics
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2017 Journal of Human Sport and Exercise

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Each author warrants that his or her submission to the Work is original and that he or she has full power to enter into this agreement. Neither this Work nor a similar work has been published elsewhere in any language nor shall be submitted for publication elsewhere while under consideration by JHSE. Each author also accepts that the JHSE will not be held legally responsible for any claims of compensation.
Authors wishing to include figures or text passages that have already been published elsewhere are required to obtain permission from the copyright holder(s) and to include evidence that such permission has been granted when submitting their papers. Any material received without such evidence will be assumed to originate from the authors.
Please include at the end of the acknowledgements a declaration that the experiments comply with the current laws of the country in which they were performed. The editors reserve the right to reject manuscripts that do not comply with the abovementioned requirements. The author(s) will be held responsible for false statements or failure to fulfill the above-mentioned requirements.
This title is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
You are free to share, copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format. The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms under the following terms:
Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes.
NoDerivatives — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you may not distribute the modified material.
No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
Notices:
You do not have to comply with the license for elements of the material in the public domain or where your use is permitted by an applicable exception or limitation.
No warranties are given. The license may not give you all of the permissions necessary for your intended use. For example, other rights such as publicity, privacy, or moral rights may limit how you use the material.
Transfer of Copyright
In consideration of JHSE’s publication of the Work, the authors hereby transfer, assign, and otherwise convey all copyright ownership worldwide, in all languages, and in all forms of media now or hereafter known, including electronic media such as CD-ROM, Internet, and Intranet, to JHSE. If JHSE should decide for any reason not to publish an author’s submission to the Work, JHSE shall give prompt notice of its decision to the corresponding author, this agreement shall terminate, and neither the author nor JHSE shall be under any further liability or obligation.
Each author certifies that he or she has no commercial associations (e.g., consultancies, stock ownership, equity interest, patent/licensing arrangements, etc.) that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article, except as disclosed on a separate attachment. All funding sources supporting the Work and all institutional or corporate affiliations of the authors are acknowledged in a footnote in the Work.
Each author certifies that his or her institution has approved the protocol for any investigation involving humans or animals and that all experimentation was conducted in conformity with ethical and humane principles of research.
Competing Interests
Biomedical journals typically require authors and reviewers to declare if they have any competing interests with regard to their research.
JHSE require authors to agree to Copyright Notice as part of the submission process.