Post-activation potentiation effect of eccentric overload and traditional weightlifting exercise on jumping and sprinting performance in male athletes

by Marco Beato, Alexander E. J. Bigby, Kevin L. De Keijzer, Fabio Y. Nakamura, Giuseppe Coratella, Stuart A. McErlain-Naylor

The aim of this study was to evaluate the post-activation potentiation (PAP) effects following eccentric overload (EOL) and traditional weightlifting (TW) exercise on standing long jump (SLJ), countermovement jump (CMJ), and 5 m sprint acceleration performance. Ten male athletes were involved in a randomized, crossover study. The subjects performed 3 sets of 6 repetitions of EOL or TW half squat exercise followed by SLJ, CMJ, and 5 m sprint tests at 1 min, 3 min and 7 min, in separate sessions using a randomized order. Bayes factor (BF₁₀) was reported to show the strength of the evidence. Differences were found using EOL for SLJ distance at 3 min (BF₁₀ = 7.24, +8%), and 7 min (BF₁₀ = 19.5, +7%), for CMJ at 3 min (BF₁₀ = 3.25, +9%), and 7 min (BF₁₀ = 4.12, +10.5%). Differences were found using TW exercise for SLJ at 3 min (BF₁₀ = 3.88, +9%), and 7 min (BF₁₀ = 12.4, +9%), CMJ at 3 min (BF₁₀ = 7.42, +9.5%), and 7 min (BF₁₀ = 12.4, +12%). No meaningful differences were found between EOL and TW exercises for SLJ (BF₁₀ = 0.33), CMJ (BF₁₀ = 0.27), and 5 m sprint (BF₁₀ = 0.22). In conclusion, EOL and TW exercises acutely increase SLJ and CMJ, but not 5 m sprint performance. The PAP time window was found between 3 min and 7 min using both protocols. This study did not find differences between EOL and TW exercises, and so both methodologies can be used to stimulate a PAP response.