Plyometric Exercise, Post-Activation Performance Enhancement (PAPE), Soccer Players, Vertical Jump Performance
Conditions
Brief summary
Explosive lower-limb power is essential for soccer performance and contributes to jumping, sprinting, and rapid changes of direction. Plyometric exercises are commonly used during warm-up to improve neuromuscular readiness and may enhance subsequent athletic performance through post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE). However, it remains unclear whether adding external load during plyometric conditioning provides greater benefits than performing the same exercises without additional load. The purpose of this study is to compare the acute effects of weighted and unweighted plyometric conditioning on vertical jump performance in young male soccer players. Participants complete two experimental sessions separated by 48 hours. In one session, they perform a standardized single-leg plyometric protocol without external load, and in the other session they perform the same protocol while wearing a weighted vest equivalent to 10% of their body mass. Vertical jump height is assessed before exercise and at several time points after the conditioning activity to examine the time course of performance changes. The findings of this study are expected to improve understanding of the optimal use of weighted plyometric conditioning during warm-up and provide practical guidance for coaches and sports practitioners seeking to maximize explosive performance before training and competition.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALWeighted Plyometric Conditioning
Participants completed three sets of ten single-leg plyometric repetitions while wearing a weighted vest corresponding to 10% of their body mass. Sessions were separated by 48 hours, and jump performance was measured before and after the conditioning protocol.
BEHAVIORALUnweighted Plyometric Conditioning
Participants completed the identical single-leg plyometric conditioning protocol without external load. Vertical jump performance was measured before and after the conditioning protocol using the same assessment schedule.
Sponsors
Istanbul Gelisim University
Study design
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
MALE
Age
18 Years to 30 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Healthy male soccer players aged 18 to 30 years. * Actively participating in organized soccer training. * Minimum of 2 years of structured plyometric training experience. * Competing at the regional development league level. * Free from lower-limb musculoskeletal injury during the previous 4 months. * Able to perform maximal jumping tasks. * Provided written informed consent prior to participation.
Exclusion criteria
* History of lower-extremity surgery within the previous year. * Current lower-limb pain or discomfort during jumping activities. * Neurological, cardiovascular, or orthopedic disorders affecting neuromuscular performance. * Use of performance-enhancing substances. * Failure to comply with study procedures or testing instructions.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Vertical Jump Height | Baseline, 15 seconds, 2 minutes, 4 minutes, and 8 minutes after each intervention session | Vertical jump height (cm) measured before the plyometric conditioning protocol (baseline) and at 15 seconds, 2 minutes, 4 minutes, and 8 minutes after weighted and unweighted plyometric conditioning. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Area Under the Curve (AUC) of Vertical Jump Performance | Immediately after completion of each intervention session | Cumulative vertical jump performance across the post-activation period. |
| Performance Slope | Immediately after completion of each intervention session | Rate of change in vertical jump height across the post-activation period. |
| Peak Vertical Jump Height | 15 seconds to 8 minutes after each intervention session | Highest vertical jump height achieved during the post-activation assessment period. |
| Time to Peak Performance | 15 seconds to 8 minutes after each intervention session | Time required to reach the highest vertical jump performance following each conditioning protocol. |
Countries
Turkey (Türkiye)
Outcome results
None listed