Human Performance Research Centre, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Australia.
School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
PLoS One. 2018 Dec 6;13(12):e0208439. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0208439. eCollection 2018.
Since higher vertical stiffness is related to superior athletic performance, training has traditionally been aimed at augmenting this variable to enhance neuromuscular output. However, research has linked elevated stiffness with increased injury risk, therefore, this study examined the effect of a novel training intervention on vertical stiffness and athletic performance. Vertical stiffness, jump performance and athletic performance were assessed in two randomly allocated groups, prior to, and following, an eight-week period. One group was exposed to a training intervention involving aqua-based plyometrics (n = 11) over the 8 weeks while the other acted as a control group (n = 9). The training intervention involved hopping, jumping and bounding in water at a depth of 1.2m whilst control participants performed their normal training. There were no significant changes in vertical stiffness in either group. Countermovement jump height and peak power significantly increased within the aqua plyometric group (p < 0.05). Athletic performance markers improved in the aqua plyometric group as measured using an agility and a 5-bound test exhibiting superior values at the post-test (p < 0.05). The results suggest that an aqua plyometric training program can enhance athletic performance without elevating stiffness. The increase in athletic performance is likely due to a reduction in ground reaction forces created by the buoyancy of the water, causing a shorter amortization phase and a more rapid application of concentric force. The findings from this study can inform exercise professionals and medical staff regarding the ability to enhance neuromuscular performance without elevating vertical stiffness. This has implications for improving athletic performance while concurrently minimising injury risk.
由于较高的垂直刚度与优异的运动表现相关，因此传统的训练旨在增强这种变量以提高神经肌肉输出。然而，研究已经将刚度升高与受伤风险增加联系起来，因此，本研究检查了一种新的训练干预对垂直刚度和运动表现的影响。在 8 周的时间内，将两组随机分配的参与者进行了垂直刚度、跳跃表现和运动表现的评估。一组接受了涉及水上增强式跳跃训练的干预（n = 11），而另一组作为对照组（n = 9）。训练干预包括在水深 1.2m 的水中跳跃、跳跃和弹跳，而对照组参与者则进行正常训练。两组的垂直刚度均无显著变化。在水上增强式跳跃组中，反向跳跃高度和峰值功率显著增加（p < 0.05）。水上增强式跳跃组的运动表现标志物改善，通过敏捷性和 5 次跳跃测试进行测量，在测试后表现出更高的值（p < 0.05）。结果表明，水上增强式跳跃训练计划可以提高运动表现而不会增加刚度。运动表现的提高可能是由于水的浮力产生的地面反作用力减少，导致更短的缓冲阶段和更快的向心力量应用。本研究的结果可以为运动专业人士和医务人员提供有关在不增加垂直刚度的情况下增强神经肌肉性能的能力的信息。这对提高运动表现同时最小化受伤风险具有重要意义。
