Abstract
Objective: To examine the impact resistive exercise (RE) training has on the ability of anthropometry to predict power output from jump tests.
Methods: With a matched-pairs design, subjects (n = 19) were assigned to six weeks of leg and calf press workouts. With no crossover, subjects either performed RE on a traditional seated leg press device to which free weights (FW) were added, or on a flywheel ergometer (FERG). Before and after the intervention, subjects performed jump-based tests and were measured for anthropometric dimensions. Tests included a standing vertical jump, a repetitive four-jump protocol, and a depth jump from a platform; power outputs from each were calculated.
Results: The six-week intervention weakened the correlation between anthropometry and jump-based power indices from FERG workouts, while the opposite was true for the FW group.
Conclusions: While several reasons may have led to the stark group differences in the ability to account for jump-based power variance, the two most important factors appear to be the degree of workout progression and the rate RE repetitions were performed. FW subjects incurred significantly greater strength gains, as evidenced by the degree of workout progression over the intervention, versus the FERG group. The manner in which the devices operated permitted FW repetitions to occur at faster rates and was more movement-specific to jump-based tests. Thus anthropometry increased the degree of explained variance in jump-based power indices from FW workouts at the conclusion of the six-week intervention.