COMPARISON OF LAND- AND AQUATIC-BASED PLYOMETRIC TRAINING ON VERTICAL JUMP PERFORMANCE

• Published in: Journal of strength and conditioning research 2007-05, Vol.21 (2), p.568-571
• Main Authors: STEMM, JOHN D, JACOBSON, BERT H
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Analysis of Variance; Exercise; Humans; Kinases; Male; Movement - physiology; Muscular system; Physical Education and Training - methods; Physical Fitness - physiology; Space life sciences; Sports injuries; Studies; Water
• ISSN: 1064-8011; 1533-4287
• DOI: 10.1519/00124278-200705000-00048

Plyometric training is a popular method by which athletes may increase power and explosiveness. However, plyometric training is considered a highly intense and potentially damaging activity particularly if practiced by the novice individual or if overdone. The purpose of this study was to compare vertical jump performance after land-and aquatic-based plyometric training. A convenience sample of 21 active, college-age (24 ± 2.5 years) men were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groupsgroup I, aquatic; group II, land; and group III, control. Training for the AQ and LN groups consisted of a 10-minute warm-up followed by 3 sets of 15 squat jumps, side hops, and knee-tuck jumps separated by 1- minute rests. The aquatic group performed the exercises in knee-level water adjusted to parallel the axis of the knee joint (+ 1 in.). The land group performed identical plyometric exercises on land. The control grou p engaged in no training. Participants trained twice a week for 6 weeks, and all training sessions were monitored. Pre- and post-test data were collected on maximum vertical jump height. A 2X3 analysis of variance with repeated measures was used to compare vertical jump height among the 3 groups. Results suggested that the aquatic- and land-based groups significantly (p < 0.05) outperformed the control group in the vertical jump. No significant difference was found in vertical jump performance between the aquatic-and land-based groups. It was concluded that aquatic training resulted in similar training effects as land-based training, with a possible reduction in stress due to the reduction of impact afforded by the buoyancy and resistance of the water upon landing.