Author ORCID Identifier

http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0846-7046

Date Available

10-31-2016

Year of Publication

2016

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Document Type

Master's Thesis

College

Education

Department/School/Program

Kinesiology and Health Promotion

First Advisor

Dr. Mark Abel

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the independent and combined effects of performing a preconditioning exercise and antagonist stretching on vertical jump (VJ) performance. Twenty club rugby players performed a VJ in four conditions: control condition, following static stretching, following a preconditioning exercise, and following the combined treatment of static stretching and a preconditioning exercise. Electromyographic (EMG) activity was measured in the gluteus maximus, vastus lateralis, gastrocnemius medialis, and tibialis anterior during the VJ trials. Repeated measures ANOVA were used to compare VJ and EMG outcomes across conditions. A Bonferroni correction was used to account for multiple post-hoc comparisons (significance set at p < 0.0083). Despite a strong trend, there were no independent effects of performing the preconditioning exercise (p = 0.012 / Effect size = 0.29) and static stretching (p = 0.050; Effect size = 0.19) on VJ height compared to the control condition. However, the combined treatment increased VJ height 1.59 ± 1.42 cm compared to the control condition (p < 0.001, Effect size = 0.57). There were no significant differences in EMG outcomes between conditions. These findings indicate that performing a preconditioning exercise and statically stretching the antagonist muscles acutely augments lower body power output.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13023/ETD.2016.407

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