| Abstrakt: |
PURPOSE: Plyometric, sprint, and resistance training are the three primary non-sport specific methods employed in most training regimens for athletic competition. There is a lack of consensus regarding which of these methods has the greatest impact on both high and low speed muscular strength. Therefore the purpose of this study was to determine the separate effects of plyometric, sprint/resistance, and resistance training programs on high and low speed muscular strength and to determine the relation between high and low speed muscular strength. METHODS: Forty active, apparently healthy, low-risk college students age 21 ± 1.8 years, height 177.1 ± 9.5 cm, weight 80.8 ± 2.3 kg, body fat 15.1 ± 5.9 participated in this investigation. Participants were grouped and participated in plyometric (n = 10), sprint/resistance (n = 10), resistance training (n = 10), or a control group (n = 10) twice per week for eight consecutive weeks. Performance tests were administered prior to and following training and included the vertical jump as a test of high speed muscular strength as well as a one-repetition maximal squat as a measure of low speed muscular strength. Data was converted to pre-post percent change in order to address initial between group differences. ANOVA followed by Bonferroni post hoc analyses were performed in order to determine significant differences between groups. One-way ANOVA was performed in order to determine significant within group differences. Correlation analysis was performed in order to determine the relation between measures of low and high speed muscular strength. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05 for all analyses. RESULTS: Significant between groups effects were indicated for both the high (p < 0.001) and low speed muscular strength (p < 0.001). Post hoc analyses indicated that the mean improvement in high speed muscular strength for the plyometric group was greater than the sprint/resistance (17.15 ± 10.60 vs. 3.95 ± 5.57 %, p < 0.001), resistance (5.88 ± 4.82 %, p = 0.003) and control (0.71 ± 1.62 %, p < 0.001) groups. The mean improvement in the low speed muscular strength was greater in the sprint/resistance (19.27 ± 6.52 %, p = 0.001), resistance (17.74 ± 10.8 %, p = 0.002), and plyometric (14.25 ± 14.15%, p = 0.17) as compared to the control group (0.51 ± 2.96 %). There was no significant correlation between measures of low and high speed muscular strength in the cohort. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate eight weeks of separate plyometric, sprint/resistance, and resistance training all result in significant improvements in both low and high speed muscular strength as compared to a control group. The greatest improvement in high speed muscular strength was observed in the plyometric group while there was no significant difference in improvement in low speed muscular strength regardless of training protocol. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: A variety of training methods appear to result in improvement of both high and low speed muscular strength including plyometric, sprint/speed, and resistance training. Plyometric training demonstrated the greatest impact on high speed strength, while there seems to be no difference in training employed on low speed muscular strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
