Effects of Drop Jump Training from Different Heights and Weight Training on Vertical Jump and Maximum Strength Performance in Female Volleyball Players. Issue 2 (8th February 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sotiropoulos, Konstantinos; Smilios, Ilias; Barzouka, Karolina; Christou, Marios; Bogdanis, Gregory; Douda, Helen; Tokmakidis, Savvas P.
• Is Part Of: Journal of strength and conditioning research. Volume 37:Issue 2(2023)
• Page Start: 423
• Page End: 431
• Publication Date: 2023-02-08
• Subjects: strength training -- power training -- squat jump -- countermovement jump -- maximal strength; Physical education and training -- Periodicals; Weight training -- Physiological aspects -- Periodicals; Physical fitness -- Periodicals; 613.7
• DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000004272
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1064-8011

Abstract

Abstract: Sotiropoulos, K, Smilios, I, Barzouka, K, Christou, M, Bogdanis, G, Douda, H, and Tokmakidis, SP. Effects of drop jump training from different heights and weight training on vertical jump, maximum strength and change of direction performance in female volleyball players. J Strength Cond Res 37(2): 423–431, 2023—This study compared the effects of drop jump (DJ) training from different drop heights and weight training on vertical jump and maximum strength performance. Fifty-five female volleyball players (age: 23.8 ± 4.3 years) were randomly and equally allocated to a control group (volleyball training, CG); a volleyball and weight training group (WG); and 3 volleyball, weight, and drop jump training groups. One group performed DJ training from the optimal drop height, i.e., the height that elicited the highest ratio of jump height to contact time (OG), a second group from a drop height 25% higher than the optimal (HG), and a third group from a drop height 25% lower than the optimal (LG). Drop jump and weight training were performed 1–2 times per week, for 8 weeks for a total of 13 sessions. After training, vertical jump performance improved by 3.6–17.4% ( p < 0.05; effect size [ES]: 1.03–1.23) in the OG and the HG compared with the LG, WG, and CG ( p < 0.05; ES: 0.03–0.58). Drop jump height from drop heights 20–70 cm increased by 10.0–20.2% ( p < 0.05; ES: 0.59–1.13) for the OG and the HG, while reactive strength index increased ( p < 0.05; ES: 0.74–1.40) by 19.6–33.9% only in the HG compared with the CG. Half-squat maximum strength was increased in all experimental groups by 17.4–19% compared with the CG ( p < 0.05) with no differences ( p > 0.05) observed among them. The use of the optimal height or a moderately higher drop height by 25% for DJ training, combined with weight training, seems to be the most beneficial option to improve vertical jump and reactive strength index in female volleyball players.