Post activation potentiation effects on vertical and horizontal explosive performances of young handball and basketball athletes

BACKGROUND: The present study was designed to compare the effects of post-activation potentiation (PAP) protocols on explosive activities of trained young athletes. METHODS: Twenty-six young team sport players (handball, N.=12; basketball, N.=14; mean age 15.4 +/- 0.3 years; mean height 169.5 +/- 6.4 cm; mean weight 61.4 +/- 7.6 kg; Tanner stages 3 and 4) performed seven countermovement jumps (CMJ) and seven 20-meter sprints at baseline, similar to 15s, 4, 8, 16, 24 and 30 minutes after three different stimulus conditions: 3 sets of 10 repetitions of double-leg drop jumps (PAPD), 3 sets of 5 repetitions of alternate-one-leg drop jumps (PAPO), or walking control (CON). RESULTS: A significant reduction in explosive performance was observed at each time-point in both groups. Negative PAP effect occurred on the 20-meter sprint in PAPO at 16 (P=0.008), 24 (P=0.001) and 30 minutes (P<0.001) and in PAPD at 30 minutes (P=0.002) compared to CON. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicated the negative effect of PAP on subsequent explosive performance in young team sport players. These findings represent a practical suggestion for the prudent use of PAP protocols aimed at enhancing vertical and horizontal explosive performances of young athletes.