Title: Influence of body composition on explosive power of elite judokas Objectives: The main aim of the thesis is to discover whether the body composition effects the explosive power of elite judokas. The work also depicts the development of the explosive power during training and describes how to measure and compare the explosive power in upper limbs of a selected group of professional judo fighters within a general and specific exercise. Another aim of the thesis is to determine which weight categories are characterized by the biggest explosive power in upper limbs and whether this power mounts with the increasing weight category. Methods: The thesis has an empirical and theoreticalcharacter. Methods of data collecting, analysis of technical literature in the field of general sports preparation and judo training were used for the research. For the evaluation, the basic statistic methods and Spearman correlative coefficient were applied. Results: The results of the thesis point out the fact that the explosive power doesn't depend on the amount of active substance in the body of a contestant. The best results in the amount of explosive power from the testing exercises were achieved by the individuals within the weight category up to 90 kg, 81 kg and 100 kg. It has also been affirmed that the...

Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Plyometrics is primarily used by coaches and sport scientists to improve explosive power among athletes who participate in dynamic, high intensity type of sports. One of the plyometric-related training methods that has received attention in recent years, is loaded or resistance (resistive) jump training. Limited research does, however, exist with regard to the benefits and use of this training method as well as in conjunction with other training methods, especially among team sport participants. It is against this background that the research objectives of this study were firstly, to examine the effects of a 4-week combined rugby-conditioning and resisted jump training program compared to a combined rugby-conditioning and normal jump training program, on selected physical, motor ability and anthropometric components of university-level rugby players. The second objective was to examine the acute effects of a resisted compared to a normal jump training session on selected physical and motor ability components of university-level rugby players. Thirty rugby players (age: 19.60 ± 0.79 years) from the first and second u/19 and u/21 rugby teams of a university in South Africa were randomly selected to participate in the first part of study. For the second part of the study thirty senior rugby players (1st and 2nd senior teams) (age: 21.78 ± 1.86 years) of the Rugby Institute at a university in South Africa were randomly selected to participate in the study. For both studies the thirty players were in turn randomly divided into two groups of fifteen players each. One group formed the experimental and the other group the control group. The first objective was tested by subjecting the players to a 4-week combined sport-specific and resisted plyometric training program (experimental group) or a combined sport-specific and normal plyometric training program to investigate the adaptations of body composition, lower body flexibility, explosive leg power, speed, agility and leg strength. After a 10-week period (“wash-out period”) during which subjects continued with their normal rugby-conditioning program, the same testing procedures as before, were executed by following a crossover design. In order to test the second objective of the study players’ body weight and height were firstly measured after which they were subjected to a thorough warm-up, followed by the execution of the flexibility;Vertical Jump Test (VJT); 5-, 10- and 20 m speed tests; the Illinois Agility Run Test (IART) and the 6RM (repetition maximum) Smith Machine Squat Test (6RM-SMST). The experimental group was subject to the resisted jump training session on the Vertimax whereas the control group executed the same exercises on the floor. Directly after the training session each of the players again completed the test battery. After the first week, a crossover design was implemented. Although the overall study (independent t-test and main effect ANOVA) results of the first study suggested that the experimental group experienced more positive changes, especially with regard to the body fat, skeletal mass and somatotype-related anthropometric and flexibility-related measurements, only relaxed upper-arm girth, ectomorphy, left Active-straight-leg-raise-test and the left Modified Thomas Quadriceps Test values showed significant differences (p < 0.05) when the two groups of players were compared. Although the experimental group demonstrated significantly better average scores in the majority of the last-mentioned components, this group experienced a significantly higher reduction in relaxed upper-arm girth due to the conditioning program than the control group. The main effect ANOVA results of the acute study showed that no significant differences were obtained for any of the measured components between an acute resisted and normal jump training session. To conclude, the study revealed that a 4-week combined rugby-conditioning and resisted jump training program (experimental group) did not benefit university-level rugby players significantly more with regard to selected physical, motor ability and anthropometric components than a combined rugby-conditioning and normal jump training program (control group). Furthermore, despite the fact that the acute resisted and normal jump training exercises met all the requirements to produce post-activation potentiation, the study results showed that these exercise sessions did not lead to any significant acute changes in the physical and motor ability components of university-level rugby players. / MA (Sport Science), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Title: Vertical jump comparison of women's volleyball players Objectives: The aim of this work was to coparison of vertical jump, postural stability and body composition of women's volleyball players before and after season 2012/2013. During the season there was a deliberate intervention to develop explosive power. By the comparing the input and output of results we conclude that the training developed or didn't develop explosive power of the lower limbs, and that had an effect on body composition and stability. Methods: The study included 10 women from 2. Volleyball League (n=10 , age = ± 20,6 years, height = ± 172,7 cm, BMI = ± 0,19 kg/cm2 ). For input and output testing, we used three different tests. First, we measured body composition, then postural stability (1) narrow standing with eyes open (the US-OO), (2) narrow standing with eyes closed (the US-ZO), (3) standing on the right lower limb "flamingo test "(the FLA-R), (4) stands on the left lower limb (the FLA-L). Finally, the players performed six types of vertical jump. Jump with the upper limbs (V1 - Countermovement jump free arms) jump without the help of the upper limbs (V2 - Countermovement jump), jump from squatting (V3 - Squat jump), when the whole movement only made up, without countermovement, block jump (V4 - Block), moving one...

Plyometrics is primarily used by coaches and sport scientists to improve explosive power among athletes who participate in dynamic, high intensity type of sports. One of the plyometric-related training methods that has received attention in recent years, is loaded or resistance (resistive) jump training. Limited research does, however, exist with regard to the benefits and use of this training method as well as in conjunction with other training methods, especially among team sport participants. It is against this background that the research objectives of this study were firstly, to examine the effects of a 4-week combined rugby-conditioning and resisted jump training program compared to a combined rugby-conditioning and normal jump training program, on selected physical, motor ability and anthropometric components of university-level rugby players. The second objective was to examine the acute effects of a resisted compared to a normal jump training session on selected physical and motor ability components of university-level rugby players. Thirty rugby players (age: 19.60 ± 0.79 years) from the first and second u/19 and u/21 rugby teams of a university in South Africa were randomly selected to participate in the first part of study. For the second part of the study thirty senior rugby players (1st and 2nd senior teams) (age: 21.78 ± 1.86 years) of the Rugby Institute at a university in South Africa were randomly selected to participate in the study. For both studies the thirty players were in turn randomly divided into two groups of fifteen players each. One group formed the experimental and the other group the control group. The first objective was tested by subjecting the players to a 4-week combined sport-specific and resisted plyometric training program (experimental group) or a combined sport-specific and normal plyometric training program to investigate the adaptations of body composition, lower body flexibility, explosive leg power, speed, agility and leg strength. After a 10-week period (“wash-out period”) during which subjects continued with their normal rugby-conditioning program, the same testing procedures as before, were executed by following a crossover design. In order to test the second objective of the study players’ body weight and height were firstly measured after which they were subjected to a thorough warm-up, followed by the execution of the flexibility;Vertical Jump Test (VJT); 5-, 10- and 20 m speed tests; the Illinois Agility Run Test (IART) and the 6RM (repetition maximum) Smith Machine Squat Test (6RM-SMST). The experimental group was subject to the resisted jump training session on the Vertimax whereas the control group executed the same exercises on the floor. Directly after the training session each of the players again completed the test battery. After the first week, a crossover design was implemented. Although the overall study (independent t-test and main effect ANOVA) results of the first study suggested that the experimental group experienced more positive changes, especially with regard to the body fat, skeletal mass and somatotype-related anthropometric and flexibility-related measurements, only relaxed upper-arm girth, ectomorphy, left Active-straight-leg-raise-test and the left Modified Thomas Quadriceps Test values showed significant differences (p < 0.05) when the two groups of players were compared. Although the experimental group demonstrated significantly better average scores in the majority of the last-mentioned components, this group experienced a significantly higher reduction in relaxed upper-arm girth due to the conditioning program than the control group. The main effect ANOVA results of the acute study showed that no significant differences were obtained for any of the measured components between an acute resisted and normal jump training session. To conclude, the study revealed that a 4-week combined rugby-conditioning and resisted jump training program (experimental group) did not benefit university-level rugby players significantly more with regard to selected physical, motor ability and anthropometric components than a combined rugby-conditioning and normal jump training program (control group). Furthermore, despite the fact that the acute resisted and normal jump training exercises met all the requirements to produce post-activation potentiation, the study results showed that these exercise sessions did not lead to any significant acute changes in the physical and motor ability components of university-level rugby players. / MA (Sport Science), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Title: Local and global effect of sub-maximal squat on post-activation enhancement of muscle power output. Objectives: The aim of this thesis is to determine whether the phenomenon of post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) manifests locally or globally in terms of improved muscle power output. That is, to determine whether activation of a complex muscle chain will lead to improvements in the muscle power output of other muscle groups and muscle groups included in the activated muscle chain. In this way, to indicate the relationship between global and local physiological mechanisms causing PAPE. Methods: The quasi-experimental method and the method of analysis were used in this work. Eleven basketball players aged 18-28 years completed two measurements in random order. The measurements started with a non-specific warm-up followed by a pre- activation test (pre-CA) to obtain baseline values. Next, the players performed a specific warm-up and activation exercise (CA) in the form of a squat with an intensity of 2 × 4 × 90 % of one repetition maximum (OM) with a rest interval of 3 min. After the activation exercise, post-CA values were measured at minutes 5, 8 and 11 on force plates and at minutes 6, 9 and 12 on an isokinetic dynamometer (IKD). Pre-CA and post-CA test of the protocol one...

Title: The Effects of a warm-up on the performance of football players Objectives: The comparison of influence of two types of warm-up before and after a physical activity on performance of U19 football players. Testing of subsequent post-warm-up performance focused on acceleration, explosive power and agility. Methods: In this empirical-theoretical thesis, a total of twenty-four U19 football players, divided in two experimental groups, is tested. The players within each group undertook either a complete dynamic warm-up or a shorter warm-up without the dynamic component. The performance was tested after the warm-up utilizing four tests - an acceleration run test on 30 m, a standing long jump, a foul throw and a shuttle run. The same tests were conducted again after an interlaid physical activity. The same procedure was repeated after a week when the two groups swapped the warm-up methods. Statistical analyses were employed to evaluate the results. Results: The hypothesis 1, assuming a positive effect of a complete dynamic warm-up on the performance before the physical activity was on one hand supported in the acceleration run on 30 m and the foul throw. On the other hand, no distinctive advantage of a complete dynamic warm-up was observed for the standing long jump and the shuttle run. Hypothesis 2...

Title: The effect of Warm Up Protocols on Explosive Power Performance in Track and Field Objectives: The main aim of this thesis was to compare three types of warm up protocols and their effects on explosive power performance. Methods: This thesis tested 43 students of UK FTVS, who visited Athletic Conditioning lessons. The group consisted of 28 men (height 183,2+-/5,6 cm) and 15 women (166,3 +-/5,7 cm) aged 20-23 years. There was six measuring sessions separated by a week off. They performed a 800 m aerobic warm up mean run, followed by one of three types of warm-up protocols (static, dynamic, balance). Each of the warm-up protocol was performed two times in the opposite order. The experiment examined the explosive power of lower limbs and upper body/limbs. Performance score were recorded from vertical jump, a ball throw, and medicine ball front throw. Results: The thesis did not confirm any of the hypotheses. It was found that the active static stretching had a positive medium effect on medicine ball front throw by Cohen scale effect size compared to the active dynamic and the active balance warm-up protocol. Other tests did not prove any significant changes, positive or negative, of any warm up protocols. Keywords: Dynamic warm-up, Static warm-up, Balance warm- up, Testing, Explosive Power