Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-06T17:07:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Josiele Vanessa Alves.pdf: 2807114 bytes, checksum: 59a601b2f27078101da44e2c3387f813 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-06-12 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / With this descriptive study the evaluation of the kinematic characteristics of the vertical jump in children with different levels of motor development were aimed. More specifically: identify the motor development stages in children by body parts and in different phases of vertical jump; identify and compare the inter-part angles (knee, hip, trunk and upper limb) from children in different stages of motor development during the vertical jump. The sample was composed of 91 subjects from Florianópolis/S.C., from both genders, within age range 5-15 years. The study was approved by the Ethical Committee of Research on Human Beings from the University of Santa Catarina State (UDESC) under the protocol number 023/06. The data collect was done in UDESC Biomechanics Laboratory with the following instruments: a Peak Motus System video camera (60Hz) and the Gallahue s matrix of qualitative analysis of the vertical jump (1989). Children were given a time for familiarization with the place and equipments, and afterwards, the identification form was completed and the joint axis points were located with reflective markers. After the skill was demonstrated with a video, the anthropometric (mass and height) and kinematic data acquisition were done based on three valid vertical jumps (starting from static position and with both feet), from which only the best attempt was chosen. Four variables were chosen for propulsion, flight and landing phases: knee, hip, trunk and upper limb angles. Kinematic data were filtered with Butterworth of fourth order, which selects low frequency cuts from 6 to 8 Hz. The data analysis was shared in a qualitative and a quantitative part. The first was the classification of the body parts on initial (SI), elementary (SE) and mature (SM) stages; the second was the angle capture. Both were analyzed in specific moments of propulsion, flight and landing phases of the jump, according to the systematic defined on the pilot project, based on Gallahue s matrix of qualitative analysis (1989). Descriptive statistics were used in order to characterize the variables (X, sd, CV% ), in addiction, for the comparison between the three moments averages ANOVA One way or Kruskal Wallis were used; to check in which moments there has been differences, Post hoc from Scheffé or Mann Whitney s U test were used. The adopted significance was p_0,05. The qualitative evaluation suggested that upper limbs show a later motor pattern when compared to other segments, and the propulsion phase showed the more advanced motor pattern. When comparing body-part angles, significant statistical differences between all stages of motor development for all moments of the vertical jump were found, except for the propulsion between initial (SI) and elementary (SE) periods. For the knee angle, significant higher values were found in SI, followed by SE and SM in propulsion and landing phases. In addiction, during the flight phase, higher values were found in SM, followed by SE and SI. For the hip angle, significant higher values were in SI, followed by SM and SE in both propulsion and landing phases. Moreover, during the flight phase, higher values were found in SM, followed by SE and SI. For the trunk angle, significant higher values were found in SE, followed by SM and SI in both propulsion and landing phases. On the other hand, during the flight phase, higher module values were found in SI, followed by SE and SM. For the upper limb angle, statistically higher module values were found in SM, followed by SE and SI in both propulsion and flight phases. During the landing phase, higher module values were found in SE, followed by SM and SI. It is concluded that the different body parts show different motor development stage durations; and that knee, hip, trunk and upper limb angles are good indicators of the body part position, differing the level of motor development of the analyzed children. / Com este estudo descritivo exploratório objetivou-se avaliar as características cinemáticas do salto vertical de crianças em diferentes estágios de desenvolvimento motor. Especificamente: identificar o estágio de desenvolvimento motor das crianças por segmento corporal e nas diferentes fases do salto vertical; identificar e comparar os ângulos inter segmentares (joelho, quadril, tronco e membro superior) entre crianças em diferentes estágios de desenvolvimento motor durante a execução do salto vertical. Participaram deste estudo 91 crianças da Grande Florianópolis/SC, de ambos os sexos, com idade entre 5 e 15 anos. O estudo foi aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética da UDESC sob nº 023/06. As coletas de dados foram realizadas no laboratório de Biomecânica do CEFID/UDESC e utilizou-se como instrumentos uma câmera de vídeo do Sistema Peak Motus (60Hz) e a matriz de análise qualitativa do salto vertical de Gallahue (1989). As crianças passaram por um período de familiarização com o ambiente e equipamentos e após foi preenchida a ficha de identificação e realizada demarcação dos eixos articulares com marcadores refletivos. Demonstrou-se a tarefa através de um vídeo e, em seguida, realizou-se a aquisição dos dados antropométricos (massa e estatura) e cinemáticos com a execução de três saltos verticais válidos (a partir da posição estática e iniciados com ambos os pés.), sendo analisada apenas a melhor tentativa do sujeito (com melhor padrão de movimento). Selecionou-se as variáveis: ângulo de joelho, ângulo de quadril, ângulo de tronco e ângulo de membro superior nas fases de propulsão, vôo e de aterrissagem do salto vertical. Os dados cinemáticos foram filtrados com Butterworth 4ª ordem, passa baixa com freqüência de corte variando entre 6 e 8 Hz. A análise dos dados consistiu de uma parte qualitativa e uma quantitativa: a primeira composta pela classificação dos segmentos corporais em estágios inicial (EI), elementar (EE) e maduro (EM); a segunda, pela captura dos ângulos, ambas em instantes específicos das fases de propulsão, vôo e aterrissagem do salto, conforme sistemática definida no estudo piloto, baseada na matriz analítica de Gallahue (1989). Utilizou-se estatística descritiva para caracterização das variáveis e para a comparação entre as médias dos três estágios aplicou-se ANOVA One way ou Kruskal Wallis; para verificar entre quais estágios houve diferenças, aplicou-se o Post hoc de Scheffé ou Teste U de Mann Whitney. Adotou-se p_0,05. Na avaliação qualitativa verificou-se que os membros superiores apresentaram o padrão motor mais tardio em relação aos outros segmentos e a fase de propulsão foi aquela que mostrou padrão motor mais avançado. Na comparação dos ângulos segmentares encontraram-se diferenças estatísticas entre todos os estágios de desenvolvimento motor em todas as fases do salto vertical, exceto na fase de propulsão entre o EI e EE. Para o ângulo do joelho verificou-se valores significativamente maiores no EI, seguido do EE e EM na fase de propulsão e aterrissagem. E na fase de vôo maiores valores angulares para o EM, seguido do EE e EI. Para o ângulo do quadril verificou-se valores significativamente maiores no EI seguido do EM e do EE na fase de propulsão e aterrissagem. E na fase de vôo maiores valores no EM, seguido do EE e do EI. Para o ângulo do tronco verificou-se valores estatisticamente maiores no EE, seguido do EM e EI na fase de propulsão e aterrissagem. E na fase aérea valores em módulo maiores para o EI seguido do EE e EM. Para o ângulo do membro superior verificou-se valores em módulo estatisticamente maiores para o EM, seguido do EE e EI na fase de propulsão e vôo. Na fase de aterrissagem maiores valores em módulo para o EE, seguido do EM e EI. Conclui-se que os segmentos corporais apresentaram diferentes tempos de desenvolvimento motor; e que ângulos de joelho, quadril, tronco e membro superior mostraram ser bons indicadores do posicionamento dos segmentos corporais, discriminando o estágio de desenvolvimento motor das crianças deste estudo.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-08T15:59:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Resumo Caroline Ruschel.pdf: 185923 bytes, checksum: a474bdb42afcd0223ca7d40071272fd8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-02-28 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / O princípio do treinamento pliométrico é potencializar a utilização do ciclo de alongamento-encurtamento (CAE). Devido à alta intensidade desse tipo de treinamento e o risco potencial de lesões associado, existe atualmente a proposta de realizá-lo em ambiente aquático, tendo em vista a redução das cargas proporcionada pela ação do empuxo. Entretanto, pouco se sabe sobre as características biomecânicas dos exercícios pliométricos na água, e acredita-se que as condições do meio poderiam dificultar a transição imediata entre a fase excêntrica e a fase concêntrica, pré-requisito fundamental para o funcionamento adequado do CAE. Este estudo teve como objetivo analisar e comparar as características biomecânicas do salto em profundidade (SP) realizado no solo e na água, com imersão ao nível da cintura. Participaram da pesquisa 22 atletas do sexo masculino (19,1±3,7 anos, 73,6,±9,1 kg de massa corporal e 1,83±0,08 m de estatura). Foram analisadas variáveis da componente vertical da força de reação do solo (força máxima e impulso nas subfases excêntrica e concêntrica e força máxima na aterrissagem), cinemáticas (tempo de contato, tempo da subfase excêntrica, tempo da subfase concêntrica, tempo de vôo e deslocamento angular da articulação do joelho) e eletromiográficas (pico de ativação, integral e média da atividade eletromiográfica EMG dos músculos Gastrocnemius Medialis GM, Biceps Femoris BF, e Rectus Femoris RF) durante o SP partindo de 0,4 m. Foram utilizadas duas plataformas de força, um sistema de eletromiografia e um equipamento sincronizador de sinais. A comparação entre os ambientes foi realizada através de testes para amostras dependentes (p<0,05). Conforme esperado, devido à ação de força de empuxo e da resistência, houve aumento significativo na duração de todas as fases do salto (excêntrica, concêntrica e voo), e diminuição da força de reação vertical (excêntrica, concêntrica e de aterrissagem) no ambiente aquático. Não foram encontradas diferenças para o impulso na subfase concêntrica, para os ângulos do joelho no contato após a queda e o voo, e para a flexão máxima e amplitude de movimento durante o contato e a aterrissagem. Em geral, a pré-ativação durante a queda e o voo foi influenciada pelo ambiente, sendo que menores valores foram encontrados para o GM e para o BF na água. A atividade EMG do GM e do RF foi significativamente maior na subfase excêntrica e na aterrissagem no solo, enquanto que na subfase concêntrica, os valores foram maiores na água. A combinação de menores valores de força máxima e impulso, maiores tempo de contato e atividade EMG reduzida durante a subfase excêntrica do SP, pode comprometer o funcionamento adequado do CAE na água. Entretanto, durante a subfase concêntrica, valores de impulso semelhantes entre os ambientes, combinados à maior atividade EMG, evidenciam a sobrecarga oferecida pela resistência da água durante o movimento propulsivo. Com isso em mente, a utilização do ambiente aquático para o treinamento do SP dependerá do objetivo almejado pelos treinadores, considerando-se aspectos como o nível de prática do executante, o volume e a intensidade dos exercícios e as condições disponíveis, tais como a profundidade da piscina.

Purpose: The purpose of our investigation was to compare repetition maximum (RM) to relative intensity using sets and repetitions (RISR) resistance training (RT) on measures of training load, vertical jump, and force production in well-trained lifters. Methods: Fifteen well-trained (isometric peak force= 4403.61+664.69 N, mean+SD) males underwent RT 3 d·wk-1 for 10-weeks in either an RM group (n=8) or RISR group (n=7). Weeks 8-10 consisted of a tapering period for both groups. The RM group achieved a relative maximum each day while the RISRgroup trained based on percentages. Testing at five time-points included unweighted ( Results: Moderate between-group effect sizes were observed for all SJ and CMJ conditions supporting the RISR group (g=0.76-1.07). A small between-group effect size supported RISR for allometrically-scaled isometric peak force (g=0.20). Large and moderate between-group effect sizes supported RISR for rate of force development from 0-50ms (g=1.25) and 0-100ms (g=0.89). Weekly volume load displacement was not different between groups (p>0.05), however training strain was statistically greater in the RM group (p<0.05). Conclusions: Overall, this study demonstrated that RISR training yielded greater improvements in vertical jump, rate of force development, and maximal strength compared to RM training, which may partly be explained by differences in the imposed training stress and the use of failure/non-failure training in a well-trained population.

Purpose: To assess the effects of manipulating the loading of successive sets of midthigh clean pulls on the potentiation capabilities of 7 international-level US weightlifters (4 men, 3 women). Methods: Isometric and dynamic peak-force characteristics were measured with a force plate at 500 Hz. Velocity during dynamic pulls was measured using 2 potentiometers that were suspended from the top of the right and left sides of the testing system and attached to both ends of the bar. Five dynamic-performance trials were used (in the following order) as the potentiation protocol: women at 60, 80, 100, 120, and 80 kg and men at 60, 140, 180, 220, and 140 kg. Trials 2 vs 5 were specifically analyzed to assess potentiation capabilities. Isometric midthigh pulls were assessed for peak force and rate of force development. Dynamic lifts were assessed for peak force (PF), peak velocity (PV), peak power (PP), and rate of force development (RFD). Results: Although all values (PF, PV, PP, and RFD) were higher postpotentiation, the only statistically higher value was found for PV (ICCα = .95, P = .011, η2 = .69). Conclusions: Results suggest that manipulating set-loading configuration can result in a potentiation effect when heavily loaded sets are followed by a lighter set. This potentiation effect was primarily characterized by an increase in the PV in elite weightlifters.

Abstrakt  Bakgrund: En allmän uppfattning är att stretching kan påskynda musklernas förmåga till återhämtning, underlätta inlärning av rätt teknik samt minska risken för överbelastningsskador i vissa idrotter (1). Det har presenterats motstridiga resultat om hur statisk stretch påverkar senor samt på de muskulära komponenterna i muscle-tendon unit (MTU). En del studier har visat att statisk stretching (SS) minskar styvheten i MTU och/eller ökar senans slakhet (4,5), vilket i sin tur leder till sämre kraft produktion och en långsammare muskelaktivering (6). Syfte: Syftet med studien var att systematiskt granska vetenskapliga artiklar gällande effekten av hur statisk stretch kombinerat med uppvärmning påverkar höjden i ett vertikalhopp hos friska unga vuxna, mätt i centimeter med hjälp av hoppmatta. Metod: Litteratursökningen genomfördes via databasen PubMed och nio artiklar inkluderades enligt kriterierna för PICO (Population, Intervention, Control &amp; Outcome). Artiklarna granskades sedan via granskningsmallen PEDro-scale i syfte att skatta studiekvaliteten. Därefter betygsattes evidensstyrkan via SBU:s metod GRADE. Resultat: Tre av studierna konkluderar en minskning av vertikalhöjden efter stretching medan resterande sex studier fann ingen signifikant skillnad. Den sammanlagda evidensgraden av vilken effekt statisk stretchs har på vertikalhopp bedöms som begränsad. Konklusion: Efter granskning av de nio inkluderande artiklarna går det ej att säkerställa att statisk stretching påverkar utfallet av ett vertikalhopp. Hur durationen av statisk stretch kombinerat med uppvärmning påverkar höjden i vertikalhopp är ett område där det behöver bedrivas ytterligare forskning. / Abstractz Background: The general perception is that stretching can accelerate the muscles ability to recover, facilitate the learning of correct technique and reduce the risk of overuse injuries in certain sports (1). Conflicting results have been presented on the effects of static stretching on the tendons as well as on the muscular components on the muscle-tendon unit (MTU). Some studies have shown that static stretching (SS) reduces the stiffness of the MTU and/or increases the tendon slackness (4,5), which in turn results in poorer force production and slower muscle activation (6). Purpose: The purpose of this study was to systematically review scientific articles regarding the effect of how static stretching combined with a warm-up effects the height in a vertical jump in healthy young adults, measured in centimeters using a jumping mat.  Method: The literature search was performed on the database PubMed and nine articles were included according to the criteria for PICO (Population, Intervention, Control &amp; Outcome). The articles were reviewed by PEDro-scale in order to assess the study quality. Thereafter the strength of evidence was assessed by SBU's method GRADE. Results: Three of the included studies conclude a reduction in vertical height after static stretching while the remaining six studies found no significant difference in jump height. The total evidence grading on the effect of static stretch on vertical jumps I assessed as a limited basis. Conclusion: After a review of the nine included articles it is not possible to come to a definitive conclusion that static stretching affects the outcome of a vertical jump. How duration of static stretching combined with warm-up affects the height in vertical jumps is an area where further research needs to be conducted.

Background: To perform general warm-up prior to athletics is widely recognized and has adocumented effect on performance. Lower extremity injuries are commonly occurring forsoccer, handball, volleyball, and floorball players. Injury prevention exercises decreases therisk for musculoskeletal injuries, supposing good compliance exists. Whether injurypreventive exercises may increase performance is to this day unclear. Aim: The aim of the study was to compare performance measured in vertical jump height ofathletes after injury preventive exercises and general warm-up. Methods: Experimental study with a cross-sectional design. 17 active soccer, handball,volleyball, and floorball players between 20-32 years were recruited through conveniencesampling. Data was collected occurred by measurement of maximal vertical height done bycountermovement jump (CMJ) on an electronic contact mat. Results: No statistically significant differences regarding vertical jump height wereidentified when comparing injury preventive exercises and general warm-up. Conclusion: The result from the study suggests that male soccer and handball players maybenefit from performing injury prevention exercises instead of general warm-up prior tomaximal vertical jumps due to the decreased risk for injury while the effects of general warmup still emerges. Further research within the subject is necessary to investigate whetherinjury prevention exercises may replace general warm-up prior to more complexperformances such as sports. Further research on others than male handball and soccerplayers should be conducted.

Introduktion: Smartphoneapplikationen My Jump2 har bedömts att ha större tillgänglighet och inte vara beroende av labbutrustning vid vertikala hopptester. I jämförelse med kraftplatta (golden standard) har applikationen visat sig valid och reliabel. My Jump2 har uppvisat mycket bra- perfekt korrelation mot övrig kraftutrustning. Jämförelse mellan My Jump2 och kliniska tester är ännu inte beprövat på detta område. Syfte: Syftet med denna kliniska studie var att analysera samband och korrelationer mellan värden från My Jump2 och kliniska tester gällande funktionell bedömning av underbenets muskulatur. Därför jämfördes värden hos aktiva, icke skadade män och kvinnor. Metod: Totalt 26st kvinnor och män testades vid ett indivduellt testtilfälle i gymmiljö. 3rep MAX, lunge-test, antal tåhävningar och bäst av tre drop jump analyserades på dominanta benet. Pearsons korrelation användes för att undersöka samband mellan My Jump2 och kliniska tester och ANCOVA för att undersöka skillnader mellan deltagare. Resultat: Huvudfynden var att MyJump2 uppvisade två signifikanta korrelationssamband för männen och ett för kvinnorna vid jämförelse med kliniska tester. Signifikanta skillnader gällande RSI-värde med hänsyn till muskelstyrka 3rep MAX (95% CI; 0,01-0,19, p = 0,03) fanns mellan könen. Ingen signifikant skillnad i stiffness med hänsyn till ROM (95% CI; -0,11- 0,55, p = 0,18) justerat mot kön (95% CI; -0,78-2,03, p = 0,37) återfanns. Konklusion: Resultaten indikerar på att vidare forskning är nödvändig. Endast få signifikanta korrelationssamband återfanns mellan värden från My Jump2 och kliniska tester. My Jump2 visar signifikanta nivåer för RSI-värdet med hänsyn till muskelstyrka och kön. Studien kan inte bekräfta förväntade samband mellan My Jump2 och kliniska tester för underbenet. / Introduction: The smartphoneapplication My Jump2 has been assessed in rescent research for its validity and reliability. In comparison to golden standard devices, My Jump2 shows great- perfect correlation measuring jump height. Eventhough former results indicate usability of the smarthphoneapplication, further research is needed in order to evaluate clinical usefulness in a more expanded population. Aim: The aim of this study was to analyse the relationship and correlations between measured values from My Jump2 and clinical testing of lower extremity performance. This in an active and recreational population, both male and female. Method: A total of 26 males and females were tested individually in a gym-location. 3rep MAX, lunge-test, heel-rises to exhaustion and best of three drop jumps were analysed on the dominat leg. Pearsons correlation was used to evaluate the relationship between My Jump2 and clinical tests and ANCOVA to analyse diffrences within the testgroup. Results: Analysis showed two significant correlations between functional values for the men and one for women when comparing My Jump2 and clinical tests. A significant difference in RSI-value was found between the covariate (sex) (95% CI; 0,01-0,19, p = 0,03) considering 3rep MAX (factor). No significant difference was found in stiffness between the covariate (sex) considering ROM (factor). Conclusion: This study indicates that further research is needed. Analysis shows few significant correlations between My Jump2 and clinical tests. My Jump2 results shows significant values regarding RSI-values considering sex and musclestrenght. This study can not confirm the relationship and correlations between measured values from My Jump2 and clinical testing of lower extremity performance.

Physical fatigue impairs performance during high power, short duration activities. As technological developments permit new methods of measuring this effect, it is important to validate existing paradigms. The purpose was to determine if kinetic measurements from vertical jump (VJ) tests are influenced by fatigue based on explosive power outputs. A sample of athletes (9 men, 26 women) from a Division I NCAA sports program completed testing. To establish baseline VJ kinetics, athletes performed a controlled warm-up and then completed six jumps using Sparta Science technology, each separated by 15s rest. Sparta software computed three force outputs: Load, Explode and Drive. After baseline VJ calculation, performed an anaerobic fatigue protocol on a cycle ergometer: three 15s sprints separated by 10s rest. Max and average power were recorded from the cycle trials. Subjects then repeated the VJ protocol. This pattern was repeated until six sets of VJ were recorded. Repeated measures ANOVA tested differences between successive VJ performances. Male athletes were 20.8 ± 1.5years old, weighed 175.8 ± 14.0lbs, had a baseline VJ of 46.9 ± 3.6cm, Load of 53.6 ± 13.3, Explode of 49.4 ± 6.6, and Drive of 49.4 ± 11.9. Female athletes were 20.2 ± 1.2years old, weighed 142.3 ± 13.2lbs, had a baseline VJ of 32.7 ± 4.3cm, Load of 49.8 ± 46.1, Explode of 40.7 ± 8.0, and Drive of 63.1 ± 49.7. Differences between sex were weight (p <0.001), VJ (p <0.001), and Explode (p=0.006). ANOVA found VJ height to decrease between baseline and trial 2 (p <0.001), no difference between sex (p=0.210); and between trials 2 and 6 VJ height was consistent (p>0.400). Load was not affected by the fatigue protocol across the total sample (p=0.418) or by sex (p=0.239). Explode was not affected by fatigue across the sample (p=0.233) or by sex (p=0.406). Drive was affected by fatigue (p=0.040), decreasing in successive trials; no interaction with sex (p=0.742). VJ is more sensitive to fatigue than Sparta’s force plate calculations. An initial fatiguing insult was sufficient to compromise performance, whereas accumulated fatigue didn’t have an additive effect. Drive was the only force variable that was affected by fatigue.

Bakgrund: Idrott kan utföras i många olika former och av en bred population. I flera idrotter är det fördelaktigt att ha god spänst och/eller snabbhet. Flera olika fysiska faktorer har påverkan på snabbhet och spänst, däribland explosivitet och muskelstyrka. Plyometrisk träning (PT) är en träningsform där Stretch-shortening-cycle (SSC) utnyttjas. SSC beskrivs som en muskulärt förlängande (excentrisk) rörelse följt av en muskulärt förkortande (koncentrisk) rörelse som syftar till att träna explosivitet.  Syfte: Analysera vilken effekt plyometrisk träning har på spänst och snabbhet hos idrottare, jämfört med ordinarie idrottsträning samt förekomst av skador Metod: En systematisk litteraturstudie som utgår från databaserna PubMed, PEDro, Cochrane Library och Cinahl. Studiernas kvalitet granskades med TESTEX och tillförlitligheten enligt GRADEstud.  Resultat: Nio randomiserade kontrollerade studier inkluderades i litteraturöversikten. Studiekvalitén var mellan 8-12 poäng enligt TESTEX. Studiernas tillförlitlighet enligt GRADEstud var mycket låg (+). Studiernas resultat var varierande gällande signifikans för PT och dess effekt för spänst och snabbhet hos idrottare jämfört med kontrollgrupp. Ingen studie rapporterade skada i samband med PT. Konklusion: De studier som analyserades bedömdes ha, på grund av olikheter i intervention och resultat, en låg evidensgrad. PT har viss effekt på spänst och snabbhet hos idrottare jämfört med kontrollgrupp som utför ordinarie idrottsträning. Inga skador rapporterades i de inkluderade studierna. Fler homogena studier krävs för att klargöra PT´s effekt på spänst och snabbhet hos idrottare. / Background: Sports can be performed in many forms and is being performed by a wide population. In different sports it’s beneficial to have good jumping ability and to be fast. Many physical factors affect the ability to jump and sprint, where muscle strength and explosiveness are two of them. Plyometric training (PT) is a training form that utilizes the stretch-shortening-cycle (SSC). SSC is an eccentric muscle contraction followed by concentric contraction of the same muscle that aims to train muscle explosiveness.    Objective: Evaluate the effect of plyometric training on jumping ability and sprinting within athletes compared with athletes only performing ordinary sport training.  Method: A systematic review. The search was performed on the databases PubMed, PEDro, Cochrane Library and Cinahl. The included studies quality was examined with TESTEX and the reliability with GRADEstud.  Results: Nine randomized controlled trials were included. The quality of the studies varied between 8 to 12 points. The reliability, examined with GRADEstud, was deemed very low (+). The effect of PT on jumping and sprinting for athletes compared with the control groups varied. None of the studies reported injuries associated with PT. Conclusion: The studies included had, due to differences in intervention and results, a low level of evidence. PT has a certain effect on jumping ability and sprinting for athletes compared with athletes only performing ordinary sport training. No injuries were reported by the studies included. More homogeneous studies are required to clarify the effect of PT on jump ability and sprint in athletes.

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the interrelationships of several important fitness characteristics in Division 1 athletes. Sport performance magnitude is the summation of an individual athlete’s technical, psychological, and fitness characteristics. Athletes who excel in any or all characteristics perform better in their chosen sports. General fitness characteristics that are important to almost all sports include strength, power, vertical jump height, shortdistance sprinting ability, muscularity, and body fat percentage. These variables have been shown in previous research to independently affect athletic performance outcomes, but their relationships to one another are less clear. Eighty Division I athletes from 4 sports were examined in a variety of fitness characteristics as part of a continuous athlete monitoring program. Data on strength, power, vertical jump height, short-distance sprinting speed, muscularity, and body fat percentage were collected and analyzed. Analysis revealed several important relationships. Firstly, strength is highly related to muscularity, with lean body mass as one of the most important determinants of strength. Secondly, athletes who can produce high relative (scaled per body mass) forces and powers tend to be considerably higher jumpers and much faster sprinters. Lastly, leaner athletes out-perform less lean athletes in almost every metric, especially relative strength and power, vertical jumping ability, and sprinting ability.