{"id":1845,"date":"2013-11-18T05:08:04","date_gmt":"2013-11-18T12:08:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.brianschiff.com\/?p=1845"},"modified":"2013-11-18T05:16:35","modified_gmt":"2013-11-18T12:16:35","slug":"the-effect-of-jump-landing-on-drop-and-hurdle-jumps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.brianschiff.com\/?p=1845","title":{"rendered":"The Effect of Jump Landing on Drop and Hurdle Jumps"},"content":{"rendered":"

As someone who works with high level athletes and those aspiring to take their performance to new levels, I think it is important to understand power development and the real “why” behind the exercises we choose. \u00a0I also come at this from the side of a sports physical therapist who is working to get athletes back to their peak performance.<\/p>\n

To that end, I am always looking for the most effective ways to train the neuromuscular system. \u00a0Finding the most “specific” exercises for our clients is important. \u00a0I thought I would provide a brief summery of a new article in the November 2013 Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research that looked to compare the neuromuscular characteristics of two types of jumps: hurdle and drop jumps. \u00a0In addition, the authors wanted to examine three types of landing techniques:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Preferred<\/strong> – athlete instructed to jump with a technique that allows for jumping as quickly and high as possible<\/li>\n
  2. Flat foot<\/strong><\/li>\n
  3. Forefoot (FORE)<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The working hypothesis was that hurdle jumps would be more powerful than drop jumps (DJs) and that foot flat technique would decrease mechanical power. \u00a0The study included 25 subjects (male athletes) from Memorial University and during the jumps reaction forces, contact time, rate of force development (RFD) and lower limb EMG were measured.<\/p>\n

    All subjects did regular regular resistance training multiple plyometric drills with a typical volume of > 100 repetitions per session. \u00a0However, none of the subjects had done drop jumps before. \u00a0As such, this was the first test assessed to avoid fatigue. \u00a0Subjects stood on a force platform and were asked to perform a maximal CMJ. \u00a0Two trials were conducted with 1 minute of rest in between jumps. \u00a0The maximum CMJ height was used to establish the DJ and hurdle height. \u00a0The average flight time of the two trials was used to calculate jump height.<\/p>\n

    The order of DJ and hurdle jump tests was randomized with 5 minutes of rest between the jumps. \u00a0The athletes did a 10 minute warm-up of cycling at 75 W-60 RPM followed by 5 sets of 5 sub maximal hopping, 5 single submaximal CMJ and 2 maximal CMJ. \u00a0Only dynamic stretching was allowed during the warm-up to avoid any muscular power deficits created by static stretching.<\/p>\n

    Results<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Contact time<\/span><\/p>\n