Document Type
Article (Journal or Newsletter)
Scholarship Type
Faculty Scholarship, Student Scholarship
Publication Date
11-1-2024
Abstract
Preparation of athletes to begin a competition or enter mid-competition with the ability to reach peak performance immediately may be partly dependent on the efficacy of the warmup protocol. Previous research on flexible barbells reported significant differences in muscle activation when compared to steel barbells. The manufacturers of handheld flexible bars with a combined weight of 3.63 kg claim that using them immediately before competition helps increase power and jump height. The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of maximal jumping with handheld flexible bars on maximal jump parameters in Division-I American collegiate football players. Participants completed 10 warmup jumps with no weight, flexible barbells, or similarly weighted dumbbells and immediately completed a maximal countermovement jump. When comparing the effects of different high-velocity warmup (HVW) protocols, there were no differences in any jump parameters as measured by a portable force plate. Likewise, the use of flexible bars during the warmup did not result in enhanced muscle activity when executing a maximal jump in comparison to control conditions. Based on these results there is no evidence to support the use of flexible bars during a warmup just prior to entry into a competition to enhance jumping power.
Additional Affiliated Department, Center or Institute
Health Sciences
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Snyder, B.J.; Caterisano, A.; DiMaggio, E.P.; King, J.D. Efficacy of Warmup Using a Flexible Bar to Increase Countermovement Jump. Sports 2024, 12, 298. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12110298
Comments
Open access publication of this article was supported by the Furman University Libraries Open Access Fund.