Intra Complex Recovery Intervals for Acute Lower Body Post Activation Potentiation in Elite Badminton Athletes

1.1 Objectives: This study examined the acute effects of back squats on jump performance with a focus on the individual recovery interval for postactivation potentiation (PAP) through a discontinuous time course.

1.2 Methods: Eleven elite badminton athletes performed 3 countermovement jumps (CMJs) at 10 randomized and separate testing sessions, 3-12 mins after 3 repetitions of maximal back squats at 90% one-repetition maximum. Power output, force, velocity and jump height were determined for all CMJs.

1.3 Results: There was no significant main effect in CMJ kinetic variables across the time course of the recovery intervals. Percentage differences at each recovery interval revealed mostly insubstantial differences in peak power, mean power, peak force, peak velocity, mean velocity and jump height. Only mean force showed trivial to small improvements from baseline measures. Individual athletes attained maximal values for CMJ kinetic variables at different recovery intervals, yet this did not result in improvement of jumping performance.

1.4 Conclusion: Even though the potentiation of the mean response for jump kinetic variables at each recovery interval was mostly insubstantial, the considerable potentiation observed for individual athletes in power and jump height may warrant substantial advantage in athletic performance, making it prudent to pre-determine the optimal protocol to induce PAP to enhance jump performance.