Affiliations: [a] Exercise and Sports Science Program, The University of
Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA
Note: [] Address for correspondence: John F. Caruso, Ph.D., 312 Chapman
Hall, 600 S. College Avenue, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK 74104, USA.
Tel.: +1 918 631 2924; Fax: +1 918 631 2068; E-mail: john-caruso@utulsa.edu
Abstract: Objective: To examine the impact resistive exercise (RE) training
has on the ability of anthropometry to predict power output from jump tests.
Methods: With a matched-pairs design, subjects (n = 19) were
assigned to six weeks of leg and calf press workouts. With no crossover,
subjects either performed RE on a traditional seated leg press device to which
free weights (FW) were added, or on a flywheel ergometer (FERG). Before and
after the intervention, subjects performed jump-based tests and were measured
for anthropometric dimensions. Tests included a standing vertical jump, a
repetitive four-jump protocol, and a depth jump from a platform; power outputs
from each were calculated. Results: The six-week intervention weakened the correlation
between anthropometry and jump-based power indices from FERG workouts, while
the opposite was true for the FW group. Conclusions: While several reasons may have led to the stark
group differences in the ability to account for jump-based power variance, the
two most important factors appear to be the degree of workout progression and
the rate RE repetitions were performed. FW subjects incurred significantly
greater strength gains, as evidenced by the degree of workout progression over
the intervention, versus the FERG group. The manner in which the devices
operated permitted FW repetitions to occur at faster rates and was more
movement-specific to jump-based tests. Thus anthropometry increased the degree
of explained variance in jump-based power indices from FW workouts at the
conclusion of the six-week intervention.
Keywords: Free weights, flywheel ergometer, movement velocity
