Affiliations: [a] Exercise Physiology Program, The University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA | [b] Department of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Central State University, Wilberforce, OH, USA
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: John Caruso, 2100 S. Floyd Street, Louisville, KY 40292, USA. Tel.: +1 502 852 6648; E-mail: john.caruso@louisville.edu.
Abstract: BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Stark inter-gender differences in vertical jump performance exist. Performance-based correlates to the vertical jump are not well understood in women. METHODS: Women (n= 129) did countermovement vertical jumps as their data were collected concurrently by a Vertec and force plate; the latter provided performance-based correlates to their jumps. Multivariate regression examined the ability of the performance-based variable to serve as correlates of vertical jump height and power variances. RESULTS: Performance-based variables predicted moderate (r2= 0.28) and large (r2= 0.74) amounts of vertical jump height and power variance respectively. Per criterion measure, peak force did not have the highest univariate correlation. CONCLUSIONS: Peak force, typically the strongest correlate to vertical jump performance in men, was not as strong a predictor of the variance in women. Instead women rely on a variety of kinetic and temporal variables to maximize their vertical jump height and power values.
