Effect of a period of Post-Activation Potentiation on Muscle Power and Torque, Agility and Speed in Elite Youth Soccer Players

In different sports, preparation and warm-up is important factor in preventing injury and achieving optimal performance, and are considered by athletes. Post-activation potentiation is a phenomenon to development of force or the ability to produce force following voluntary contractions before the main performance. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a period of post-activation potentiation with resistance bands on muscle power and torque, agility and speed in elite youth soccer players.In this quasi-experimental study, ۲۰ players of Sepahan soccer club divided homogeneously into control (Mean age: ۲۰.۷۲±۰.۴۶yr; Height: ۱۸۰±۵.۵۹Cm; Weight: ۶۶.۷±۳.۷۳Kg.) and experimental (Mean age: ۲۰.۵۰±۰.۷۰; Height: ۱۸۲.۴۰±۴.۳۰Cm; Weight: ۷۴.۶۴±۵.۱۵Kg.) groups. The players have at least ۶ years experience in professional soccer premier league competitions. The statistical sample of the research was available and the players were evaluated in the variables of speed, agility, ratio of quadriceps to hamstring torque, average power in quadriceps and hamstrings. Data analysis was performed using inferential statistics of paired and independent t-test at a confidence level of ۰.۹۵.The findings showed that in the intra-group comparison and analysis of the means in the experimental group before and after post-activation potentiation protocol, there were significant differences between pre-post values in Agility (pre:۹.۵۲±۰.۵۱ vs. post:۹.۴۱±۰.۵۶; p=۰.۰۰۱), Speed (pre:۲.۲۸±۰.۰۴ vs. post: ۲.۲۷±۰.۰۴; p=۰.۰۰۱), Hamstring to quadriceps torque ratio (pre:۵۱.۱۵±۵.۱۰ vs. post:۵۶.۲۱±۵.۳۱; p=۰.۰۰۱), Hamstring average power (pre:۲۷.۸۰±۵.۲۲ vs. post:۳۳.۵۳±۵.۵۸; p=۰.۰۰۲), Quadriceps peak torque (pre:۲۴۲.۲۶±۴۱.۱۱ vs. Post:۲۱۵.۳۳±۲۸.۹۰; p=۰.۰۰۴), and Hamstring peak torque (pre:۱۱۱.۴۲±۱۰.۴۷ vs. Post:۳۱.۵۹±۱۵.۹۸; p=۰.۰۰۱) of subjects in experimental group.The results of this study indicate that this specific Post-activation potentiation method was effective for improving agility, ۲۰ m speed performance, Hamstring-to-quadriceps torque ratio, the average power of quadriceps and hamstring muscles in the experimental group (P≤۰.۰۵). Therefore, it can be used as a specific warm-up strategy before the main performance of soccer players, both in training and in soccer matches.

کلیدواژه ها:

post-activation potentiation ، Soccer ، Agility ، Speed ، Muscle Power and Torque