The Effect of 8 Weeks of Complex Training Methods on the Countermovement Jump Performance

Abstract

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to find out whether a more specific stimulus, such as training which stimulates the production of power above 90% of Pmax(Pmax= maximal average concentric power output), is effective in enhancing the countermovement jump (CMJ) performance using the method of complex pairs or separate execution of the exercises in the complex pair (separate complex pair). METHODS: Thirty male students of the Faculty of Sports Studies were divided into 2 experimental (EX1, EX2) and 1 control group (CNTR). The experimental groups trained for 8 weeks using the complex training (CT) method twice a week with the same amount of repetitions for each exercise. The complex pair consisted of half-squat jumps with the intensity of over 90% of Pmax and plyometric depth-jumps. EX1 trained using the complex pair method with the intracomplex rest interval of up to 15 seconds. EX2 trained all sets of the half-squat jumps first and then all sets of the plyometric exercise. We used non-parametric statistics and linear regression analysis to evaluate the effect on increasing the CMJ performance after the intervention program. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the pre-test and post-test in any of the experimental groups (p > 0.05), although there were significant differences between the weeks in EX1 and EX2 (p < 0.05). The CMJ performance increased insignificantly (p > 0.05) each week by 0.14 cm in EX1 and by 0.07 cm in EX2. CONCLUSION: These results did not clearly show the application of the CT methods to be useful in enhancing the CMJ. In practice, we recommend using complex pairs to save training time and increase training intensity. However, an additional longer-term intervention experiment with a bigger sample size and groups randomized only by the CMJ parameter (not by Pmax and CMJ performance together) is needed.