THE EFFECT OF A HIGH-FORCE VERSUS A HIGH-VELOCITY WARM UP ON THE POWER AND VELOCITY CHARACTERISTICS OF A CLEAN

Abstract

The study aims to examine the postactivation potentiation (PAP) effects on Peak Power (Ppeak) and Peak Velocity (Vpeak) performance during a clean after either a High-Force (HF) or a High-Velocity (HV) mid-thigh clean pull. Ten university male rugby players (mean ± SD age, 20.7±1.3; body mass, 94.0kg± 14.4kg; height, 179.9cm± 7.5cm) performed a standardised warm-up followed by three repetitions of both a HF mid-thigh pull at 120% 1RM, or a HV mid-thigh pull at 30% of 1RM five-minutes before a subsequent three repetition clean at 80% 1RM. Ppeak and Vpeak was recorded during the subsequent clean and measured against participants previous baseline (BL) clean scores, which were performed after the standardised warm-up. Results revealed that for a single group sample there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in Ppeak and Vpeak during the HF or HV intervention compared with previous BL scores. Individual analysis revealed five out of the ten participants experienced an increase in Ppeak, with 3 of these participants gaining improvements form the HV condition and 2 from the HF condition. Vpeak only improved four of the participants, in which the HF and HV intervention both improved two participants each. These findings support the previous literature highlighting the individualised nature of the PAP response both in HF and HV conditions. The HV intervention produced the most PAP response within the participants of this study as individuals. Despite the lack of statistical significance at the group level, this study revealed the HV condition produced the greatest PAP response during the individual analysis. Therefore a strength and conditioning coach may favour the HV intervention to improve the power and velocity characteristics of the power clean, but should also factor in the individual nature of the PAP response.