Effects of Drop Jumps on 1000-m Performance Time and Pacing in Elite Male and Female Endurance Runners
Daniel Boullosa, César C. Cal Abad, Valter P. Reis, Victor Fernandes, Claudio Castilho, Luis Candido, Alessandro Moura Zagatto, Lucas A. Pereira, Irineu Loturco
Abstract
PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of drop jumps (DJs) on performance time and pacing in a field test (ie, 1000 m) commonly used to evaluate endurance runners and to evaluate running and jumping performance in male and female athletes separately. METHODS: Twenty elite endurance runners (male, n = 10, 27.8 [7.0] y, 62.3 [5.2] kg; female, n = 10, 25.9 [5.3] y, 51.7 [4.1] kg) competing in middle- and long-distance events participated in this study. After determination of the box height associated with the best reactive strength index, athletes randomly performed a warm-up with or without the inclusion of 5 DJs with the highest reactive strength index prior to a 1000-m track test. Performance time and pacing (250-m splits) were determined. Countermovement-jump heights at different time points and blood lactate concentration after running tests were also recorded. RESULTS: A "possible" faster 1000-m time (162.4 vs 165.3 s) with a "very likely" faster first split (38.8 vs 40.3 s) was observed in male athletes in the DJ condition. In contrast, female athletes showed a "possible" slower running time (186.8 vs 184.8 s) and a "likely" greater blood lactate concentration after the 1000-m test in the DJ condition. Male and female athletes presented greater countermovement-jump performances after warm-up and running tests in both conditions. CONCLUSIONS: The inclusion of 5 DJs with the height associated with the best reactive strength index induced a "possible" improvement in 1000-m performance time in elite male endurance runners. The current protocol should be avoided in female athletes.