Abstract
In volleyball matches, there are three minute intervals between sets. Therefore, the improvement of the muscle output ratio is one of the most import foundational physical elements for the players. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of plyometric training on the changes in electrical signals in the lower limb muscles of male college volleyball players during continuous blocking and to examine the benefits of plyometric training on blocking agility and maximum vertical jump height. In this study, twenty elite male college volleyball players were recruited and divided into a plyometric training group (PTG) and a control group (CG). The wireless electromyography was used for data acquisition, and the electrodes were applied to the left and right rectus femoris, biceps femoris, tibialis anterior, and gastrocnemius. The median frequency was used as the measurement of the electromyographic signals during the jumping blocks. This study used covariate analysis methods, with previously measured results used as covariates to perform a two-way analysis of covariance for the independent samples. Based on the results of this study, after 6 weeks of training, the median frequency of the rectus femoris (2.13% to 4.75% improved) and that of the tibialis anterior muscles (4.14% to 7.71% improved) were significantly lower in the PTG than in the CG. Additionally, the blocking agility increased by 6.26% and the maximum vertical jump height increased by 3.33% in the PTG compared to the CG. The findings provide important insights on the neuromuscular status for volleyball players during continuous blocking jumps. Six weeks of appropriate plyometric training can facilitate the performance of volleyball players.
Highlights
Jumping ability is essential for performance in volleyball
20 elite male college volleyball players were used as the study participants, and they were divided into the plyometric training group (PTG) (n = 10; mean age = 21.5 ± 1.2 years; mean height = 186.5 ± 5.1 cm; mean weight = 78.1 ± 4.7 kg) and the control group (CG) (n = 10; mean age = 22.1 ± 1.5 years; mean height = 176.5 ± 4.4 cm; mean weight = 77.4 ± 5.2 kg)
The results of Levene’s test showed that all the variables were homogeneous (p > 0.05) and that there were no interactions between the covariate and the independent variables that met the basic assumptions for analysis of covariance (ANCOVA)
Summary
Jumping ability is essential for performance in volleyball. Superior rebounding enables players to gain a competitive advantage on offense (increasing blocking height and attack angle) and allows for a larger defensive range [1,2,3]. To increase the vertical jumping ability, weight-bearing jumping or plyometric jump-training methods can effectively improve leg muscles and explosive power, thereby improving overall strength and coordination in the legs. Vertical jumping is an important basic skill in many sports [4], but repetitive jumping is the primary cause of muscle fatigue.
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