Isometric single-joint rate of force development shows trivial to small associations with jumping rate of force development, jump height, and propulsive duration

Abstract

ObjectivesThe association between single-joint isometric rate of force development (RFDISO) and jumping outcomes remain largely unexplored. Further, the importance of RFD assessed during jumping for jump height and duration (i.e. time from jump onset to take-off) remains ambiguous. We therefore investigated these associations in a large heterogenous sample. DesignCross-sectional study. MethodsThree-hundred-twenty-six male and female basketball and tennis players, and physical education students performed the bilateral squat jump (SJ) and both bilateral and unilateral countermovement jumps (CMJ). Single-joint RFDISO was assessed for the hip extensors, knee extensors and ankle extensors and associations between relevant outcomes were computed. ResultsKnee and hip extensors RFDISO showed small positive correlations with RFDSJ and RFDCMJ. Ankle extensors RFDISO showed a moderate positive correlation with RFDSJ and RFDCMJ. RFDISO showed small to moderate correlations with CMJ and SJ jump height, but trivial correlations with jump duration. Stepwise linear regression showed that a combination of RFDISO from different muscle groups explained a small to moderate variance in jump height (∼23–28%), duration (∼2–3%), and RFD during jumping (∼19–28%). RFDSJ showed small positive and moderate negative correlations with SJ height and duration, respectively while these correlations were small and trivial for the CMJ. ConclusionsThe positive correlations between RFD during jumping and jump height, and negative correlation with jump duration imply that improving RFD during jumping could benefit jump performance. However, the mostly small correlations between single-joint RFDISO and jumping RFD suggests that single-joint RFDISO assessments provide only limited information regarding the RFD in sports-related movements.