Abstract
Background: Vertical jump is one of the most prevalent activities performed in volleyball. During adolescence, boys and girls undergo substantial changes in physiological and anthropometric characteristics that influence vertical jump performance. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine and quantify sex and age-related differences in vertical jump performance assessed as vertical jumps height (VJH) and ground contact time (Tc) during repeated vertical jump tests within the Czech and Slovak population of elite adolescent volleyball players. Further aims were to compare the obtained results to non-athletic adolescent national normative data and investigate the relationship between basic anthropometric measures and VJH. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted on 203 females and 180 males from 13 to 19 years old. Statistical analysis of VJH differences between sex and age categories was performed using two-way ANOVA with Tukey's post hoc test. The relationship between basic anthropometric parameters and VJH were examined by Pearson's correlation analysis. Results: ANOVA showed statistically significant differences in VJH between males and females (p .05). Volleyball players have significantly higher VJH than non-athletes across all age categories and sex differences in volleyball players were smaller than the sex differences among non-athletic adolescents. A correlation analysis revealed only weak sex specific correlations of VJH with body height, body mass and BMI. Conclusions: The presented study showed significant sex differences in VJH between elite male and female volleyball players from the age of 15. VJH increases continually with increasing age in males. In females the effect of age on VJH was insignificant.
Highlights
Volleyball is a high-intensity team sport based on short and frequent explosive activities such as jumping, diving, and ball play (Sheppard, Nolan, & Newton, 2012)
Significant differences between females and males were found for body mass (BM) (p < .001) after 15 years of age and body height (BH) (p < .001) in all age categories
Differences in vertical jumps height (VJH) and Tc in adolescent volleyball players by sex and age Table 2 displays the VJH and Tc data measured in adolescent volleyball players according to sex and age
Summary
Volleyball is a high-intensity team sport based on short and frequent explosive activities such as jumping, diving, and ball play (Sheppard, Nolan, & Newton, 2012). Sex specific normative paediatric data in Caucasian children and adolescents aged 6–19 years have presented that both maximum peak power and maximum force of jumping were strongly dependent on age and weight in both sexes. Both parameters steadily increased in boys and plateaued in girls aged >13 years (Sumnik et al, 2013). Conclusions: The presented study showed significant sex differences in VJH between elite male and female volleyball players from the age of 15. In females the effect of age on VJH was insignificant
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