Meng, Ng Jun
(2018)
Comparison of the effects of land-based and grass-based plyometric training on leg power, muscle activity and muscle soreness among active young males.
Masters thesis, Universiti Sains Malaysia.
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of land-based and grass-based
plyometric on leg power, muscle activity and muscle soreness among active young males.
Eighteen young males were recruited and they were divided into two groups, i.e. land-based
(Age:21.3±1.6 years old; body height: 172.6±3.7cm; body weight: 65.8±7.4kg; BMI:
22.1±2.4kg.m-2; body fat percentage:16.6±3.2%) and grass-based (Age: 20.6±1.9 years old;
body height: 169.8±2.3cm; body weight: 64.4±8.4kg; BMI: 22.3±2.9kg.m-2; body fat
percentage: 17.4±2.6%) plyometric training groups. Participants in both groups underwent 6
weeks (3 sessions per week) of same plyometric training programme. Performance outcome
variables were peak power (vertical jump), average power (isokinetic testing at the angular
velocities of 1800.s-1 and 3000.s-1), EMG activity (vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, rectus
femoris and lateral gastrocnemius). Muscle soreness of the lower limb was determined by using
Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Paired t-test was used to analyse all the parameters except for
scale of muscle soreness where repeated measures ANOVA was used. Vertical jump height
was significantly higher (p<0.05) at pre-test compared to its p-test value in land-based training
group. However, there was also trend of improvement in this parameter in grass-based group.
There were significantly higher values of knee extension average power at 1800.s-1 and 3000.s-
1 in post-test compared to pre-test values for non-dominant leg in grass-based plyometric group.
In land-based plyometric group, there were significantly higher values of knee extension
average power at 1800.s-1 for dominant leg, 3000.s-1 for dominant and non-dominant legs, and
knee flexion average power at 1800.s-1 for non-dominant leg. Both grass- and land-based groups
exhibited significantly higher EMG activity of vastus medialis for non-dominant leg in posttest
compared to pre-test. Degree of muscle soreness was significantly lower at second, fifth
and sixth week in grass-based training group compared to land-based training group. In
conclusion, land-based plyometric training provided more discernable beneficial training
effects on vertical jump height and isokinetic knee extension and flexion average power
compared to grass-based training. However, grass-based training induced lower muscle
soreness. Therefore, grass-based plyometric training may be an alternative for individuals to
improve leg power while reducing the degree of muscle soreness.
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