Postactivation performance enhancement (PAPE) of sprint acceleration performance.

Abstract

Postactivation performance enhancement (PAPE) is a principle that an acute bout of high intensity voluntary exercise is followed by an enhancement in strength, speed or power production. As an integral part of the warm-up, this study intended to show a direct correlation between intensity, specificity and the outcome of a maximal task of sprint accelerations compared to a previously defined weighted plyometric intervention. In a randomised controlled, double-blind trial, adult professional footballers undertook 20m maximal sprint accelerations at a baseline and at 2 and 6 minutes post-intervention after 1 of 3 interventions; 2 repetitions of 20m sprint accelerations (S), 3x10 alternative leg weighted bounding (P) and control (C). All the baseline outcomes were similar between the groups. Relative to the baseline there was a significant improvement for S over 10m and 20m at 2 minutes of 0.12m.s-1 and 0.11m.s-1 and at 6 minutes of 0.11m.s-1 and 0.12m.s-1. Relative to the baseline P also had a significant improvement over 10m and 20m at 2 minutes 0.09m.s-1 and 0.09m.s-1 and at 6 minutes of 0.11m.s-1 and 0.09m.s-1 There was also a significant improvement in C between 2 and 6 minutes post-intervention at 10m and 20m of 0.06m.s-1 and 0.08m.s-1. There was no significant difference between the interventions and C. This finding suggests that a maximal sprint acceleration may enhance the outcome of a subsequent maximal sprint acceleration at 2 minutes, but the latter results could not be directly attributed to the interventions as previous testing is likely to have influenced these outcomes.