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The purpose of this study was: (a) to determine the effects of an 8-week jump training program on measures of neuromuscular performance in 12-14-year-old boys before and after peak height velocity (PHV), and (b) to compare the effects of the jump training program to the effects of the regular physical education program. One hundred and twenty-six participants were categorized into two maturity groups (pre- or post-PHV) and then randomly assigned to either a jump training (pre-PHV, n = 26; post-PHV, n = 24) or a control (pre-PHV, n = 33; post-PHV, n = 19) group. Jump training consisted of twice-weekly training for 8 weeks, while control groups continued with their regular physical education lessons. Squat jump and countermovement jump height (cm), reactive strength index (the ratio between jump height and ground contact time (mm/ms)), 20-m sprint time (s), and isokinetic knee extensors muscle strength (peak toque (Nm)) were assessed pre- and post-intervention. Following the 8-week intervention, both pre- and post-PHV jump training groups made significant gains in measures of neuromuscular performance irrespective of the maturity (where p < 0.05, d = 0.28-1.00), while changes in these measures in the control groups were not significant (all p ≥ 0.05, d = -0.14-0.15). A series of repeated measures analyses of variance (ANOVA) indicated that (a) the maturity-related differences between jump training groups were observed only for reactive strength index, and (b) the improvements in all measures of neuromuscular performance were greater in jump training than in control group. This study demonstrated that important components of physical fitness in 12-14-year-old schoolboys may be acutely enhanced through a well-structured jump program and maturity seems to at least play a limited role in mediating these enhancements. |
