Table 2. Basic description of studies reporting unilateral post-activation performance enhancement effect included in the analysis.
Reference Participants Conditioning Activity Intra-complex rest intervals Potentiated Exercise Main Outcomes PEDro Score
Male/female (n): age (years), weight (kg), Height (m) Population, Resistance Training Experience, Strength level Exercise Volume and Load
Andrews et al. (2016) 8 males: 21.3 ± 1.8, 80.4 ± 11.8, 1.77 ± 0.05
6 females: 21.2 ± 0.4, 63.8 ± 3.1, 1.68 ± 0.08		 university athletes, > 2, years, NR Split squat front dominant limb;
Split squat supporting limb;
non-dominant limb		 Every CA:
5 repetitions at 50%1RM, 2 repetitions at 70%1RM, 1 repetition at 90%1RM		 1-, 5-, 10 min. Unilateral CMJ with arm swing and DJ akimbo ↑ CMJ height of the exercised limb.
↓ CMJ height contralateral limb at all time points		 6
Asencio et al. (2020) 14 males: 23.8 ± 3.7, 81.8 ± 8.9, 1.82 ± 0.02 Amateur handball players, NR, 1.08 ± 0.19 relative bench press 1) Bench Press 2) Isoinertial Throw Conical Pulley 1) 3 repetitions at 90%1RM
2) 6 repetitions at 0.16 kg·m2		 4 min Handball throws ↓throwing velocity 6
Batista et al. (2007) 10 males: 25.1 ± 2.6, 79.8 ± 6.4, 1.81 ± 0.08 active men no strength training, NR Unilateral isokinetic knee extensions 10 maximal repetitions at 60°·s-1 with 30s rest between each 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 min Unilateral isokinetic knee extensions ↑ peak torque 6
Bishop et al. (2017) 12 males: 22.3 ± 1.4, 92.4 ± 9.6, 1.84 ± 0.05 semiprofessional rugby players, > 3 years, NR Body-weight split squat
Weighted split squat		 2 sets 10 repetition per leg body-weighted or 30kg vest loaded 5 min Unilateral and bilateral CMJ and broad jumps ↑bilateral jump, insignificant ↑ unilateral jumps 6
Brink et al. (2021) 69 males: 24 ± 5, 69.2 ± 9.8, 1.74 ± 0.06 professional soccer players (half squat strength: 1.85 ± 0.19 kg/kg body mass) 1) Sprint (n=23)
2)Alternate-leg bounds (n=23)
3) Walking (n=23)		 1) 2 all-out 20m sprints
2) 3 sets of 10 repetitions (5 per leg) with 10% body weight vest
3) 90 second of walking		 2- and 6 min post-CA 20m sprint velocity ↑10- and 20m sprint velocity at 2 min post-CA 6
Ciocca et al. (2021) 18 males: 22 ± 2, NR university soccer players, multi-year soccer experience, NR 1) Alternate-leg bounds
2) Control condition		 1) 3 sets of 10 repetitions (5 per leg)
2) ~75 seconds of walking		 15s, 2-, 4-, 8-, 12-, 16 min Deceleration after 0-10m sprint Improved deceleration performance at 2 min post-CA 6
Cuenca-Fernandez et al. (2015) 10 males and 4 females, between 17-23 yrs, 69 ± 11.4, 1.76 ± 0.09 trained swimmers, at least 5 years in national competitions, 3RM split squat (77.1 ± 23.4) 1) Split squat on Smith Machine
2) Simulated block swimming start performance on flywheel device		 1) 3 repetitions at 85%1RM
2) 4 repetitions at maximal voluntary contraction		 8min Swimming Start Performance Both protocols ↑swimming start performance 6
Cuenca-Fernandez et al. (2019) 17 males, 18.42 ± 1.39, 73.65 ± 8.99, 1.81 ± 0.02 competitive male swimmers, at least 5 years of participation in regional- and national-level competition, 1RM arm stroke 38.82 ± 5.29 and 1RM split squat 93.35 ± 12.51 kg 1) Split squat and arm strokes on adapted Smith machine
2) Split squat and arm strokes on
flywheel device
3) Control condition: same warm-up as in other conditions (swim warm-up followed by dynamic stretching)		 1) 3 repetitions at 85%1RM
2) 4 repetitions at maximal voluntary contraction		 6min 50m swimming performance Both protocols ↑ swimming performance at first 15m but not whole 50m swim 6
Cuenca-Fernandez et al. (2020) 11 males: 18.95 ± 1.63, 76.61 ± 9.12, 1.81 ± 0.03 and 2 females: 19.02 ± 0.78, 59.43 ± 8.23, 1.62 ± 0.05 competitive swimmers, at least 5 years of participation in national-level competition, NR 1) Control condition: same warm-up as in other conditions (swim warm-up followed by dynamic stretching)
2) Simulated block swimming start performance on flywheel device		 1) moderate intensity 400m front crawl, and two starts from the wall
2) Five repetitions at maximal voluntary contraction		 6 min Swimming Start
Performance		 PAP protocol was better than control condition but not when compared with PEAK (best outcomes obtained from each subject across standard trial) improved swimming start performance 6
de Arruda et al. (2020) 13 males: 19.46 ± 3.45, 72.02 ± 7.61, 177.85 ± 5.4 male swimmers, > 3 years of swimming experience, NR 1) 30 min warm-up in water, followed by 10 min interval and 50-m freestyle maximum attempt
2) 15min warm-up in water, followed by split squats
3) 15min warm-up in water, followed by 3 reps pull-ups 5 box jumps with 10% body weight vest
4) Combination 2 and 3		 2) 3 repetitions at 85%1RM
3) 3 repetitions of pull-ups and 5 repetitions of box jumps with 10% body weight vest
4) Combination of 2 and 3		 Individual interval 4-, 8-, or 12min 50m freestyle swimming performance No differences in comparison to the control condition 6
Dello Iacono et al. (2016a) 18 males, 19.6 ± 0.5, 83.8 ± 8.4, 182.5 ± 6.4 elite handball players, 6 years of high-level handball practice and 4 years of specific jumping and sprinting training, NR 1) Vertical alternate single leg-drop jumps
2) Horizontal alternate single leg-drop jumps		 1 and 2) 3 sets of 10 repetitions (5 per leg) 8 min CMJ and 25m (2x 12.5m) 180° COD Both protocols ↑ jumps and COD performance, with different and specific adaptations - greater improvements in jump after vertical DJ, while horizontal DJ enhanced sprint performance. 6
Dello Iacono et al. (2016b) 26 males, 15.4 ± 0.3, 61.4 ± 7.6, 169.5 ± 6.4 12 handball, 14 basketball players, members of young elite teams, NR 1) Bilateral drop jump
2) Alternate-one-leg drop jumps
3) Control condition		 1) 3 sets of 10 repetitions
2) 3 sets of 5 repetitions
3) 8 min of walking at 5km/h		 15s, 4-, 8-, 12-, 16-, 24-, 30min post-CA CMJ and 20m sprint ↓ explosive performance at each time-point in both groups 6
Doma et al. (2020) 18 males, 22.9. ± 5, 79.4 ± 9.9, 1.8 ± 0.06 anaerobically trained, at least of 6 months in anaerobic training, NR 1) Split squats
2) Split squats combined with blood flow restriction		 3 sets of 8 repetitions 3-, 6-, 9-, 12-, 15min post-CA DJ 30cm Split squats with blood flow restriction ↑ DJ performance within 6-15 min. 6
Escobar Hincapie et al. (2021) 12 males and 5 females, 25 ± 1.6, 70 ± 9.8, 171 ± 7.5 Healthy individuals, 7.6 ± 2.3 years in strength and power training, NR 1) Split squat
2) Bilateral squat		 3 sets of 3 repetitions at 0.59m/s 5min CMJ and T-agility test Decrease in jump height and improvements in T-agility test with greater improvements for the unilateral protocol 6
Ferreira-Junior et al. (2018) 11 males, 16.3 ± 1.2, 68.3 ± 10.6, 179 ± 8 high school track and field male athletes, at least one year of experience with regional and national track and field, competitions, NR 1) Control
2) Alternate leg bounds
3) Free sprint
4) Resisted sprint		 1) No conditioning activity
2) 3 sets of 10 repetitions 10% body mass
3) two 20m sprint
4) two 20m sprint controlled by partner at first 10m		 7 min 100m sprint (30-, 50-, 70-m) All protocols ↑ 70-100m performance, while
resisted sprint ↑ also 30-50m.		 6
Lockie et al. (2017) 6 males, 23.83 ± 1.17, 79.3 ± 10.36, 1.77 ± 0.06 and 3 females, 23 ± 2.65, 56.4 ± 5.44, 1.61 ± 0.06 Strength trained, at least one year, 5RM 0.61 ± 0.15 relative lunge 1) Walking Lunges
2) Control		 1) 5 repetitions of walking lunges on each leg with 85% 1RM
2) 4 min recovery in a seated position		 15s, 2-, 4-, 8-, 12-, 16min post-CA 20-m sprint, with 0-5 and 0-10m No significant potentiation of 0-5 m, 0-10 m, or 0-20 m sprint performance 6
Martinez-Garcia et al. (2021) 14 females, 21.2 ± 2.7, 70.3 ± 9.5, 167.6 ± 6.5 females handball players, at least 8 years of experience in handball, NR 1) Standing unilateral (dominant) bench press
2) maximum isometric contraction (90-degree elbow flexion)		 5 repetitions at an initial velocity of 0.6m/s and a final velocity of 0.9m/s
Single set of 5s		 Immediately, 1-, 2-, 10 min post-CA Throwing velocity during overhead throws No significant potentiation after both CAs 6
Orjalo et al. (2020) 20 males, 24.1 ± 2.71, 79.08 ± 12.15, 1.77 ± 0.1 and 20 females, 23.35 ± 2.08, 67.71 ± 9.74, 1.65 ± 0.06 Recreationally active, at least one year experience in resistance training, NR 1) Alternate-leg bounds
2) Loaded alternate-leg bounds
3) Control condition		 1) 3 sets of 10 repetitions (5 per leg)
2) 3 sets of 10 repetitions (5 per leg) with a 10% body mass vest
3) 4 min of seating		 15s, 4-, 8-, 12-, 16min post-CA 505 COD test No improvements in comparison to the control condition 6
Power et al. (2021) 16 males, 22.9 ± 2.03, 82.8 ± 9.43, 1.81 ± 0.06 and 16 females, 23.1 ± 2.8, 66.4 ± 11.09, 1.67 ± 0.07 Athletically (an athlete on a varsity or provincial sports team)
Recreationally (regularly participating in physical activity for recreational purposes), NR		 Knee extensions:
1) dominant limb conditioned and tested
2) non-dominant limb conditioned and tested
3) dominant limb conditioned and non-dominant limb tested
4) non-dominant limb conditioned and non-dominant limb tested		 4 repetitions of 5 s knee extensions MVIC with one-minute of rest after the first and third repetition, and 3 min after the second repetition. 1 and 10-min post-CA Knee extension: peak force, force produced in the first 100ms, EMG of vastus lateralis and biceps femoris
Unilateral drop jump		 No PAPE effect, decrease in force produced in the first 100ms at 1st and 10th min post-CA, 6
Seitz et al. (2015) 17 males, 25.4 ± 3.9, 84.3 ± 10.5, 1.82 ± 0.04 resistance-trained men, > 6 months in lower body resistance training, NR Isokinetic knee extensions 1) 4 reps at 60°/s
2) 4 reps at 180°/s
3) 4 reps at 300°/s
4) 12 reps at 180°/s
5) 20 reps at 300°/s		 1, 4,7, 10, 13 min post-CA Isokinetic knee extensions at 180°·s-1 ↑ knee extensor torque in 4th and 7th min post-CA after: 4 reps 60°/s; 12 reps at 180°/s; and 20 reps at 300°/s 6
Seitz et al. (2016) 13 males, 24.1 ± 3, 86.1 ± 10.1, 1.85 ± 0.11 Resistance-trained, > 1 year in lower body resistance training, NR Isokinetic knee extensions 4 repetitions at 60°·s-1 with 10s rest period between each 1, 4,7, 10 min post-CA Isokinetic knee extensions at 180°·s-1 Significant ↑ in knee extensor torque 4
Turner et al. (2015) 23 males, 22 ± 1, 82.4 ± 8.7, 1.82 ± 0.08 Healthy participants, 5 ± 1 years in plyometric training 1) Lateral bounds
2) Lateral bounds with a 10% body mass vest
3) Control condition		 1) 3 sets of 10 repetitions (5 per leg)
2) 3 sets of 10 repetitions (5 per leg) with a 10% body mass vest
3) ~75 seconds of walking		 15s, 4-, 8-, 12-, 16 min post-CA 20-m sprint performance Both experimental conditions ↑ sprint performance at 4th and 8th min 6
Wong et al. (2020) 45 males and 62 females 22 ± 2, 74 ± 18.3, 169.8 ± 9.6 untrained (27 males and 48 females) and trained (18 males and 14 females) 1) Same arm as subsequently
exercised
2) Opposite arm as subsequently
exercised
3) Control condition		 1 and 2) 6 seconds of maximal isometric elbow flexion contraction
3) 8 min rest		 3 min Isokinetic strength ↑ isokinetic strength on the ipsilateral arm. Greater improvements in resistance trained. 6
CA – conditioning activity; CMJ – countermovement jump; COD – change of direction; DJ – drop jump; NR – not reported