Plyometric (PLY) exercise involves stretching the muscles immediately before making rapid concentric contractions (2). When the muscles are stretched during an eccentric contraction, they store elastic energy, and this energy, accompanied by a rapid concentric contraction, produces more power than an independent concentric contraction (43).

KEYWORDS: Stretch-shortening cycle, electromyography, root mean square, countermovement jump, knee extensor muscles.Įccentric muscle contractions are rapidly followed by concentric contractions in many sport skills in team or individual sports. Accordingly, PLY exercises are recommended as part of a regular academic program in order to increase important components of athletic performance for physical education students. In conclusion, the findings of the this study suggest that 6 weeks of PLY training, in addition to the regular academic program, induced significant improvements in EMG activities of lower extremity muscles but no significant increases in vertical jump height. However, after 6 weeks of plyometric training, significant improvements (p less than 0.05) were observed in EMG activities of VL (13.25%), VM (9.60%), and GAS (13.93%) muscles, and no significant increase (p greater than 0.05) was found in CMJ (2.77%) in the PLY group. The results revealed that there were no significant changes in either vertical jump height or EMG activities of selected muscles for the control group (p greater than 0.05). The experimental group performed plyometric exercises 2 times a week for 6 weeks, whereas the control group participated only in their lectures. Twenty-four highly physically active physical education students were randomly assigned either to a plyometric (PLY) group or a control group. University of Abant Izzet Baysal, Golkoy Kampusu, 14030, Bolu/TURKEYĮmail: purpose of this study was to determine the effects of 6-week plyometric training on vertical jump performance and electromyography (EMG) activities of vastus lateralis (VL), vastus medialis (VM), and gastrocnemius (GAS) muscles during countermovement jump (CMJ).

He is also Head Coach of University Table Tennis, and Track and Field Teams.ĭepartment of Coaching Education, School of Physical Education and Sports, (1)Kerim SOZBIR is an Assistant Professor and lectures Human Anatomy and Physiology, Speed Training, and Track and Field in the Department of Coaching Education at the University of Abant Izzet Baysal in TURKEY.

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