TY - JOUR
T1 - Isolated Joint Block Progression Training Improves Leaping Performance in Dancers
AU - Rice, Paige E.
AU - Nishikawa, Kiisa
AU - Nimphius, Sophia
N1 - Funding Information:
First and foremost, we would like to sincerely thank all the dancers who participated in the study for their time and energy. We would also like to thank Clarissa Brusco, Leanne Snyder, Nadija Vrdoljak, and Denny Wells for their assistance with study preparation and data acquisition.
Funding Information:
This study was funded by a 2018 US National Strength and Conditioning Association Doctoral Grant (G1003733). PR was funded by an Edith Cowan University Higher Degree by Research Scholarship. SN is a member of the Australian Center for Research into Injury in Sport and its Prevention (ACRISP) at Edith Cowan University. ACRISP is one of the International Research Centers for the Prevention of Injury and Protection of Athlete Health supported by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). We declare the results of the study are presented clearly, honestly, and without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate data manipulation.
Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2021 Rice, Nishikawa and Nimphius.
PY - 2021/12/14
Y1 - 2021/12/14
N2 - The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a 12-week ankle-specific block progression training program on saut de chat leaping performance [leap height, peak power (PP), joint kinetics and kinematics], maximal voluntary isometric plantar flexion (MVIP) strength, and Achilles tendon (AT) stiffness. Dancers (training group n = 7, control group n = 7) performed MVIP at plantarflexed (10◦) and neutral ankle positions (0◦) followed by ramping isometric contractions equipped with ultrasound to assess strength and AT stiffness, respectively. Dancers also performed saut de chat leaps surrounded by 3-D motion capture atop force platforms to determine center of mass and joint kinematics and kinetics. The training group then followed a 12-week ankle-focused program including isometric, dynamic constant external resistance, accentuated eccentric loading, and plyometric training modalities, while the control group continued dancing normally. We found that the training group's saut de chat ankle PP (59.8%), braking ankle stiffness (69.6%), center of mass PP (11.4%), and leap height (12.1%) significantly increased following training. We further found that the training group's MVIP significantly increased at 10◦ (17.0%) and 0◦ (12.2%) along with AT stiffness (29.6%), while aesthetic leaping measures were unchanged (peak split angle, mean trunk angle, trunk angle range). Ankle-specific block progression training appears to benefit saut de chat leaping performance, PP output, ankle-joint kinetics, maximal strength, and AT stiffness, while not affecting kinematic aesthetic measures. We speculate that the combined training blocks elicited physiological changes and enhanced neuromuscular synchronization for increased saut de chat leaping performance in this cohort of dancers.
AB - The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a 12-week ankle-specific block progression training program on saut de chat leaping performance [leap height, peak power (PP), joint kinetics and kinematics], maximal voluntary isometric plantar flexion (MVIP) strength, and Achilles tendon (AT) stiffness. Dancers (training group n = 7, control group n = 7) performed MVIP at plantarflexed (10◦) and neutral ankle positions (0◦) followed by ramping isometric contractions equipped with ultrasound to assess strength and AT stiffness, respectively. Dancers also performed saut de chat leaps surrounded by 3-D motion capture atop force platforms to determine center of mass and joint kinematics and kinetics. The training group then followed a 12-week ankle-focused program including isometric, dynamic constant external resistance, accentuated eccentric loading, and plyometric training modalities, while the control group continued dancing normally. We found that the training group's saut de chat ankle PP (59.8%), braking ankle stiffness (69.6%), center of mass PP (11.4%), and leap height (12.1%) significantly increased following training. We further found that the training group's MVIP significantly increased at 10◦ (17.0%) and 0◦ (12.2%) along with AT stiffness (29.6%), while aesthetic leaping measures were unchanged (peak split angle, mean trunk angle, trunk angle range). Ankle-specific block progression training appears to benefit saut de chat leaping performance, PP output, ankle-joint kinetics, maximal strength, and AT stiffness, while not affecting kinematic aesthetic measures. We speculate that the combined training blocks elicited physiological changes and enhanced neuromuscular synchronization for increased saut de chat leaping performance in this cohort of dancers.
KW - ankle
KW - joint kinetics
KW - muscle
KW - power
KW - strength
KW - tendon
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U2 - 10.3389/fspor.2021.779824
DO - 10.3389/fspor.2021.779824
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85121847230
SN - 2624-9367
VL - 3
JO - Frontiers in Sports and Active Living
JF - Frontiers in Sports and Active Living
M1 - 779824
ER -