Post-Activation Potentiation and Jump Performance During and After Ramadan

Inonu University20 enrolled

Overview

This study compared the acute effects of two post-activation potentiation protocols on jumping performance in male Muay Thai athletes during and after Ramadan. The investigators examined whether conditioning exercises performed at 60% or 80% of one-repetition maximum produced different effects on countermovement jump height, average power, and peak power. Twenty male Muay Thai athletes were recruited, and 14 athletes completed all required study sessions. Each participant performed both protocols during Ramadan and again after Ramadan. The order of the protocols was randomized and counterbalanced. After a standardized warm-up, participants completed either 10 half-squat repetitions at 60% of one-repetition maximum or 5 half-squat repetitions at 80% of one-repetition maximum. Following a 5-minute recovery period, countermovement jump performance was assessed. The study was designed to determine whether the intensity of the conditioning activity and the Ramadan period were associated with differences in explosive lower-body performance. DETAILED DESCRIPTION This controlled, randomized, counterbalanced crossover study investigated the effects of two post-activation potentiation protocols on countermovement jump performance in male Muay Thai athletes during and after Ramadan fasting. Twenty male Muay Thai athletes were initially recruited. Six participants did not complete all required sessions, and 14 participants completed the study and were included in the analysis. Participants had at least 2 years of Muay Thai training experience and experience participating in national-level competitions. All participants reported that they intended to observe Ramadan fasting during the Ramadan testing period. Each participant attended four experimental sessions. The two conditioning protocols were performed during Ramadan and repeated after Ramadan. Sessions were conducted on non-consecutive days, with approximately 48 hours between testing sessions. The order of the 60% and 80% protocols was randomized and counterbalanced to reduce possible order and learning effects. Testing was generally performed at approximately 5:00 p.m. Before the conditioning activity, participants completed a standardized 5-minute specific warm-up paced by a metronome set at 100 beats per minute. The warm-up included the stationary Spider-Man, inchworm, backward and forward lunge walks, backpedal, and straight-leg skip exercises. The two experimental conditioning protocols were: A single set of 10 half-squat repetitions performed at 60% of the participant's estimated one-repetition maximum. A single set of 5 half-squat repetitions performed at 80% of the participant's estimated one-repetition maximum. One-repetition maximum was estimated during the familiarization session using the Brzycki equation. After completing the assigned conditioning protocol, participants rested for 5 minutes. Countermovement jump performance was then assessed using a force platform. Participants performed three countermovement jumps, with 1 minute of rest between attempts. Participants began and ended each jump in an upright position and kept their hands on their hips throughout the movement. The highest jump performance was used for analysis. The primary performance variables were countermovement jump height, average power, and peak power. Average and peak power were estimated using the Johnson and Bahamonde equations. During the post-Ramadan testing period, participants were instructed to arrive having consumed food at least 3 hours before testing. Participants were also instructed to avoid vigorous exercise and caffeine-containing food or drinks before the experimental sessions. The study evaluated the main effects of Ramadan period and conditioning-protocol intensity, as well as the interaction between these two factors. The study was approved by the Inonu University Clinical Research Ethics Committee under approval number 2022/3042, and written informed consent was obtained from all participants.

This randomized, counterbalanced crossover study evaluated the acute effects of two post-activation conditioning protocols on countermovement jump performance in male Muay Thai athletes during and after Ramadan. Twenty male Muay Thai athletes were recruited. Six participants did not complete all required sessions, and 14 participants completed the study procedures. Eligible participants had at least 2 years of Muay Thai training experience and experience participating in national-level competitions. Participants reported that they intended to observe Ramadan fasting during the Ramadan assessment period. Each participant attended four experimental sessions and completed both conditioning protocols during Ramadan and again after Ramadan. Experimental sessions were conducted on non-consecutive days, with approximately 48 hours between sessions. The order of the two protocols was randomized and counterbalanced to minimize possible order and learning effects. Assessments were generally conducted at approximately 5:00 p.m. Before each conditioning protocol, participants completed a 5-minute specific warm-up paced by a metronome set at 100 beats per minute. The warm-up consisted of the stationary Spider-Man, inchworm, backward and forward lunge walks, backpedal, and straight-leg skip exercises. The conditioning activities consisted of half-squat exercise performed using one of the following protocols: One set of 10 repetitions at 60% of the participant's estimated one-repetition maximum. One set of 5 repetitions at 80% of the participant's estimated one-repetition maximum. One-repetition maximum was estimated during the familiarization session using the Brzycki equation. After completing the conditioning activity, participants rested for 5 minutes before countermovement jump assessment. Participants performed three countermovement jumps on a force platform, with 1 minute of rest between attempts. Each jump began from an upright standing position. Participants kept their hands on their hips and performed a self-selected countermovement before jumping vertically as high as possible. The highest jump performance was used for analysis. The assessed performance variables were countermovement jump height, average power, and peak power. Average and peak power were estimated using the Johnson and Bahamonde equations. During the post-Ramadan assessment period, participants were instructed to arrive after consuming food at least 3 hours before testing. Before experimental sessions, participants were also instructed to avoid vigorous exercise, caffeine, and caffeine-containing food or beverages. The study was designed to examine the effects of conditioning-protocol intensity and assessment period on explosive lower-body performance and to determine whether the response to the 60% and 80% protocols differed between Ramadan and the post-Ramadan period.

Interventions

60% 1RM Half-Squat Conditioning ProtocolOTHER

Participants completed a standardized 5-minute specific warm-up paced by a metronome set at 100 beats per minute. They then performed one set of 10 half-squat repetitions at 60% of their estimated one-repetition maximum. After completing the conditioning activity, participants rested for 5 minutes before performing the countermovement jump assessment.

80% 1RM Half-Squat Conditioning ProtocolOTHER

Participants completed a standardized 5-minute specific warm-up paced by a metronome set at 100 beats per minute. They then performed one set of 5 half-squat repetitions at 80% of their estimated one-repetition maximum. After completing the conditioning activity, participants rested for 5 minutes before performing the countermovement jump assessment.

Eligibility

Sex: MALEMin age: 18 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Male Muay Thai athletes. * At least 2 years of Muay Thai training experience. * Active participation in national-level Muay Thai competitions. * Intention to observe Ramadan fasting during the Ramadan assessment period. * Ability to participate in the familiarization session and all experimental testing sessions. * Provision of written informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * Failure to complete all required experimental sessions. * Inability to perform the half-squat conditioning protocols or countermovement jump assessments. * Performance of vigorous exercise before an experimental session. * Consumption of caffeine or caffeine-containing foods or beverages before an experimental session. * Failure to comply with the study procedures or pre-test instructions.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Countermovement Jump Height

Countermovement jump height was measured in centimeters using a Newtest 2000 force platform. Participants performed three countermovement jumps with 1 minute of rest between attempts while keeping their hands on their hips. The highest jump height recorded during each assessment was used for analysis. Higher values indicate better jump performance.

Time frame: 5 minutes after the conditioning protocol at each of four experimental sessions: Session 1 during the last 10 days of Ramadan; Session 2, 48 hours after Session 1 during Ramadan; Session 3, approximately 3 weeks after Ramadan; and Session 4, 48 hours aft

Average Power During Countermovement Jump

Average power during the countermovement jump was estimated in watts using the Johnson and Bahamonde equation. The calculation was based on the countermovement jump assessment performed after each conditioning protocol. Higher values indicate greater average lower-body power.

Peak Power During Countermovement Jump

Peak power during the countermovement jump was estimated in watts using the Johnson and Bahamonde equation. The calculation was based on the countermovement jump assessment performed after each conditioning protocol. Higher values indicate greater peak lower-body power.