Abstract |
PROBLEM: Knee wraps have been used to improve squat performance for decades. Their effectiveness to increase a 1 repetition maximum has been documented in lifting records for several organizations but the effect on vertical jump performance is unknown. METHODS: Ten healthy active males (Height- 1.74±5.88m, Mass- 86.1±14.6kg, Age- 27±3 years) volunteered to participate in a 2 week vertical jump training study. On three different testing days (1, 4, and 11) subjects performed 2 sets of 5 vertical jumps with 20 seconds rest between jumps and 5 minutes rest between sets. One set was performed without knee wraps and one set was performed with knee wraps. On two separate training days, subjects performed 3 sets of 10 vertical jumps with 20 seconds rest between jumps and 5 minutes rest between sets. One group (KW; n=5) performed the sets with knee wraps and one group (UW; n=5) performed the sets without knee wraps. Vertical jump height data was collected with a Vertec Device. RESULTS: A significant 3-way interaction (p=.003) was observed for vertical jump height such that groups were different on vertical jump height for sets without knee wraps on Day 4 (UW-55.986±6.332cm, KW- 62.382±9.646cm) and Day 11 (UW- 56.087±8.851cm, KW-63.805±7.701cm). In addition, sets without knee wraps were observed to be significantly greater (p<.001) than sets with knee wraps on all days regardless of group. CONCLUSION: Different from back squat research, knee wraps do not improve vertical jump performance even though vertical jump with knee wraps increases with training.
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Modified Abstract |
Knee wraps have been used to improve squat performance for decades. Their effectiveness to increase a 1 repetition maximum has been documented in lifting records for several organizations but the effect on vertical jump performance is unknown.
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