Effects of Drop Jump Training on Physical Fitness in Highly Trained Young Male Volleyball Players: Comparing Maximal Rebound Height and Standard Drop Height Training

Raouf Hammami; Karim Ben Ayed; Yassine Negra; Rodrigo Ramirez-Campillo; Michael Duncan; Haithem Rebai; Urs Granacher

doi:10.3390/sports12120336

Effects of Drop Jump Training on Physical Fitness in Highly Trained Young Male Volleyball Players: Comparing Maximal Rebound Height and Standard Drop Height Training

Sports (Basel). 2024 Dec 5;12(12):336. doi: 10.3390/sports12120336.

Authors

Raouf Hammami^{1

2}, Karim Ben Ayed³, Yassine Negra^{1

4}, Rodrigo Ramirez-Campillo^{5

6}, Michael Duncan⁷, Haithem Rebai², Urs Granacher⁸

Affiliations

¹ Higher Institute of Sport and Physical Education of Ksar-Said, Manouba University, Tunis 2010, Tunisia.
² Tunisian Research Laboratory 'Sports Performance Optimization', National Center of Medicine and Science in Sports (CNMSS), Tunis 1004, Tunisia.
³ Sport Sciences, Health and Movement Laboratory, High Institute of Sport and Physical Education of Kef, University of Jendouba, Jendouba 8189, Tunisia.
⁴ Research Laboratory (LR23JS01) «Sport Performance, Health & Society», Higher Institute of Sport and Physical Education of Ksar-Said, Manouba University, Tunis 2010, Tunisia.
⁵ Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, School of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago 7591538, Chile.
⁶ Department of Physical Activity Sciences, Universidad de Los Lagos, Osorno 5290000, Chile.
⁷ Centre for Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences, Coventry University, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK.
⁸ Department of Sport and Sport Science, Exercise and Human Movement Science, University of Freiburg, 79102 Freiburg, Germany.

Abstract

Background: Drop height has previously been used as an effective programming parameter in plyometric jump training. Less is known about the usage of maximal rebound jump height from a distinct drop height as a parameter for individualized plyometric jump training. Hence, the aim of this study was to contrast the effects of two different drop jump (DJ) training modalities using either the individualized maximal rebound height (MRHT) or a standard (SDHT) drop height on selected measures of physical fitness in young volleyball players.

Methods: Thirty male young volleyball players aged 14 to 16 years were randomly assigned to an MRHT (n = 15) or an SDHT (n = 15) group. The MRHT group performed DJ exercises using a drop height according to the individual's maximal rebound jump height from 30 cm, 40 cm, and 50 cm drop heights. The SDHT group performed DJs following a standardized drop height (30 cm) across the 8-week intervention period. The overall training volume was similar between MRHT and SDHT with one to three sets of 8 to 10 repetitions of DJ exercises per session. Before and after training, jump height and the reactive strength index (RSI) were taken as dependent variables from 30, 40, and 50 cm drop heights. In addition, dynamic balance (Y-balance test) as well as linear sprint and change-of-direction (CoD) speed were assessed.

Results: Significant group × time interactions were found for jump height, balance, RSI, and linear sprint (p < 0.001; d = 0.12-3.42) but not CoD speed. Post hoc tests showed significant jump height improvements in favor of the MRHT group for drop heights from 30 cm (Δ20.4%, p < 0.001, d = 3.69), 40 cm (Δ20.3%, p < 0.001, d = 2.90), and 50 cm (Δ18.3%, p < 0.001, d = 3.37) and RSI50 (Δ30.14%, p < 0.001, d = 2.29). MRHT but not SDHT resulted in significant 5 m (Δ9.2%, p < 0.001, d = 1.32) and 20 m (Δ7.4%, p < 0.01, d = 2.30) linear sprint speed improvements.

Conclusions: The findings demonstrate that MRHT but not SDHT improved DJ height, RSI, and linear sprint speed. Due to the importance of vertical jumps and short accelerations for overall competitive performance in volleyball, our results suggest that young male players should perform MRHT as part of plyometric jump training if the goal is to improve acceleration, reactive strength, and vertical jump performance.

Keywords: adolescents; neuromuscular adaptation; plyometric training; stretch-shortening cycle exercise.

Grants and funding

Open Access funding enabled and organized by the project DEAL. We acknowledge the support of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and Open Access Publishing Fund of the University of Freiburg, Germany.