(26) EFFECTS OF SUPRAMAXIMAL ANDERSON QUARTER-SQUATS AS A POTENTIATING STIMULUS ON DISCUS PERFORMANCE IN DIVISION I THROWERS

The use of warm-up strategies with heavy stimuli to stimulate the post-activation potentiation (PAP) phenomenon has been shown to be useful in many explosive sport settings, such as sprinting, jumping, and throwing. One common method for a potentiating stimulus is to use heavy (~85-100% 1RM) back squats to enhance subsequent explosive performance variables. Further, to our knowledge, only one study has used supramaximal (over 100% 1RM) back squats and found jumping performance to be enhanced for up to 9 minutes in resistance trained men. However, no study has assessed supramaximal back squat variations as a potentiating stimulus in collegiate throwers.

Purpose: To test the hypothesis that, compared to a dynamic warm-up alone, a supramaximal Anderson quarter squat potentiating stimulus would improve discus throw performance in Division I throwers.

Methods: Nine NCAA division I thrower athletes (age: 20.1±1.4 years; 1RM back squat/body weight: 2.5±0.4 lbs.) randomly completed two sessions separated by at least 72 hours with a standardized dynamic warm-up with and without a supramaximal (105% 1RM) Anderson (bottom-up) quarter-squat set of 5 repetitions followed by three trials of maximal discus throwing. Regardless of warm-up strategy, all throwers attempted their first discus throw at 8 minutes, second discus throw at 11 minutes, and third discus throw at 14 minutes. For each time point a paired samples t-test was used for analyses, with significance set at p< 0.05.

Results: There were no significant (p >0.05) differences between dynamic warm-up alone versus dynamic warm-up with PAP stimulus for discus throw distances at either 8 minutes (1247.3±218.8 vs 1206.1±255.6 inches, respectively) or 14 minutes (1344.3±153.5 vs 1272.3±206.9 inches, respectively) post warm-up. However, there was a significantly (p=0.038) shorter distance at 11 minutes post warm-up in dynamic warm-up with PAP compared to dynamic warm-up alone (1316.0±140.5 vs 1230.7±185.7, respectively). Further, there was on average a decrease in discus throw distance at 8 minutes (-3.5±10.1%), 11 minutes (-6.7±8.7%), and 14 minutes (-4.9±14.3%) in dynamic warm-up with PAP stimulus versus dynamic warm-up alone.

Conclusions: Compared to a dynamic warm-up alone, supramaximal Anderson quarter-squats following a dynamic warm-up had detrimental effects on discus throw performance between 8-14 minutes post stimuli in Division I trained throwers, likely due to excess fatigue. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: For either training or pre-competition warm-up purposes in collegiate throwers, supramaximal PAP stimuli should be avoided to minimize negative discus throwing outcomes and time constraint issues related to the amount of fatigue present following such stimuli.

Acknowledgements: none