Effects of plyometric training on the performance of 5-km road runners

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to compare the performance changes in amateur road runners submitted to two different types of plyometric protocols. Twenty-four male individuals were randomly divided into three groups: running training associated with plyometric with squat jump (PSG; n: 8; age: 38±5 years; BMI: 25,81±3.29 kg/m2); running training associated with plyometric with drop jump (PDG; n: 8; age: 39±4 years; BMI: 26.14±1.91 kg/m2); and control group (GC; n: 8; age: 35±3 years; BMI: 25.31±1.09 kg/m2), that just performed the running training. The distances were the same for all groups and the speeds were calculated by the VO2PRO pace load method. The running performance was measured by the 5 km running test. The ANOVA revealed significantly higher (p<0.05) time differences between the PSG (140.50 s) and the PDG (170.63 s) when compared with the CG (4.75 s) after the intervention. Despite the intervention groups with the plyometric did not reveal significant differences between them, the PDG was the most efficient when compared with PSG (effect size: 1.0 and 0.62, respectively). It was concluded that the plyometric training can optimize the 5 km running performance, being the drop jump protocol the most efficient.