title: Postactivation potentiation on repeated-sprint ability in elite handball players.
abstract: The aim of this study was to analyze the changes on repeated-sprint ability (RSA) performance after heavy load exercise in elite handball players. Twelve subjects were submitted to the following experimental sessions: (a) 1-repetition maximum (1RM) test on the half squat exercise, (b) RSA test (control condition), and (c) RSA with a conditioning activity on the same exercise as 1RM test (experimental condition). The conditioning activity comprised 1 set of 5 × 50% 1RM, 1 set of 3 × 70% 1RM, and 5 sets of 1 × 90% 1RM. A significant improvement in the best sprint time (RSAbest) and mean sprint time (RSAmean) was observed with the conditioning activity (RSAbest = 5.74 ± 0.16 seconds; RSAmean = 5.99 ± 0.19 seconds) when compared with the situation without the conditioning activity (RSAbest = 5.82 ± 0.15 seconds; RSAmean = 6.06 ± 0.18 seconds; p < 0.01) with a moderate (Cohen's d = -0.54) and small effect (Cohen's d = -0.41) to RSAbest and RSAmean, respectively. Therefore, the findings of this study demonstrated that prior heavy load exercise can be used to improve the RSA performance, however, with a small to moderate magnitude of change.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Education, State University of Londrina, Londrina, PR, Brazil. nilookuno@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Nilo M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Okuno
authors.forename: Valmor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tricoli
authors.forename: Salomão B C
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Rômulo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bertuzzi
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.forename: Maria A P D M
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kiss
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D006801:Humans; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D055070:Resistance Training; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology*