A PRIOR ISOMETRIC STRENGTH TRAINING INCREASES MUSCLE POWER PERFORMANCE OF JUDO ATHLETES

ABSTRACT Muscular power, a determinant in judo fights, can be developed by high intensity strength exercises through a mechanism known as post-activation potentiation. Thus, the objective of the present study is to verify the effect of isometric squat exercise on the performance of judo athletes. The sample was made up of eight judo athletes (22.3 ± 3.5 years old, 166.0 ± 6.0 cm; 65.4 ± 7.0 kg). The subjects went through four days of tests, one familiarization session, another as a control situation and two others as experimental sessions. In the experimental sessions, exercises in a Smith squat machine prior to the vertical countermovement jump (CMJ) test and a Special Judo Fitness Test (SJFT). In the control session, only SJFT was performed. Student's t test for paired samples was used to compare performances in the different situations. A significant increase was observed in the number of projections in the SJFT (25.5 ± 2.2 vs. 26.8 ± 2.2 projections) after MVIC and in the height in CMJ (31.0 ± 2.2 vs. 33.3 ± 2.2 cm). The MVIC exercise protocol performed as a preparatory activity increased the performance of judo athletes in judo-specific tests/SJFT and CMJ.