.png)
Exploring Reactive Strength: A Deep Dive into Jump Performance Metrics - Article Review
The article "A Reliability and Kinetic Analysis of the 10/5 Repeated Jump and Drop Jump Tests to Determine the Use of a Novel Reactive Strength Measure: The Reactive Quality Ratio" by Southey, et al Mark J. Connick, Dirk R. Spits, Damien J. Austin, and Emma M. Beckman explores the reliability and kinetic differences between two common plyometric tests: the drop jump (DJ) and the 10/5 repeated jump (RJ).
Professional sports science continues to push the boundaries of athletic performance assessment, and this recent study by Southey and colleagues offers fascinating insights into how athletes develop and measure reactive strength. The research focuses on a novel metric called the reactive quality ratio (RQR), which compares an athlete's performance across different jump tests to understand their unique strength capabilities.
Key Findings
The study examined 24 professional Australian footballers using two primary jump tests: the 10/5 repeated jump (RJ) and the drop jump (DJ). Despite similar reactive strength index (RSI) outputs, the researchers uncovered significant differences in underlying kinetic variables:
Metric | Repeated Jump | Drop Jump |
Ground Contact Time | 180±25 ms | 209±30 ms |
Flight Time | 444±53 ms | 500±39 ms |
Impulse | 524±67 Ns | 721±69 Ns |
Average Force | 2924±363 N | 2624±294 N |
Innovative Methodology
The researchers introduced the reactive quality ratio (RQR) as a groundbreaking approach to understanding an athlete's jump performance. By dividing the drop jump RSI by the repeated jump RSI, they created a metric that can help coaches personalize training strategies.
Practical Implications
The study revealed that while RSI might appear similar between jump types, the underlying biomechanical characteristics differ significantly. This suggests that coaches should not treat all plyometric exercises as interchangeable, but instead tailor training to an athlete's specific reactive strength profile.
Conclusion
This research represents a significant step forward in understanding athletic performance measurement. By providing a more nuanced approach to assessing reactive strength, Southey and colleagues have offered strength and conditioning professionals a powerful new tool for developing targeted training interventions. The reactive quality ratio promises to revolutionize how we understand and improve an athlete's explosive power and movement efficiency.
Article PDF Below:
Comments