Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To compare the order effect of a combination of plyometric and resistance training sessions on isokinetic leg strength and vertical jump performance in undergraduate students over the course of a 6-week training program.
METHODS: Twenty-four undergraduate volunteers were randomly divided into 3 groups, each group consisting of 3 female and 5 male students. The first group performed traditional combination training (TC; n=8) involving plyometric training exercises at the beginning of a workout session before resistance exercises; the second group performed contrast training (CT; n=8) involving alternating resistance exercises with plyometric training from set to set; the third group performed complex training (CP; n=8), another form of combination training that involves the planning of several sets of resistance training repetitions, followed by plyometric exercises [16]. All groups completed a similar volume and intensity of training.
RESULTS: While all programs produced gains in vertical jump performance (p < 0.01) and isokinetic leg strength (p < 0.01, p < 0.05) except for quadriceps 60°/s for both legs in both genders, no between group differences were observed for any performance value.
CONCLUSIONS: The use of plyometric and resistance training within the same training session can be used interchangeably, irrespective of exercise order and gender.