Test-retest reliability of three different countermovement jumping tests

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Kinesiology
• Human Performance

Background:

• Vertical jump tests are crucial for evaluating muscle strength and power.
• Accurate and reproducible measurement tools are essential for physical performance assessment.
• Body composition is recognized as a significant factor influencing physical performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the test-retest reliability of three vertical jump variations.
• To correlate vertical jump height with various body composition metrics.
• To assess the suitability of different jump tests for measuring power development.

Main Methods:

• Thirty-four healthy young adults (17 women) participated.
• Three vertical jump tests were performed twice, 7 days apart: countermovement jump (CMJ) with and without arm swing, and Abalakow jump (AJ) with arm swing.
• Body composition was analyzed using bioelectrical impedance analysis.

Main Results:

• High test-retest reliability (Intraclass Correlation Coefficients [ICCs] 0.48–0.88) was observed for all jump types.
• The AJ demonstrated lower ICC in women, indicating reduced reproducibility.
• Significant correlations were found between CMJ and AJ (rs = 0.88) and between body composition and CMJ in women (rs = -0.57–0.76).

Conclusions:

• The CMJ on a contact mat exhibits very high test-retest reliability, making it a dependable measure for power development.
• While AJ generally shows high ICC, its reproducibility in women is moderate and not statistically significant.
• Adjustments can be made to compare CMJ and AJ data, supporting the use of vertical jump tests for tracking power development.