Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Distinguishing Muscle Oxygen Saturation from Tissue Oxygen Saturation: Accuracy, Limitations, and Practical Utility in Muscle Oximetry.

Sports medicine - open·2026
Same author

E-cohort profile: ComPaRe chronic low back pain (CLBP) cohort.

Annals of physical and rehabilitation medicine·2026
Same author

Reassessing combined exercise-tDCS strategies in chronic pain.

Lancet regional health. Americas·2026
Same author

Investigating interbrain synchrony under teamwork disruption: an fNIRS hyperscanning study.

Behavioral and brain functions : BBF·2026
Same author

Exercise Heart Rate During Training and Competitive Matches in Elite Soccer: More Questions than Answers.

Sports (Basel, Switzerland)·2025
Same author

Vibration-induced illusion of movement is hindered by acute stroke but mostly by aging: a cross-sectional study.

Aging clinical and experimental research·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 16, 2026

Adapted Resistance Training Improves Strength in Eight Weeks in Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis
08:48

Adapted Resistance Training Improves Strength in Eight Weeks in Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis

Published on: January 29, 2016

Does an abdominal strengthening program influence leg stiffness during hopping tasks?

Arnaud Dupeyron1, Maxime Hertzog, Jean-Paul Micallef

  • 1Movement to Health, Montpellier-1 University, Montpellier, France. arnaud.dupeyron@univ-montp1.fr

Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
|November 22, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Strengthening the transversus abdominis (TrA) muscle through hollowing exercises significantly improved leg stiffness (kleg) and jump performance in soccer players. This suggests abdominal muscles play a key role in regulating kleg during hopping.

More Related Videos

Muscle Imbalances: Testing and Training Functional Eccentric Hamstring Strength in Athletic Populations
07:30

Muscle Imbalances: Testing and Training Functional Eccentric Hamstring Strength in Athletic Populations

Published on: May 1, 2018

Exergaming in Older People Living with HIV Improves Balance, Mobility and Ameliorates Some Aspects of Frailty
07:27

Exergaming in Older People Living with HIV Improves Balance, Mobility and Ameliorates Some Aspects of Frailty

Published on: October 6, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 16, 2026

Adapted Resistance Training Improves Strength in Eight Weeks in Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis
08:48

Adapted Resistance Training Improves Strength in Eight Weeks in Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis

Published on: January 29, 2016

Muscle Imbalances: Testing and Training Functional Eccentric Hamstring Strength in Athletic Populations
07:30

Muscle Imbalances: Testing and Training Functional Eccentric Hamstring Strength in Athletic Populations

Published on: May 1, 2018

Exergaming in Older People Living with HIV Improves Balance, Mobility and Ameliorates Some Aspects of Frailty
07:27

Exergaming in Older People Living with HIV Improves Balance, Mobility and Ameliorates Some Aspects of Frailty

Published on: October 6, 2016

Area of Science:

  • Biomechanics
  • Exercise Physiology
  • Sports Science

Background:

  • The spring mass model posits that leg stiffness (kleg) is influenced by lower limb and trunk stiffness.
  • The specific role of the trunk, particularly abdominal muscles, in regulating kleg remains unclear.
  • Understanding trunk influence on kleg is crucial for optimizing hopping mechanics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of an 8-week abdominal strengthening program on leg stiffness (kleg) during hopping.
  • To compare the effects of two distinct abdominal training methods: bracing and transversus abdominis (TrA) hollowing.
  • To determine if TrA training enhances kleg and associated hopping performance metrics.

Main Methods:

  • Fourteen male national-level soccer players were divided into two groups: bracing (B) and TrA hollowing (H).
  • Both groups underwent an 8-week identical training load program focused on abdominal strengthening.
  • Leg stiffness (kleg), contact time, flight time, and jump height were measured using the OptoJump system during a standardized hopping task (2.2 Hz) pre- and post-intervention.

Main Results:

  • The TrA hollowing (H) group showed a significant increase in kleg (+15.7%) compared to the bracing (B) group (+5.9%).
  • The H group experienced a greater decrease in contact time (-6.5%) and a larger increase in flight time (+8.8%) than the B group.
  • Jump height increased substantially in the H group (+16.9%) versus the B group (+4.4%).

Conclusions:

  • Transversus abdominis (TrA) strengthening through hollowing exercises effectively improves leg stiffness (kleg) in hopping tasks.
  • These findings highlight the potential role of abdominal muscles in controlling lumbopelvic stiffness, influencing kleg via modulation of the ground contact phase.
  • Targeted abdominal training can enhance athletic performance by improving leg stiffness and hopping efficiency.