Short-term landing training attenuates landing impact and improves jump height in landing-to-jump movement

Landing technique is an important factor influencing jump performance in landing-to-jump (L-J) movement. This study examined the effects of short-term landing training on jump performance in L-J. We hypothesized that landing training without jumping decreases landing impact and increases jump height in L-J. Twenty healthy adult men were randomly assigned to the control (CG: n = 10) or the training (TG: n = 10) group. The TG performed a 2-week landing training (3 times per week, 6 sessions) that aims to decrease impact force. Before and after the training period, both groups performed landing and L-J from a 35-cm height and also squat jumps (SJs). Ground reaction forces and kinematic data were obtained during the landing, L-J, and SJ. The CG showed no significant changes in all measured variables. In the TG, the peak vertical ground reaction force up to 100 mseconds after ground contact in L-J, expressed relative to body mass, significantly decreased (pre: 3.04 [0.77] vs. post: 2.35 [0.37], p < 0.01), and the L-J height significantly increased (pre: 47.2 [5.6] cm vs. post: 48.2 [5.5] cm, p < 0.05) without gain in SJ height. Furthermore, the TG showed significant gains (p < 0.01) in hip joint power during the propulsive phase. The current results support our hypothesis and indicate that short-term landing training improves the technique for absorbing landing impact and increasing L-J height. The increased L-J height may be a result of an increase in power generation around the hip joint.