The Self-Selected Rest Interval Method Is Reliable to Elicit Postactivation Performance Enhancement in...

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Sports Science
• Human Performance

Background:

• Postactivation performance enhancement (PAPE) describes temporary improvements in explosive power following intense activity.
• The self-selected recovery interval (SSI) is used to achieve PAPE, but its consistency is unproven.
• Reliability assessment is crucial for consistent application and interpretation of PAPE strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the reliability of the self-selected recovery interval (SSI) in strength-trained athletes.
• To determine the reproducibility of PAPE magnitude using SSI.
• To confirm if SSI is a dependable method for enhancing athletic performance.

Main Methods:

• A nonrandomized, single-group, crossover design with repeated measures was employed.
• Thirteen strength-trained athletes underwent two identical experimental sessions involving conditioning activity (CA) and SSI.
• Countermovement jump (CMJ) performance and SSI duration were measured, with reliability assessed using ICCs and coefficient of variation.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in SSI duration were observed between the two experimental sessions.
• CMJ performance significantly increased post-CA in both sessions (9.7% and 10.6%).
• Both CMJ performance changes (ICC = 0.997) and SSI duration (ICC = 0.868) demonstrated excellent and good reliability, respectively.

Conclusions:

• The self-selected recovery interval (SSI) is a reliable method for inducing postactivation performance enhancement (PAPE).
• The reproducibility of SSI supports its practical use in strength and power training.
• Consistent performance gains can be achieved by implementing SSI in training protocols.