Are Caffeine’s Effects on Resistance Exercise and Jumping Performance Moderated by Training Status?

Abstract

This study aimed to explore if the effects of caffeine intake on resistance exercise and jumping performance are moderated by training status. We included ten resistance-trained and ten recreationally active males in a randomized, double-blind, crossover study. Participants were categorized into groups according to their resistance to training experience and muscular strength levels. Exercise performance outcomes included weight lifted and mean velocity during a one-repetition maximum (1RM) bench press and squat; repetitions were performed to muscular failure in the same exercises with 70% of 1RM and countermovement jump (CMJ) height. Exercise performance was evaluated on three occasions, following no substance ingestion (control), caffeine (6 mg/kg), and placebo. There was a main effect on the condition for all the performance outcomes (all p ≤ 0.02), except for the 1RM squat mean velocity (p = 0.157) and 1RM bench press mean velocity (p = 0.719). For weight lifted in the 1RM bench press, there was a significant difference when comparing the caffeine vs. control, caffeine vs. placebo, and placebo vs. control. For weight lifted in the 1RM squat, a significant difference was found when comparing the caffeine vs. control. For muscular endurance outcomes and jump height, a significant difference was found when caffeine was compared to the control or placebo. Effect sizes were trivial for muscular strength (Hedges’ g: 0.04–0.12), small for the jump height (Hedges’ g: 0.43–0.46), and large for muscular endurance (Hedges’ g: 0.89–1.41). Despite these ergogenic effects, there was no significant training status × caffeine interaction in any of the analyzed outcomes. In summary, caffeine ingestion is ergogenic for muscular strength, endurance, and jump height. These effects are likely to be of a similar magnitude in resistance-trained and recreationally active men.