Acute Effects of Mini Trampoline Training Session on Leg Stiffness and Reactive Power

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the acute effects of a mini trampoline training session (SuperJump®) on leg stiffness and reactive power (RP) while examining its relation to participants’ sex. A total of 20 participants (11 females, age: 24.4 ± 1.0 yrs; 9 males, age: 27.3 ± 2.9 yrs) performed continuous jump repetitions (RJs), measured on a force plate, before (PRE) and after (POST) a 30 min Superjump® session. Linear repeated measures mixed models were used to examine the effects of the Superjump® session on the leg stiffness mean (KMEAN), mean of the best RJs (KBEST), and RP in relation to sex. Before and after the mini trampoline training session, females showed lower KMEAN and KBEST values compared with males. Despite the significant (p < 0.002) decreases in RP after the Superjump® session in both males (PRE: 23.1 ± 6.5 W/kg; POST: 21.2 ± 6.1 W/kg) and females (PRE: 23.6 ± 5.5 W/kg; POST: 21.9 ± 5.3 W/kg), leg stiffness remained unchanged, suggesting a potential protective effect of mini trampoline training on leg stiffness during acute adaptations. These findings suggest that Superjump® training might exert a protective effect on leg stiffness, which prevents acute decreases that are commonly observed in other training modalities. The sex-related differences emerging from the present study emphasize the need for personalized approaches when integrating this innovative training tool into athletes’ regimens.