Abstract
Background
The countermovement jump (CMJ) is widely used to assess neuromuscular performance in athletes; however, limited research has examined the integrated relationships between phase-specific kinetic and kinematic variables and performance outcomes in team-sport athletes. Therefore, the primary aim of this study was to investigate the associations between kinetic, kinematic, and performance variables during the CMJ. A secondary aim was to compare these variables between elite volleyball and basketball players.
Methods
Thirty elite male athletes participated (15 basketball players: 20.5 ± 1.3 years; 15 volleyball players: 21.4 ± 1.5 years). CMJ performance was assessed using a dual force platform system (VALD ForceDecks). Kinetic variables (mean force, mean power, peak force) were analysed separately for eccentric (ECC) and concentric (CON) phases, while kinematic variables included peak velocity in both phases. Performance variables included jump height, leg stiffness, and modified reactive strength index (RSI mod). Between-group differences were analysed using independent t-tests, and relationships between variables were assessed using Pearson correlations.
Results
Volleyball players demonstrated significantly greater ECC and CON force and power outputs, as well as higher jump height and leg stiffness (p < 0.05–0.001). In contrast, basketball players exhibited higher concentric peak velocity (p = 0.002). Correlation analyses revealed sport-specific mechanical strategies: in basketball players, jump performance was primarily associated with concentric power production, whereas in volleyball players, performance was related to a combination of concentric power, eccentric force characteristics, and movement velocity.
Conclusions
These findings indicate that athletes from different team sports adopt distinct neuromechanical strategies to achieve vertical jump performance. Volleyball players demonstrate a more force-oriented profile, whereas basketball players exhibit velocity-oriented characteristics. This differentiation has important implications for sport-specific training design and monitoring, highlighting the need for individualized force–velocity–based approaches to optimize neuromuscular performance.
