Post-Activation Potentiation and Jump Performance During and After Ramadan

This randomized, counterbalanced crossover study evaluated the acute effects of two post-activation conditioning protocols on countermovement jump performance in male Muay Thai athletes during and after Ramadan.

Twenty male Muay Thai athletes were recruited. Six participants did not complete all required sessions, and 14 participants completed the study procedures. Eligible participants had at least 2 years of Muay Thai training experience and experience participating in national-level competitions. Participants reported that they intended to observe Ramadan fasting during the Ramadan assessment period.

Each participant attended four experimental sessions and completed both conditioning protocols during Ramadan and again after Ramadan. Experimental sessions were conducted on non-consecutive days, with approximately 48 hours between sessions. The order of the two protocols was randomized and counterbalanced to minimize possible order and learning effects. Assessments were generally conducted at approximately 5:00 p.m.

Before each conditioning protocol, participants completed a 5-minute specific warm-up paced by a metronome set at 100 beats per minute. The warm-up consisted of the stationary Spider-Man, inchworm, backward and forward lunge walks, backpedal, and straight-leg skip exercises.

The conditioning activities consisted of half-squat exercise performed using one of the following protocols:

One set of 10 repetitions at 60% of the participant's estimated one-repetition maximum.

One set of 5 repetitions at 80% of the participant's estimated one-repetition maximum.

One-repetition maximum was estimated during the familiarization session using the Brzycki equation. After completing the conditioning activity, participants rested for 5 minutes before countermovement jump assessment.

Participants performed three countermovement jumps on a force platform, with 1 minute of rest between attempts. Each jump began from an upright standing position. Participants kept their hands on their hips and performed a self-selected countermovement before jumping vertically as high as possible. The highest jump performance was used for analysis.

The assessed performance variables were countermovement jump height, average power, and peak power. Average and peak power were estimated using the Johnson and Bahamonde equations.

During the post-Ramadan assessment period, participants were instructed to arrive after consuming food at least 3 hours before testing. Before experimental sessions, participants were also instructed to avoid vigorous exercise, caffeine, and caffeine-containing food or beverages.

The study was designed to examine the effects of conditioning-protocol intensity and assessment period on explosive lower-body performance and to determine whether the response to the 60% and 80% protocols differed between Ramadan and the post-Ramadan period.

Inclusion criteria

• Male Muay Thai athletes.
• At least 2 years of Muay Thai training experience.
• Active participation in national-level Muay Thai competitions.
• Intention to observe Ramadan fasting during the Ramadan assessment period.
• Ability to participate in the familiarization session and all experimental testing sessions.
• Provision of written informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

• Failure to complete all required experimental sessions.
• Inability to perform the half-squat conditioning protocols or countermovement jump assessments.
• Performance of vigorous exercise before an experimental session.
• Consumption of caffeine or caffeine-containing foods or beverages before an experimental session.
• Failure to comply with the study procedures or pre-test instructions.