Kinetic parameters as determinants of vertical jump performance Parâmetros cinéticos determinantes do desempenho nos saltos verticais

This study evaluated force and velocity parameters of vertical jump performance in countermovement jump (CMJ) and squat jump (SJ) and compared results for sprint runners and volleyball players. Twenty-four male athletes (12 regional/national-level sprint runners and 12 national-level volleyball players) performed CMJ and SJ on a force platform. The following variables were analyzed: jump performance (jump height and power), peak velocity (PV), absolute and relative maximum force (MF), rate of force development (RFD,) and time to reach maximum force (TMF). In CMJ, jump height was correlated with PV (r=0.97) and normalized MF (r=0.47), whereas jump power was significantly correlated with all variables, except MF (r=0.12). In SJ, PV and normalized MF were significantly correlated with jump height (r=0.95 and r=0.51) and power (r=0.80 and r=0.87). In addition, TMF was inversely correlated with power (r=-0.49). Runners had higher performance variables (height and power), normalized MF and PV than volleyball players in both CMJ and SJ. Velocity and maximum force were the main determinants of height and power in the two types of vertical jumps. However, explosive force (RFD and TMF) was also important for power production in vertical jumps. Runners had a better vertical jump performance than volleyball players.