INTRODUCTION:
Knee wraps can affect the muscular performance during high-intensity exercises by reducing muscle activation, which may influence the effect of post-activation potentiation, which depends on high intensity for the following power exercise. Objective: To investigate the acute effects on the performance with counter-movement jump (CMJ) after high-intensity squat with and without the use of knee wraps in resistance trained subjects.
METHODS:
The study included 14 men (aged 24±4 years, height: 176±6cm, weight: 81±11kg, 1RM: 107±30kgf) resistance trained (>3 years). Three SCM were performed before and after three back squats at 90% of 1RM with and without the knee wraps. During the CMJ muscle activation (IEMG) of the vastus lateralis (VL) and gluteus maximus (GM), jump time (JT), and impulse (IMP) through the force of vertical ground reaction (FRSV) were evaluated.
RESULTS:
The results show statistically significant differences for JT between post-back-squat conditions (with and without wrap) (P=0.044, TE=1.02), whereas the highest values were observed without knee wrap. For IEMG of VL significant difference between pre and post-conditions after back squat (with knee wrap) (P=0.029, TE=1.68) was observed, and the highest values were observed for the IEMG with knee wrap. No significant differences between conditions were observed for IEMG of GM and IMP.
CONCLUSION:
After using the knee wraps during the squat exercise, there was a reduction in the involvement of the vastus lateralis during the jump with counter-movement, affecting the contact time, but not the production of impulse and consequent performance.
muscle strength; athletic performance; resistance training
