Open AccessLower body peak force but not power is an important discriminator of elite senior rugby league players
Author(s) -
Janet Wade,
Joel T. Fuller,
Paul Devlin,
Tim Doyle
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
kinesiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1848-638X
pISSN - 1331-1441
DOI - 10.26582/k.52.1.14
Subject(s) - league , isometric exercise , athletes , physical therapy , jump , vertical jump , medicine , psychology , mathematics , physics , quantum mechanics , astronomy
This investigation determined differences inlower body strength and power between elite junior (17-20 years) and elitesenior (open-aged) rugby league athletes. Twenty junior and 25 senior athletesperformed an isometric mid-thigh pull, countermovement jump, repeated jump, andbroad jump tests during a National Rugby League pre-season. The effects of age(junior vs. senior) and position (adjustables vs. hit-up forwards vs. outsidebacks) on test results were investigated using a two-way analysis of variance.Cohen’s d effect sizes (ES) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated forpairwise comparisons. Isometric mid-thigh pull absolute peak force was greaterfor senior players compared to junior players (ES=0.88, p<.05).Countermovement jump absolute peak power was greater for outside backs(ES=1.12) and hit-up forwards (ES=1.23) compared to adjustables (p<.05),greater for senior outside backs compared to junior outside backs (ES=1.53, p<.05),and greater for junior hit-up forwards compared to senior hit-up forwards(ES=1.00, p<.05). This research demonstrated the differences in strength andpower of rugby league athletes between playing age and position. Improvinglower body strength should be prioritised for athletic development of juniorrugby league athletes, with consideration given to requirements acrossdifferent playing positions.