ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Physiol.
Sec. Exercise Physiology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fphys.2025.1671750
This article is part of the Research TopicExercise as a Central Pillar for Targeted Health and PerformanceView all 9 articles
Can Weekly Frequency of Plyometric Training Impair Strength and Power? A Short-Term Comparison in Regional-Level Jump Athletes
Provisionally accepted- 1Geely University of China, Chengdu, China
- 2College of Geography and Resources, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
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Objective: To compare the short-term effects of two versus three weekly PT sessions on strength and jump performance in competitive jumpers, and to examine associations between delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and week-to-week performance changes. Methods: Thirty-nine male regional-level high and long jump athletes (17–23 years) completed a four-week non-randomized observational cohort study. In Week 1 all performed two PT sessions; from Week 2, athletes continued with either two sessions per week (n = 19) or increased to three (n = 20). In Week 4, both groups reduced to two weekly sessions as part of a taper, such that Week-4 outcomes reflect shared recovery rather than continued frequency differences. Assessments at baseline and Weeks 1–4 included isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP), countermovement jump (CMJ), squat jump (SJ), and standing long jump (SLJ). DOMS was recorded weekly. Mixed-design ANOVAs tested group × time effects, and participant-level correlations examined DOMS associations with performance changes. Results: Significant main effects of time were found for IMTP, SLJ, CMJ, and SJ (all p < .001). The 2×/week group showed steady improvements in IMTP and SLJ, while the 3×/week group experienced early decrements during intensified loading, followed by recovery in Week 4 during the taper phase. Participant-level analyses revealed significant negative correlations between DOMS and ΔIMTP (r = –0.38, 95% CI [–0.53, –0.21]) and ΔSLJ (r = –0.63, 95% CI [–0.73, –0.50]); weaker associations were observed for ΔCMJ (r = –0.21, 95% CI [–0.37, –0.03]) but not for ΔSJ. Conclusions: Training twice weekly promoted more consistent gains, while three weekly sessions induced transient impairments linked to higher DOMS. Week-4 convergence reflected taper-related recovery rather than sustained frequency effects. Monitoring soreness may help coaches optimize load and recovery in jump athletes. Keywords: plyometric frequency; fatigue; sports training; long jumping; DOMS; IMTP; standing long jump.
Keywords: plyometric frequency, Fatigue, sports training, long jumping, DOMS, IMTP, Standing long jump
Received: 23 Jul 2025; Accepted: 19 Sep 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Li, Zhang, Peng, Wu and He. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Jia He, 8524917@qq.com
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