Adding Whole Body Vibration to Preconditioning Exercise Increases Subsequent On-Ice Sprint Performance in Ice-hockey Players

Ronnestad, BR, Slettalokken, G, and Ellefsen, S. Adding whole body vibration to preconditioning exercise increases subsequent on-ice sprint performance in ice-hockey players. J Strength Cond Res 30(4): 1021-1026, 2016-The phenomenon postactivation potentiation can possibly be used to acutely improve sprint performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of body-loaded half-squats with added whole body vibration (WBV) on subsequent 20 m on-ice sprint performance. Fifteen male ice-hockey players performed 4 test sessions on separate days and in a randomized order. Two of this test sessions were with WBV and 2 were with no WBV and the best sprint time was used to determine effectiveness. Each test session included preconditioning 30 seconds half-squat exercise, 2 of which were supplemented with 50 Hz WBV at a amplitude of 3 mm. One minute after the cessation of the preconditioning exercise, the 20 m sprint test was performed. Intermediate time was sampled after 10 m. Preconditioning exercise performed with 50 Hz WBV resulted in superior 10 m and 20 m sprint performance compared to preconditioning exercise performed without WBV (1.84 +/- 0.10 seconds vs. 1.89 +/- 0.10 seconds and 3.14 +/- 0.13 vs. 3.17 +/- 0.13 seconds, respectively, p <= 0.01). There was no difference between the protocols in perceived well-being of the legs before the warm-up or after the warm up (p = 0.3). However, there was an improved well-being in the legs immediately after the preconditioning exercise with WBV (p < 0.05). In conclusion, preconditioning exercise performed with WBV at 50 Hz seems to enhance on-ice sprint performance in ice-hockey players. This suggests that coaches can incorporate such exercise into the preparation to specific sprint training to improve the quality of the training.