Effect of PAPE Induced by Different Squat Loads on Jump Performance in Collegiate Female Basketball Players

Abstract

BackgroundPost-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) can acutely augment explosive performance, yet the optimal prescription of squat load and recovery for female basketball players remains unclear. MethodsTwenty-eight collegiate womens basketball athletes were randomly allocated to 90%, 80%, or 70% of one-repetition maximum (1RM) back-squat groups, or a control group. Athletes completed 3x3 parallel back squats, after which countermovement jump (CMJ), single-leg and double-leg approach-jump heights were assessed at baseline and 4, 8, and 12 min. CMJ kinetics--peak power output, vertical ground-reaction force, and flight time--and lower-limb surface EMG were recorded concurrently. ResultsLoads [≥]80%1RM reliably elicited PAPE, with improvements demonstrating clear load-dependence and time specificity. Double-leg approach-jump height peaked at 8 min in the 90%1RM group (40.50 {+/-} 1.73 cm). Single-leg approach-jump height was maximized at 8 min in the 80%1RM group (40.00 {+/-} 0.82 cm), exceeding the control condition. Kinetic and EMG analyses indicated that 90%1RM produced a delayed rectus femoris activation peak (8 min) and a later CMJ power peak (12 min), whereas 80%1RM facilitated earlier gastrocnemius activation (4 min) with a stable output profile; performance benefits with 70%1RM were minimal. ConclusionsA moderately high load (80%1RM) paired with an 8-12-min recovery window strikes a favorable balance between neural potentiation and fatigue, offering a practical pre-competition activation strategy to enhance anaerobic power and jump performance in female basketball players.