The purpose of the present study was to investigate the acute effect of drop jumping on throwing performance. Eight men and 8 women, moderately trained subjects with basic shot put skills, performed 3 squat underhand front shot throws after a short standard warm-up. Three minutes later they performed 5 maximal consecutive drop jumps from 40 cm. Immediately after the drop jumps, they repeated the squat underhand front shot throws. On another day, their 6 repetition maximum (RM) muscular strength in leg press was assessed. Muscle biopsies were also obtained from vastus lateralis for the determination of fiber-type composition and fiber cross-sectional area. Throwing performance was significantly increased after drop jumping (8.25 +/- 1.1 m vs. 8.63 +/- 1.3 m, p < 0.01). The percentage of type II muscle fiber area was significantly related to the increase in throwing performance after drop jumping (r = 0.76, p < 0.01). The increase in throwing performance was significant in men (8.94 +/- 1 m vs. 9.60 +/- 0.9 m, p < 0.01) but not in women (7.56 +/- 1 m vs. 7.67 +/- 0.9 m, ns). Of note, the percentage of type II fiber area was higher in men than in women (M: 66.4 +/- 13%, F: 50.2 +/- 15%, p < 0.01). Leg press strength (6RM) was moderately related to the increase in throwing performance after drop jumping (r = 0.50, p < 0.05). These results suggest that drop jumping just before a throwing action induces an increase in performance in subjects with a high percentage of type II muscle fiber area and (to a lesser degree) in subjects with enhanced muscular strength.

The aim of this study was to investigate changes in shot put performance, muscular power, and neuromuscular activation of the lower extremities, between the preseason and the competition period, in skilled shot put athletes using the rotational technique. Shot put performance was assessed at the start of the pre-season period as well as after 12 weeks, at the competition period, in nine shot putters. Electromyographic (EMG) activity of the right vastus lateralis muscle was recorded during all shot put trials. Maximum squat strength (1RM) and mechanical parameters during the countermovement jump (CMJ) on a force platform were also determined at pre-season and at competition period. Shot put performance increased 4.7% (p < 0.05), while 1RM squat increased 6.5% (p < 0.025). EMG activity during the delivery phase was increased significantly (p < 0.025) after the training period. Shot put performance was significantly related with muscular power and takeoff velocity during the CMJ, at competition period (r = 0.66, p < 0.05 and 0.70, p < 0.05), but not with maximum vertical force. One RM squat was not related significantly with shot put performance. These results suggest that muscular power of the lower extremities is a better predictor of rotational shot put performance than absolute muscular strength in skilled athletes, at least during the competition period.