Post-Activation Potentiation

Post-Activation Potentiation
Its Uses in Collegiate Throws Training

By: Daniel Corriher

Originally Published in Techniques Magazine - Provided by: USTFCCCA

The five throwing events in collegiate track and field demand the athletes to have considerable amounts of strength and power production. The use of post- activation potentiation (PAP) is a well-known method used within training, ranging from exercise selection to timing methods. The purpose of this article is to define PAP, how it can best be utilized and, most importantly, give the throws coach scientific training tools to increase performance.

POST-ACTIVATION POTENTIATION
Post-activation potentiation is applying high intensity work to the body to increase power output and rate of force development (RFD) occurring from the result of a previous activation of a similar muscle set (Stone et. al. 2008;Judge et. al., 2012). The idea of PAP is to improve the athletes' RFD leading the athlete to produce greater velocity and acceleration to the implement (Sale, 2002, Judge, et. al., 2012). Throws coaches apply this training principle without realizing the full potential by using heavier implements prior to completing a certain regimen of throws. While this simple view can be beneficial, applying it within a scientific training program can produce greater results. Prior to using PAP, the throws coach must write out a general training program for their athletes which allowing them to include PAP at different times in the training cycle. In addition, understanding the training maturity of the athlete is highly important. Novice athletes may not receive benefit from PAP (Sale, 2002), (Stone et. al., 2008).

IMPLEMENTING PAP IN A TRAINING PROGRAM
The training cycle or annual plan can be broken down into four different categories called mesocycles. The mesocycles in a thrower's training are the off-season, pre-season, in-season and post season. Each of these different mesocycles has different foci preparing the athlete for optimal performance at the opportune time. Within these mesocycles, training is broken down into blocks of training. Each block has a certain emphasis for what the athlete needs at the given time in the training year. As the training year progresses, the athlete(s) move from general preparation into sport specific work (Stone, Stone, & Sands, 2007), (Bompa & Haff, 2009). The off-season and pre-season for collegiate track and field takes place in the summer and fall months. During this time, the emphasis is on training in sport specific conditioning, general/specific strength and technical development. Once the training program moves into in-season and post-season, the athlete's training focus is on strength and power development since the foundation of the off-season and preseason has been set in place (Stone, Stone, & Sands, 2007), ( Bompa & Haff, 2009). PAP can best be utilized for throwers that have reached a certain amount of training maturity during the in-season and post-season. The in-season months of training typically consist of January through May this large time window gives room for different PAP methods to increase throwing performance. Each block during these months can feature a different form of potentiation, but it depends on what the coach believes the athlete needs. Once the general outline of training for the year has been established, it must be decided what method of PAP is appropriate. There are many different ways to produce PAP. These forms can come from certain exercises in the weight room, within throwing and a combination of the two.

Various weight lifting movements produce high levels of power output and RFD. Some examples are the back squat, clean and jerk, and the snatch (Stone et. al., 2003), (Adams, O'Shea, O'Shea & C,limstein, 1992), (Mcbride, Nimphius, & Erickson, 2005). These exercises can be used to potentiate each other to create a greater result within the training session. Additionally, improvement in these lifts will aid the thrower. An example of this is to potentiate back squats by performing jerks (split or power) prior to the set. Coaches can also implement movements that are more specific to the actual throw within the weight room. Performing heavy medicine ball throws on an incline bench prior to performing an incline bench can be very specific to shot put throwing. The athlete needs to be in a similar angle to the finish of the shot put when on the incline bench for both exercises to achieve specificity.

The most commonly known form of PAP for throwing is performing throws with heavier implements before throwing the competition weight. Novice to moderately trained athletes should not advance much farther than the standing throw due to strength and technical deficiencies. When PAP is used within throwing sessions, the coach should not use too much weight for the implements. An addition of 1-2 kilograms for the implement weight should be adequate to achieve PAP. Another method to achieve potentiation within a throwing session is to use medicine balls before performing a throw. An example of this is having the athlete toss the medicine ball explosively for height for a set followed by a throw.

The combination of potentiating a throws session with the weight room can produce improved results as well. This last method to achieve PAP can be time consuming and limited due to proximity of the weight room and throwing circle. The weight lifting movements beneficial to throwers in weight training can be used in this combined methodology Using this combination of throws and weight training can become specific by having the thrower perform weight lifting movements before throwing. For example, a hammer thrower would do a set of snatches from the mid-thigh position prior to throwing the hammer. The similarities between the hang snatch and releasing the hammer are similar; therefore, you can get a specific movement involved while creating a potentiated effect. Another example would be performing squat jumps prior to doing any of the throws. This movement is specific due to the use of the legs within the finish of a throw.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
Throwing programs vary for a variety of reasons. Collegiate track and field is a non-revenue sport and budgets (both equipment and scholarship) make training philosophies differentiate from one another. There are multiple ways to apply PAP, as discussed above. There are a variety of ways to achieve this training affect and do not necessarily require elite level athletes or high end training equipment. The use of an overweight implement prior to throwing a competition weight could help the competition weight feel light to the athlete (Judge, 2009). Implementing these training methods can enhance an athlete's performance either within training sessions or competition. The training examples below illustrate examples of throwing sessions utilizing PAP training methods.

REFERENCES

1) Adams, K, O'Shea, J. P., O'Shea, K L., & Climstein, M (1992). The effect of six weeks of squat, plyometric and squat-plyometric training on power production.Journal of Applied Sport Science Research, 6(1), 36-41.

2) Bompa, T. 0., & Haft; G. G. (2009). Periodization: Theory and meth-odology of training. (5th ed.). Champaign: Human Kinetics.

3) Judge, L. W, Bellar, D. M, Judge, M, Gilreath, E., Bodey, K J., & Simon, L. (2012). Efficacy of potentiation of performance through over weight implement throws on female shot putters. Track and Cross Country Journal, 1(4), 7-14.

4) McBride, J. M, Nimphius, S., & Erickson, T. M (2005). The acute effects of heavy-load squats and loaded countermovement jumps on sprint performance.Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research,19(4), 893-897.

5) Stone, M H., Sanborn, K, O'Bryant, H. S., Hartman, M, Stone, M E., Chris, P., Ward, B., & Hruby, J. (2003). Maximum strength-power-performance relationships in collegiate throwers. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 17(4), 739-745.

6) Stone, M H., Stone, M E., & Sands, W. A. (2007).Principles and practice of resistance training. Champaign: Human Kinetics.

7) Judge, LW. (2009). The application of post-activation potentiation to the track and field thrower. Strength & Conditioning Journal 31(3): 34-36.

Daniel Corriher is an Assistant Track & Field coach at Milligan College in Tennessee.