Differential Impacts of a Four-Week Plyometric Training Intervention on Vertical Jump Performance across Basketball, Hockey, and Volleyball Athletes

Abstract

Introduction: Explosive lower-limb power, frequently assessed through vertical jump height, is a crucial determinant of performance in team sports. Plyometric training enhances neuromuscular efficiency and jump performance; however, sport-specific responses to short-term interventions remain insufficiently studied. This research examined the effects of a four-week plyometric training program on vertical jump performance in inter-university basketball, hockey, and volleyball athletes from LNIPE Gwalior and LNIPE NERC. Objective: To evaluate and compare sport-specific improvements in vertical jump height following a standardized four-week plyometric training program in basketball, hockey, and volleyball athletes. Methods: Forty-five male inter-university athletes (n = 15 per sport) aged 18–25 years participated. Vertical jump height was measured manually using the chalk-mark technique pre- and post-intervention. All athletes completed an identical plyometric program (three sessions/week). Data were analyzed using a two-way mixed ANOVA with Bonferroni-adjusted post-hoc tests. Results: Significant main effects were found for time (F(1, 42) = 376.21, p < 0.001, ?²? = 0.90) and sport (F(2, 42) = 19.84, p < 0.001, ?²? = 0.49), along with a significant interaction (F(2, 42) = 12.56, p < 0.001, ?²? = 0.37). Volleyball athletes improved significantly more than basketball (p = 0.042) and hockey (p < 0.001) athletes, while basketball athletes improved more than hockey (p = 0.018). Conclusion: Four weeks of plyometric training significantly enhanced vertical jump performance in all groups, with volleyball athletes showing the greatest gains, followed by basketball and hockey athletes. Sport-specific demands and baseline plyometric exposure likely influenced the observed differences.

Introduction

Explosive lower-limb power is crucial for team sports performance, especially in vertical jumping, which serves as a key measure of lower-body explosive strength. This study investigated the effects of a standardized four-week plyometric training program on vertical jump performance in inter-university basketball, hockey, and volleyball athletes.

Forty-five male athletes (15 from each sport) underwent identical plyometric training three times per week. Vertical jump height was measured before and after the intervention. Results showed significant improvements in all groups, with volleyball athletes demonstrating the greatest gains (5.02 cm), followed by basketball (4.47 cm) and hockey players (3.11 cm).

Statistical analysis revealed that the magnitude of improvement varied by sport, likely due to differing biomechanical demands and movement patterns. Volleyball players, whose sport involves frequent explosive jumping, showed the most pronounced benefits. Basketball players also improved substantially, while hockey players showed smaller gains, possibly due to the sport’s emphasis on horizontal movement rather than vertical jumps.

The study concludes that plyometric training effectively enhances explosive lower-body power across sports, but adaptations differ depending on sport-specific demands. Tailoring plyometric programs to sport-specific movements could maximize performance benefits, especially for sports like hockey.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that a four-week plyometric training program significantly improved vertical jump performance in inter-university basketball, hockey, and volleyball athletes from LNIPE Gwalior and LNIPE NERC. While all groups benefited from the intervention, volleyball athletes exhibited the greatest gains in vertical jump height, followed by basketball and hockey athletes. These results reflect the influence of sport-specific movement demands and neuromuscular adaptations on training outcomes. The findings confirm the efficacy of short-term plyometric training for enhancing explosive lower-limb power and highlight the importance of tailoring training content to the specific biomechanical requirements of each sport.

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Dr. Amar Kumar , Dr. Sujay Bisht , Mayank Sharma . This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.