THE EFFECT OF AQUATIC PLYOMETRIC TRAINING ON PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE

Many team and individual sports require complete athletes with great functional capacities, motor abilities and skills. One big aspect of requirements can be developed using plyometric training regime that can be very useful but on the other hand, it can present a great threat for musculoskeletal apparatus because of great eccentric loads and high rate of force development in combination with low basic jumping skills. Water environment can offer lower eccentric loads and greater concentric resistance due to physical properties such as density, viscosity and buoyancy. The goal of this study is to analyze if eight week long aquatic plyometric training program can result with better physical performance in physically active men. Results showed significant differences between control group and treatment group, with main differences in vertical jump, speed and agility variables with "middle" and "high" effect sizes on the same variables. In conclusion, physically active man can achieve greater performance as a result of aquatic plyometric program but with no observed underlying mechanisms of improvement.