Whole-body vibration training increases vertical jump height in a dance population.

Abstract

Whole-body vibration (WBV) training has gained popularity with the strength and conditioning environment. Previous research reported improvements in strength and power after WBV interventions in untrained individuals with little hypertrophical development of the muscles, suggesting that the improvements are because of neuromuscular adaptations. The present intervention study recruited moderately trained individuals that have jumping as integral to their training. Participants were randomly allocated to an intervention or control group. The intervention group was exposed to WBV at 35 Hz for 5 minutes twice a week, whereas the control group was exposed to a similar isometric contraction stress. Results indicated that after a 6-week intervention, vertical jump height increased significantly (p < 0.05) in the intervention group than in the control group. The study concluded that WBV was able to maintain vertical jump height with very little intervention time (10 minutes a week) and therefore should be considered as an intervention form for maintaining jump performance.