Effects of Combined Preconditioning Strategies on Athletic Performance: A Randomized Crossover Trial
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study designs: Randomized Controlled Trial, Clinical Trial
Abstract: This study investigated the effects of ischemic preconditioning (IPC), post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE), and their combination (IPC+PAPE) on anaerobic performance in trained male athletes. In a randomized crossover design, participants performed a Wingate test following four distinct warm-up protocols. Statistical analysis revealed that only the PAPE protocol significantly improved maximum and relative maximum power compared to the control group (p < 0.05). In contrast, IPC alone did not affect substantially any power parameter, and the combined IPC+PAPE protocol demonstrated no synergistic effect over PAPE alone. These findings confirm that PAPE is an effective short-term strategy for enhancing explosive anaerobic performance. From a practical standpoint, this study suggests that while coaches can effectively utilize PAPE protocols to acutely boost power output, combining them with IPC may not provide additional benefits for Wingate performance, thereby questioning their time efficiency in a warm-up setting.
Authors: Kerem Can Yıldız, Mustafa Şakir Akgül
Institutions: Karabük University, Kastamonu University
Language: English
Subfield: Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7125393998