The effect of post activation potentiation on slide-step performance in basketball players

Objective: The slide step movement is one of the most crucial actions in basketball. There are very few studies in the literature examining the effects of Post-Activation Potentiation (PAP) on slide step performance. Therefore, further research is needed. The aim of this study is to investigate the acute effects of conditioning activities performed using different additional weights with the help of a weight vest on slide step performance in basketball players. Method: Twelve male basketball players aged between 18-20 years with at least 5 years of sports experience were included in this study. The research was conducted using a randomized controlled crossover design, with each participant included in all protocols. These protocols consisted of conditioning activities performed using additional weights corresponding to 5% (%5 BW) and 10% (%10 BW) of the participant's body weight, along with a control group (CG). Following the conditioning activity, participants performed a 5x2 meter slide step performance test after specific rest intervals (3, 6, and 9 minutes). After examining the distribution of the data, a Repeated Measures ANOVA was applied to compare the test results. Results: The findings of the study indicate that post-activation potentiation improves slide step performance in basketball. An increase in slide step performance was observed in all protocols following the conditioning activities. According to the Repeated Measures ANOVA test results, slide step performance showed a significant time-dependent improvement (f = 56.87, p<0.001, η2=0.63), as well as a significant interaction between group and time (f = 4.27, p<0.001, η2=0.21). Furthermore, the best performance post-PAP was observed at the 3rd and 9th minutes for %5 BW, and at the 3rd minute for %10 BW. Conclusion: PAP may be an effective method to acutely enhance slide step performance in basketball players. These findings can be incorporated into precompetition warm-ups to enhance basketball players' in-game performance, helping them gain an advantage during both defense and offense.