Acute Effects of the Power Snatch on Vertical Jump Performance

PURPOSE: Very slight improvements in sport performance can mean the difference between a win and a loss. One of the most common assessments of lower limb performance is the vertical jump. This study examined the acute effects of the power snatch exercise on vertical jump performance. METHODS: We enrolled 10 weightlifters; each of them attended two sessions: 1) power snatch (PS), and 2) control condition (CON). Each session was separated by at least 48 hours. During the PS condition, participants performed the power snatch exercise at increasing intensities (40% 1 repetition max [RM], 60% 1RM, and 80% 1RM) after a standardized dynamic warm up. Vertical jump performance was measured prior to the warm up and after each power snatch exercise in the PS condition. During the CON condition, vertical jump performance was measured at the same times, with the participants substituting the power snatch exercise for a seated position. We tested differences in jump height between conditions and trials via two-way ANOVA. RESULTS: We expected to find increased jump heights in the PS condition owing to post-activation potentiation. However, our results were not significant (p \u3e 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Further research with larger samples would be needed to test the effect of the power snatch exercise on subsequent vertical jump performance. Power analysis revealed 58 participants would be required for an effect of this size to achieve significance at the 5% level