Many of the exercises that I use for my athletes may seem to be remedial but despite their simplicity they often result is many miraculous effects. Range of motion and strength improvements can sometimes be immediate. I found this article, “Low load exercises targeting the gluteal muscle group acutely enhance explosive power output in elite athletes”, which uses many of the corrective exercises that I already give to my patients.
Low load exercises targeting the gluteal muscle group acutely enhance explosive power output in elite athletes.
Crow JF, Buttifant D, Kearny SG, Hrysomallis C.
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the acute effect of 3 warm-up protocols on peak power production during countermovement jump (CMJ) testing. The intention was to devise and compare practical protocols that could be applied as a warm-up immediately before competition matches or weight training sessions. A group of 22 elite Australian Rules Football players performed 3 different warm-up protocols over 3 testing sessions in a randomized order. The protocols included a series of low load exercises targeting the gluteal muscle group (GM-P), a whole-body vibration (WBV) protocol (WBV-P) wherein the subjects stood on a platform vibrating at 30 Hz for 45 seconds, and a no-warm-up condition (CON). The CMJ testing was performed within 5 minutes of each warm-up protocol on an unloaded Smith machine using a linear encoder to measure peak power output. Peak power production was significantly greater after the GM-P than after both the CON (p < 0.05) and WBV-P (p < 0.01). No significant differences in peak power production were detected between the WBV-P and CON. These results have demonstrated that a low load exercise protocol targeting the gluteal muscle group is effective at acutely enhancing peak power output in elite athletes. The mechanisms for the observed improvements are unclear and warrant further investigation. Coaches may consider incorporating low load exercises targeting the gluteal muscle group into the warm-up of athletes competing in sports requiring explosive power output of the lower limbs.
Whole vibration protocol (WBV-P):
Standing with knees 10-30 degrees flexion in an unloaded static squat stance with feet shoulder width apart for 45 seconds on a side alternating platform vibrating at 30 Hz and an amplitude of 6.4mm
Exercises (GM-P):
1 set of 10 repetitions
1. Double leg bridge
2. Quadruped lower extremity lift
3. Quadruped hip abduction
4. Side lying clam in 60 hip flexion
5. Side lying hip abduction
6. Prone single leg hip extension
7. Double leg stability ball squat
Test protocol: 5 consecutive jumps (CMJ) with 20kg bar performed 5 minutes after warmup. Peak power was measured.
Results: Peak power for gluteal warm up was significantly higher than whole body vibration and control. Whole body vibration showed to have no improvement compared to control.
Gluteal warm up would be beneficial for those athletes who require lower extremity power. The benefit is that very little work is done therefore fatigue will not be a factor. This was seen in highly trained athletes which makes this study very significant.
My Thoughts
I often use corrective exercises in my practise. Hip extension is often a problem for many of my lower back, hip, knee and sacro-iliac patients. Often when tested this movement is “weak” but after using exercises, like the double leg bridge, that weakness is much improved or near normal. It wasn’t that the muscles were weak it was that the motor pattern was poor. The appropriate firing of muscles to perform the exercise is incomplete. I wonder if, by performing this warm up the motor pattern is being enhanced and therefore performance is allowed to improve. The authors in the paper do report that low level isometric contractions increase motor cortical activity this could explain the corrective effects.
Crossfit coaches and other strength and conditioning coaches may find adding this protocol as part of their warm up on days that power exercises are performed improved performance may be achieved
I wonder if once this motor pattern is correct if the improvement in power is still seen. Would a general warm up such as simple running see similar improvements?
I hope you find this interesting
Dr Notley
Winnipeg Chiropractor and Athletic Therapist
Originally posted on May 17, 2022 @ 4:37 pm