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THE EFFECT OF PLYOMETRICS TRAINING ON PERFORMANCE OF TRAINEE TEACHERS IN LONG JUMP EVENT
(KESAN LATIHAN PLIOMETRIK TERHADAP PRESTASI GURU PELATIH DALAM ACARA LOMPAT JAUH)
Kumaran Gengatharan, Ph.D1 Nur Eliyawaton Mohd Alias2
Noor Hayati Arriffin3 Ng Kheng Loon4
Mohamad Nasrullah Nasiruddin, Ph.D5
1-5Unit Kokurikulum, Institut Pendidikan Guru Kampus Sultan Abdul Halim, Sungai Petani, Kedah
1 Corresponding author: [email protected]
ABSTRACT
The study aims to determine the effect of weight training on the performance of IPGK Sultan Abdul Halim trainee teachers in the long jump event. The population is 250 students who took the Athletics course (MPU3071). The researcher took 160 participants as the sample for the research. The sample was randomly selected and divided equally into two groups (n=80). Group A, the experimental group, was trained with Plyometric trainings, while group B was trained using conventional trainings. The training period for the experimental group was two days a week, and it was carried out for eight weeks in addition to their normal activities. Data were collected at the beginning and at the end of the 8-week experimental period in terms of pre-and post-tests. A systematic and scientific training schedule was adopted. A t-test was used to determine the difference between the experimental and controlled group’s pre and post-test scores. The analysis shows that weight training is suitable and adequate for trainee teachers who are taking the long jump event.
Keywords: Athletics, long jump, performance, quasi-experimental.
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ABSTRAK
Tujuan kajian adalah untuk menentukan kesan latihan pliometrik terhadap prestasi guru pelatih IPGK Sultan Abdul Halim dalam acara lompat jauh. Populasi kajian adalah seramai 250 orang pelajar yang mengambil kursus Olahraga (MPU3071). Sampel dipilih secara rawak sebanyak 160 orang pelajar dan dibahagikan secara sama rata kepada dua kumpulan (n=80). Kumpulan eksperimen dilatih dengan latihan pliometrik, manakala kumpulan kawalan dilatih dengan menggunakan latihan konvensional. Tempoh latihan bagi kumpulan eksperimen ialah dua hari seminggu dan ianya dilaksanakan selama lapan minggu sebagai tambahan kepada aktiviti biasa mereka. Data dikumpulkan dalam minggu pertama dan pada akhir minggu ke 8. Jadual latihan yang sistematik dan saintifik telah diguna pakai untuk kajian ini. Ujian-t telah digunakan untuk mengetahui perbezaan pra dan pasca markah ujian kumpulan eksperimen dan kawalan terhadap prestasi mereka.Dapatan kajian menunjukkan latihan pliometrik adalah latihan yang sesuai dan berkesan untuk guru pelatih yang mengambil acara lompat jauh.
Kata kunci: Olahraga, lompat jauh, kuasi eksperimen, latihan pliometrik.
INTRODUCTION
General fitness is essential to every individual at every age. Individuals, especially those in the sports arena, require a high fitness level to perform at its best. Various sports have existed at this time, and everyone involved requires a level of fitness that differs from each other. Fitness is divided into two parts: fitness-based health and fitness based on motor behaviour. The health-based fitness component consists of cardiovascular endurance, muscular endurance, muscle strength, flexibility, and Body Mass Index. In contrast, fitness based on behaviour motor consists of speed, agility, coordination, reaction time, balance, and power (Teng, 2001).
Individual fitness levels can vary significantly depending on the type of sport, as each sport requires different physical demands and specific training regimens to achieve optimal performance. Fitness can be built and improved through general exercises and
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specific training according to the needs and skills of a sporting event. Different types of exercises can be carried out to improve physical fitness levels, such as interval training, fartlek, circuit training, weight training, plyometrics, and resistance training. Applying the principle of training principles in the training program is designed to increase training effectiveness (Teng, 2001).
On the other hand, power is a combination of two components of fitness such as speed and strength. Power is the application of force through a deep range of motion unit of time. Power can be built and increased through specific and appropriate training required skills. Various types of exercises are possibly performed to increase the explosive power of the legs, such as weight training, resistance training, and plyometric training.
Plyometric training combines muscle endurance, strength, and coordination to produce high explosive power (Laura et al., 2002). The explosive power of the leg muscles can be increased through a plyometric training program carried out in a certain period for students aged 18-20 years (Hafizah Harun & Mohd Roslan, 2011). However, to identify the effectiveness of the plyometric training, researchers have planned it more carefully, taking into account the appropriate load criteria (Nicole et al., 2004). The load, the training period, and the adequate rest period between each training session, age have been closely monitored by trainers so that the exercises and techniques applied do not harm the physical health of trainee teachers. Thus, this study will combine the Plyometric training with the long jump event.
The long Jump is among the most popular athletics field events. The long jump sports event was initially known as the broad jump. It is one of the sports that includes aspects of speed, strength, and agility to land as far as possible from the launch point.
Participants will run at the maximum level on a rubberized surface as a running track, jump as far as possible through a wooden board used as a take-off place, and land on the sand. The participant's drop point will be marked, showing the distance made by the participant from the release point. The long jump is divided into four different parts, which include the running phase, the take-off phase, the flight phase, and the landing phase.
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Running fast and jumping high on the release is the basis for success in the long jump.
Therefore, this study, used plyometric training methods to see the performance of trainee teachers in the long jump event that requires explosive power.
Research Problem
There are two research problems identified in this study:
i. To investigate the effect of a plyometric training program that includes Squat Jump, Split Jump, five meter Bound Jump and Hops, Lunge Jump, Jump two feet forward over two obstacles, and Death drop jump on the performance of training teachers in the long jump event
ii. To determine which plyometric exercises are most effective for this population (Mullin, 1998; Barnes, 2003)
Research Objective
i. Identifying the effect of Plyometric training on the performance of trainee teachers in the long jump event
Research Questions
Q1: Is there a difference in the mean scores between the pre-test for the experimental group (Plyometric training) and the controlled group (Conventional training) in trainee teachers' long jump event performance?
Q2: Is there a difference in the mean scores between the post-test for the experimental group (Plyometric training) and the controlled group (Conventional training) in trainee teachers' long jump event performance?
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Research Hypothesis
Ho1: There were no significant differences in the mean pre-test scores between the experimental group (Plyometric training) and the controlled group (Conventional training) in trainee teachers' long jump event performance
Ho2: There were no significant differences in the mean of the post-test scores between the experimental group (Plyometric training) and the controlled group (Conventional training) in trainee teacher's long jump event performance
LITERATURE REVIEW
Plyometric is derived from the Greek 'Pleythein', which means to increase, while 'metric' means measurement (Chu, 1983). Plyometric, also known as 'hopping,' 'jumping,' and 'leaping' movements, can produce explosive power (Mullin, 1998). Plyometric training is a form of training accepted in the world of sports in line with sports development and gaining recognition. It is accepted through scientific studies (Bosco & Komi, 1981).
Plyometric is a training method that emphasises fast movements resulting from the training program. At the same time, the biomechanical aspects of plyometrics are explained in the book jumping into plyometrics which can be found through Human Kinetics. It is essential to understand that plyometrics train athletes to apply speed in strength. It is also found to help increase speed acceleration, changing the direction of moving quickly, and has many advantages on the court (Chu, 1983).
According to Rimmer and Slievefi (2000) plyometric refers to exercises that use the movement of muscle groups to respond to loads and produce explosive power.
Plyometric training is only applied after the athlete has reached an optimal or sufficient level of strength to avoid injuries, especially to tendons and ligaments. Training is done from the end of the specific preparation phase until the pre-competition phase. The main
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objective of this exercise is to increase power and explosive strength, and it can be done using your body weight or equipment such as boxes of various heights and fresh balls.
According to Barnes (2003), this plyometric exercise can be done without or with minimal and easily obtainable equipment; usually, this exercise is done on a flat grass field surface. For safety, plyometric training should start with simple work movements, more about basic skills, followed by complex behaviour and the level of difficulty that is added gradually (Radcliffe, 2003).
Plyometric training can help prevent knee injuries in sports requiring jumping skills, especially for female athletes involved in sports that require jumping skills, such as volleyball (Hewet et al., 1995). This plyometric training program was created to reduce the impact force during landing by providing education on the neural control of muscles in the lower limbs (legs). The trick is to improve knee stability and muscle control when landing. In addition, it also helps to correct the power balance of the hamstrings and quadriceps. Athlete performance can be improved, and the potential for injury can be reduced if landing techniques are included in a plyometric training program.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This section discusses the study design, population, sampling, and instruments.
Research Design
This study is a quasi-experimental quantitative study involving a pre-test and a post-test.
According to Noraini Idris (2013), the researcher used a research design that can test hypotheses to determine cause-and-effect relationships (Gay, 1996). The experimental group did the Plyometric exercises, while the controlled group did the conventional exercises. The controlled group only did the normal conventional exercises such as running, jumping, and some drills using hurdles, take-off board, and landing in a sand pit.
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Population and Sampling
The population of this study was a total of 250 Program Ijazah Sarjana Muda Perguruan (PISMP) students who studied the Athletics course (MPU3071) at the Sultan Abdul Halim Campus Teacher Education Institute. They were accommodated into 14 different classes.
Therefore, a total of 160 students were randomly selected using the statistical sample determination of Krejcie and Morgan (1970). They were then divided equally into two groups of 80 students respectively.
Study Instrument
The tests used in this study were Squat Jump, Split Jump. Five meter Bound Jump and Hop. Besides that, plyometric training scores, jump test scorecards, and measuring tapes have also been included in this study. The following tests were used to assess the performance of the trainee teachers in the long jump event before and after a plyometric training intervention:
1. Squat Jump: This test measures the lower limb explosive power. Participants stand with their feet shoulder-width apart and squat down until their thighs were parallel to the ground, then they need to jump as high as possible. The best of three attempts was recorded
2. Split Jump: This test measures lower limb coordination and power. Participants stand with one foot in front of the other and perform a jump, switching the position of their feet in mid-air. The best of three attempts was recorded
3. Five meter Bound Jump and Hops: This test measures lower limb power and endurance. Participants stand at a starting line and perform a series of standing long jumps, covering a distance of 5 meters. The best of three attempts was recorded
4. Lunge Jump: This test measures lower limb explosive power and coordination.
Participants perform a lunge, then jump and switch the position of their feet in mid-air. The best of three attempts was recorded
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5. Jump two feet forward over two obstacles: This test measures lower limb power and coordination. Participants jump with both feet over two obstacles placed at 1 meter apart. The best of three attempts was recorded
6. Death drop jump: This test measures lower limb power and landing technique.
Participants start on a box or platform, jump off, and land on both feet, then jump as high as possible. The best of three attempts was recorded
The validity and reliability of these tests have been demonstrated in previous studies. For example, a study by Santos et al. (2016) found good test-retest reliability for the Squat Jump and Split Jump tests in young athletes. Similarly, a study by Ramírez- Campillo et al. (2017) found that the Lunge Jump, five meter Bound Jump and Hops, and Jump two feet forward over two obstacles tests had good validity and reliability for assessing lower limb power and coordination in soccer players.
Data Collection
Performance data in the long jump for both groups were collected before starting Plyometric Training in terms of the pre-test. After eight weeks of Plyometric training, post-data from the experimental group was collected, and the controlled group was tested for the duration of eight weeks using the conventional training. The training program was done three days a week for eight weeks in addition to their normal activities. For each day, the exercise lasted about 90 minutes, including a warm-up and cool-down period. The Plyometric Training Program was implemented gradually. All training sessions for the experimental group were fully supervised, and all subjects remained present during the training period. None of them reported any injuries.
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Data Analysis
Researchers have used independent t-test analysis to compare the mean scores of the pre- test and post-test between the controlled group and the treatment group on the performance of trainee teachers in the long jump event.
FINDINGS
This chapter describes the study's results based on the findings obtained from data analysis using the program Statistical Package for School Science (SPSS) version 25. Researchers have inferential analyses such as t-tests to test the significant difference in long jump performance between the control and treatment groups at the pre-test and post-test.
Q1: Is there a difference in the mean scores between the pre-test for the experimental group (Plyometric training) and the controlled group (Conventional training) in the trainee teachers' long jump event performance?
Ho1: There were no significant differences in the mean pre-test scores between the experimental group (Plyometric training) and the controlled group (Conventional training) in the trainee teachers' long jump event performance
Table 1
Pre-Test Mean Different Analysis
Groups N Mean Std. Deviation
Pre-Test Marks Experimental 80 12.91 1.553
Control 80 12.71 1.637
Table 1 showed the differences in pre-test scores between the two groups. The result proved that there was no significant difference between the pre-test scores of the two groups, where the experimental group (M = 12.9, SD = .274) and the controlled group
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(M = 12.71, SD = .294). The difference between the two mean scores were only 0.2. It indicated no significant difference between the two means between both groups. These data were further reinforced by independent t-test analysis data, as shown in Table 2.
Table 2
Independent t-test
Levene's Test for Equality of Variances
t-test for Equality of Means
Pre-Test Marks F Sig. t df Sig.(2-tailed)
Equal variances
assumed .141 .708 .489 61 .626
Equal variances not
assumed .489 60.561 .627
Pre-test scores for the experimental and control groups were analysed using an independent t-test to identify any significant differences. The results of the Levene test showed that the value obtained was sig. = 0.708, which was greater than 0.05. These significant values indicated the data has similar variances (Ahmad, 2014). The analysis also found that the value was more significant than 0.05, which was 0.626. Therefore, the null hypothesis was accepted. This proved that the pre-test scores were almost the same for the experimental group, which did the Plyometric training, and the controlled group, which did the Conventional training. This table concluded that there were no significant differences in the mean of pre-test scores between the experimental and the controlled group in trainee teachers' long jump event performance. This data did not have any bias or errors in data collection.
Q2: Is there a difference in the mean scores between the post-test for the experimental group (Plyometric training) and the controlled group (Conventional training) in trainee teachers' long jump event performance?
Ho2: There were no significant differences in the mean of the post-test scores between the experimental group (Plyometric training) and the controlled group (Conventional training) in trainee teacher's long jump event performance
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Table 3
Post-Test Mean Different Analysis
Groups N Mean Std. Deviation
Post-Test Marks Experimental 80 18.22 .375
Control 80 14.16 .263
Table 3 showed the differences in post-test scores between the two groups. The analysis results proved a significant difference between the post-test scores of the two groups, where the experimental group (M = 18.22, SD = .375) and the controlled group (M = 14.16, SD = .263). The difference between the two mean scores was around 4.06. It indicated a significant difference between the two means between both groups. These data were further reinforced by independent t-test analysis data, as shown in Table 4.
Table 4
Independent t-test
Levene's Test for Equality of Variances
t-test for Equality of Means
Post-Test Marks F Sig. t df Sig.(2-tailed)
Equal variances
assumed 1.915 .171 8.811 61 .000
Equal variances not
assumed 8.862 55.170 .000
Table 4 showed that the post-test scores for the experimental and controlled groups that were analysed using an independent t-test to identify significant differences.
The results of the Levene test showed that the value obtained was sig. = 0.171, which was greater than 0.05. These significant values indicated the data has similar variances (Ahmad, 2014), leading the researcher to use equal variances assumed row values. The analysis also found that the significance was less plentiful than 0.05, which was .000.
With this, the null hypothesis was rejected. This proved that the post-achievement test scores were not the same for the experimental group, which did the Plyometric training, and the controlled group, which did the Conventional training. This table concluded there
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were significant differences in post-test scores mean between the experimental and the controlled group under of forces and motion trainee teacher's long jump event performance, and this data did not have any bias or errors in data collection.
In addition there are no significant differences in the pre-test between the two groups before the intervention. The post-testshowed that the intervention done has been successful for the experimental group in increasing the trainee teacher's event performance in the long jump event. It proved that the Plyometric training method has effectively increased the trainee teachers' performance in the long jump events.
DISCUSSION
The results of the study also showed a significant difference in the performance of trainee teachers in the long jump event between the two groups with the use of Plyometric training. The experimental group who received an intervention for eight weeks with Plyometric training showed a better performance in the long jump event by jumping further than the controlled group, even though the performance of both groups were similar at the time of the pre-test.
The findings of the study were in line with the study conducted by Hafizah Harun and Mohd Roslan (2011) where the study on the effectiveness of plyometric training in jumping skills for long jump athletes involving a total of 15 people showed a positive effect and could help increase the explosive power of athletes in the long jump. Not only that, a study on the effectiveness of a plyometric training program together with specific sports skills in improving the ability of the leg muscles involving a total of 32 volleyball players showed that the lunge jump and jump to box plyometric training program can increase the ability of the leg muscles and reduce injuries in the body (Nur Alwani Abd Latif & Norlena Salamuddin, 2018).
Furthermore, these findings were aligned with a study by Amirul Asyraf and Zolkepeli (2019), showing that a total of 16 volleyball players' plyometric training can
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improve the explosive power of their legs. It shows that the plyometric training method has a positive effect and improves improved the student performance in sports activities.
In addition, the survey results of the previous studies also state that plyometric exercises implemented with specific criteria will improve athletes' performance in a game (Vissing et al., 2008).
Conclusion
This study shows an observed improvement in the performance of trainee teachers in the long jump event after eight weeks of Plyometric training. Plyometric training is a practical training for athletes who compete in long jump events. It can be utilised by future teachers to train their students once they have been placed in schools later on, according to the data analysis and investigational restrictions.
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