Does upper or lower body activation improve postactivation performance enhancement of squat jumps and power push-ups in trained athletes compared to rest?
The study found no localized PAPE effect as squat jumps improved similarly across all conditions including rest, suggesting the testing protocol itself may induce PAPE.
Fifteen trained athletes were assessed for postactivation performance enhancement (PAPE) of squat jumps (SJs) and power push-ups (PPUs) following upper body activation, lower body activation, upper and lower body activation, and rest. SJ improved similarly across all 4 conditions. PPU could not be assessed. Since the test protocol of SJ and PPU involved upper and lower body activation and caused PAPE in SJ, future work is required to determine if a nonlocalized PAPE effect exists.
Cuenca‐Fernández et al. (Tue,) studied this question.