Effects of bilateral low-load resistance training with blood-flow restriction on post-activation performance enhancement in male collegiate athletes

Background While the effects of blood-flow restriction (BFR) training on various performance outcomes have been widely studied, the combination of BFR with low-load (LL) resistance training for post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE), particularly in vertical jump performance, has not been fully explored. This study aimed to investigate whether combining BFR with LL resistance training can enhance vertical jump performance in male collegiate athletes. Methods Fifteen male strength trainers (mean ± standard deviation (SD): age 21.7 ± 1.4 years, body mass 77.2 ± 6.3 kg, and height 179.1 ± 5.7) with at least two years of resistance training experience participated in three experimental trials using a randomized crossover design with 72-hour intervals: (a) low-load resistance exercise at 30% one repetition maximum (1RM) back squat combined with BFR for four sets of 15 repetitions (BFR+LL); (b) low-load resistance exercise without BFR for 4 sets of 15 repetitions (LL); and (c) a control condition involving passive rest (CON). Countermovement jump (CMJ) performance , including vertical jump height (VJH), relative peak power output (RPP), force impulse (FI), and rate of force development (RFD), was assessed at baseline, immediately after, and at 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-minutes post-protocol. Both peak and mean CMJ were measured to evaluate performance changes. Results The repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant condition × time interactions ( p < 0.001) for VJH, RPP, and FI. Post-hoc comparisons demonstrated that BFR+LL resulted in significant improvements in VJH, RPP, and FI at 12 minutes post-protocol relative to both the CON and LL conditions ( p < 0.05). Specifically, VJH increased by 7.17% (effect size (ES) = 0.79), RPP by 2.26% (ES = 0.31), and FI by 3.21% (ES = 0.29) compared to CON at 12 minutes following the BFR+LL protocol. In contrast, a significant decline in performance ( p < 0.05) was observed immediately after BFR+LL, with VJH decreasing by −9.1 ± 5.1% (ES = −1.12), RPP by −8.3 ± 4.3% (ES = −1.16), and FI by −5.0 ± 2.2% (ES = −0.44) compared to baseline. No significant changes in RFD or peak CMJ performance were observed across the three conditions ( p > 0.05). Conclusion The study suggests that BFR+LL resistance training may enhance acute vertical jump performance 12 minutes post-exercise, despite an initial decline in performance immediately following the protocol.