On Equal Footing? Sex-Moderated Post-Activation Performance Enhancement in Trained Individuals

Piñero, A, Mohan, AE, Burke, R, Babault, N, Swinton, PA, and Schoenfeld, BJ. On equal footing? Sex-moderated post-activation performance enhancement in trained individuals. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000–000, 2026—This study explored whether resistance-trained men ( n = 16) and women ( n = 15) experienced different degrees of post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) at varying proximities to failure. In a randomized, within-subject crossover design, subjects completed 4 experimental sessions in a randomized order. During each session, subjects completed countermovement jump assessments at baseline and at 3, 6, and 9 minutes following 2 barbell back squat sets of 1 repetition (1R), 3 repetitions (3R), 5 repetitions (5R), or passive rest (CON). Bayesian multilevel models were used, and inferences were based on posterior distributions of changes and sex contrasts, including region of practical equivalence (ROPE)-based probabilities of practically meaningful effects. Across protocols and time points, posterior distributions of sex differences were generally within the ROPE, indicating little evidence that sex meaningfully moderated PAPE outcomes. However, at 1R minute 9 and 3R minute 3, posterior probabilities of an improvement from baseline in jump height (JH) were higher in women than in men ( M = 0.09 [0.00, 0.19]; F = 0.34 [0.12, 0.54]) and ( M = 0.11 [0.00, 0.30]; F = 0.47 [0.20, 0.67]), respectively, suggesting possible protocol- and time-specific sex differences. By contrast, sex moderation was unlikely at other time points, including all 5R assessments. Overall, heavier back squats performed closer to failure were more likely to elicit PAPE than sets performed farther from failure, with broadly similar responses between sexes. Any sex-specific differences appeared limited and protocol- and time-dependent, with only tentative evidence of greater PAPE in women under some further-from-failure conditions.