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The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of different methods to calculate vertical jump height in men and women. Fifty men and 50 women performed three countermovement vertical jumps for maximal height on a force platform, the highest of which was used in the statistical analyses. The peak displacement attained by the center of mass (COM) during flight was obtained from three different calculations: (1) using the time in the air (TIA), (2) using the vertical velocity of the COM at take-off (TOV), and (3) adding the positive vertical displacement of the COM prior to take-off to the height calculated using TOV (TOV+s). With all calculations, men produced significantly greater jump heights than women (p < 0.05). TIA produced significantly greater jump heights than TOV in men and women, while TOV+s produced significantly greater jump heights than both TIA and TOV in men and women (p < 0.05). Despite these differences, the methods produced consistent results for both men and women. All calculation methods have logical validity, depending upon the definition of jump height used. Therefore, the method used to calculate jump height should be determined by the equipment available to the practitioner while giving consideration to the sources of error inherent in each method. Based upon the present findings, when using a force platform to calculate vertical jump height, practitioners are encouraged to use the TOV method.
Gavin L. Moir (Tue,) studied this question.