The Effects of a Strength Training Program on Bilateral Jump Performance in Collegiate 100m and 1500m Runners

Abstract

This study examined whether a 12-week strength-training program improves bilateral jump performance in collegiate runners from sprint (100 m) and middle-distance (1500 m) squads. Thirty-one athletes (18–21 years) from Electric Power University completed pre- and post-testing using squat jump in place (JIP) and one-step run-up jump (JR-U) on a ChronoJump contact mat; body composition was assessed with the InBody 770 analyzer. Normality was checked with Shapiro–Wilk; pre–post changes were evaluated using paired t-tests (α = 0.05). Female 1500 m runners demonstrated significant gains in JIP (p = 0.031) and JR-U (p = 0.026) and reduced JR-U asymmetry (p = 0.004), whereas changes in male athletes and female sprinters were not significant, suggesting event- and sex-specific responsiveness and potential prior adaptation among sprinters. These findings indicate that targeted strength blocks may be prioritized for female middle-distance athletes to enhance jump ability and inter-limb symmetry, while jump-asymmetry indices can serve as sensitive monitoring markers. The study received institutional ethics approval (EPU.CS11/2023), and all participants provided written informed consent.