Changes to Sprinting Velocity Through Postactivation Potentiation with a Hex-Bar Farmer’s Walk

Abstract

An acute increase in maximum strength, power, or speed following a conditioning contraction known as a postactivation performance enhancement has been previously determined to be better performed when the initial exercise is of the same movement pattern. However, no research has been performed studying the effects of a hex-bar farmer’s walk on subsequent sprinting speeds. Therefore, this research examined the use of different loads of a hex-bar farmer’s walk completed at 20-m and their effect on subsequent 20-m sprinting performance. Through a randomized and counterbalanced design, resistance and running trained men and women (n = 12) performed five 20-m sprints (with 10-m splits) at baseline, 4, 8, 12, and 16-minutes after a bodyweight control (C), light farmer’s walk (LFW), and heavy farmer’s walk (HFW), utilizing 70% and 80% users hex-bar deadlift 1-RM respectively. Mean sprint velocities over 10-m and 20-m distances were similar at baseline. At 20-m, sprint velocity significantly increased during the LFW condition at 8 minutes (M = 6.03, SE = 0.14, p = 0.025), 12 minutes (M = 6.05, SE = 0.15, p = 0.016), and 16 minutes (M = 6.03, SE = 0.14, p = 0.011) when compared with C (M = 5.96, SE = 0.14, t(11) = -2.59, r = 0.98); (M = 5.97, SE = 0.15, t(11) = -2.85, r = 0.98); (M = 5.94, SE = 0.14, t(11) = -3.06, r = 0.98, p < 0.05). At 10-m, sprint velocity significantly increased during the LFW condition at 8 minutes (M = 5.10, SE = 0.12, p = 0.010), when compared with C (M = 5.01, SE = 0.12, t(11) = -3.08, p <0.05, r = 0.97). No change to sprinting velocity was witnessed across either of the C conditions or HFW conditions. These results help to substantiate the use of a load at near-maximal capacities during the warm-up preceding sprinting to acutely increase muscular force.