Volume 6, Spring 2008 - Saddleback College

Fall 2007 Biology 3A Abstracts
60
Average Vertical Jump Height (cm)
Figure 1. The average vertical jump height between
athletes (55 2.13cm, N=18) and non-athletes (37.5
2.22cm, N=25). Athletes significantly (two tailed, p=
6
1.3
10 ) jumped vertically higher than nonathletes.
Average Calf length (cm)
Figure 2. The average calf lengths between athletes
(38 0.90 cm, N=18) and non-athletes (37.5 2.22
cm, N=25). There was no significant difference found.
Vertical Jump Height (cm)
50
40
30
20
10
0
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
5
0
0
athletes
athletes
non-athletes
non-athletes
28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48
Calf Length (cm)
Figure 3. The vertical jump heights (44.82cm) of the
participants (N=43) compared with their calf length
(38cm) to determined if the longer the calf length the
higher the vertical jump. There was no correlation
found (R 2 =0.40).
Vertical Jump height (cm)
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48
Calf Length (cm)
athletes
non-athletes
Linear (athletes)
Linear (non-athletes)
Figure 4. A comparison between the athletes’ (N=18)
vertical jump height (55cm) versus their calf lengths
(38cm) in order to see if a higher vertical height is
achieved because of a longer calf length. There was no
correlation found (R 2 =0.58). The same comparison
was done between non-athletes’ (N=25) vertical jump
height (37.5cm) and calf length (37.5cm). No
correlation was also shown (R 2 =0.59).
Discussion
Athletes were found to significantly jump
higher than non-athletes. However, the average calf
length of the athletes and non-athletes had no statistical
difference; as a result, the vertical jump height was not
influenced by the calf length. This can be due to two
main factors: muscle mass in the leg and specific types
of training. Golomer et al. (2004) and Harley et al.
(2002) both found in their study of ballet dancers that
muscle mass in the leg is directly linked to jump
height. The dancers with the greater quantity of muscle
in the leg jumped significantly higher than those with
less amounts.
Specific types of training are another major
factor, which are used to increase vertical jumping
when more muscle mass is not the main focus and less
desired. Plyometrics and vibration are some of these
training regimens that sports have being using in order
to increase vertical jump height, which have been
shown to be successful. This type of training
concentrates on the neuromuscular aspects of
development in power, which is beneficial for sports
similar to dance and basketball (Luo et al., 2005;
Radcliffe and Farentinos, 1999; Wyon et al., 2006).
Leg muscle mass and training can also explain
why no correlation was found between the vertical
jump height and calf length for the athletes, nonathletes,
and all the data put together. Because
depending on the type of athletes and how they train
will determine whether they are able to jump vertically
83
Saddleback Journal of Biology
Spring 2008