LOWER LIMB FORCE, POWER AND PERFORMANCE IN SKATEBOARDING

Abstract

The aim of this study was to quantify the contribution of muscle force and power of the lower limbs to the performance of the Ollie in beginner level skateboarders. Ten male athletes who had practiced for at least two years were submitted to three kinds of test: (1) maximal voluntary contraction of the knee and hip extensor muscles; (2) vertical jump tests, Counter Movement Jump (CMJ) and Squat Jump (SJ); and (3) a test developed specifically for this study, to measure the maximum height achieved during the Ollie manoeuvre. The data obtained were submitted to simple linear regression analysis. The results demonstrate that the variance of the Ollie manoeuvre (p<0.05) is explained by the power estimated with the CMJ (76.3%); and the maximal force of the knee extensor muscle (50.6%). The body mass is the determinant factor to the performance of the Ollie.