Abstract

Jump tests have been used to determine power in alpine skiers (Bosco, 1997; Refsnes, 1999; Bacharach, 2003). Jumping power can be assessed with many methods, but measuring ground reaction forces with force plates allows detailed analysis of strength and power parameters. Assessing bilateral imbalances during jump tests is very important as skiers should not have a dominant leg, but such testing is rare. There is some documented work showing differences between average and peak forces produced by the right and left legs during two-legged squats in female softball players (Gerber et al., 2002). Bilateral assessment in jump testing in skiers has been conducted through a unique power testing system developed in the Institute for Sport Sciences at the University of Innsbruck (Pernitsch, 2000). SPSport platforms enable many power parameters to be measured, and also enable forces produced by the right and left leg in a two-legged jump to be compared and analysed. This paper outlines concentric power characteristics and right-left imbalances during loaded Squat Jumps (SJ) of elite Austrian female and male alpine ski racers. Einleitung gekürzt