Estimation of Peak Muscle Power From a Countermovement Vertical Jump in Children and Adolescents

Abstract Gomez-Bruton, A, Gabel, L, Nettlefold, L, Macdonald, H, Race, D, and McKay, H. Estimation of peak muscle power from a countermovement vertical jump in children and adolescents. J Strength Cond Res 33(2): 390–398, 2019—Several equations to predict muscle power (MP) from vertical jump height (VJH) have been developed in adults. However, few have been derived in children. We therefore aimed to: (a) evaluate the validity of existing MP estimation equations from a vertical countermovement jump (CMJ) in children and adolescents and (b) develop and validate a new MP estimation equation for use in children and adolescents. We measured peak MP (in watts) and VJH (in centimeters) during a CMJ using a force platform in 249 children and adolescents (9–17 years; 119 boys and 130 girls). We compared actual (force platform) with predicted (12 existing prediction equations) MP using repeated-measures analysis of variance and estimated bias using modified Bland-Altman plots. We developed a new prediction equation using stepwise linear regression, assessed predictive error using leave-one-out and 10-fold cross-validation, and externally validated the equation in an independent sample ( n = 100). All existing prediction equations demonstrated some degree of bias, either systematic bias (mean differences ranging 178–1,377 W; 8–64%) or bias at the extremes or interactions with sex. Our new prediction equation estimates MP from VJH and body mass: Power (W) = 54.2 × VJH (cm) + 34.4 × body mass (kg) − 1,520.4. With this new equation, there was no difference between actual and predicted MP (0%) and negligible differences (0.2–0.9%) in R 2 and root mean square error between our observed and cross-validated sets. Actual and predicted MP were not different in our external validation ( p = 0.12). The new equation demonstrates excellent validity and can be used to predict MP from a CMJ in children and adolescents.