Combined Effects of Postactivation Performance Enhancement and Caffeine Intake on Explosive and Anaerobic Power in Recreationally Active Males

Abstract

Background: Both post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) and caffeine (CAF) are known to acutely improve physical performance. However, their combined effects on multiple performance outcomes in recreationally active individuals remain underexplored. Objective: This study explores the combined effects of PAPE and caffeine CAF supplementation on explosive power, sprint performance, and anaerobic capacity in recreationally active men. Methods: In a double-blind, crossover design, 20 participants completed 4 sessions with distinct interventions: placebo (PLA) with usual warm-up (No-PAPE + PLA), PAPE + PLA, CAF without PAPE (No-PAPE + CAF), and PAPE + CAF. After CAF (6 mg CAF/kg body mass) or PLA ingestion, participants performed warm-ups. They underwent physical tests, including vertical jump height (VJH), standing long jump (SLJ), 40-yard dash, and the running-based anaerobic sprint test (RAST). Data were analyzed using 1- and 2-way repeated measures analysis of variance and Bonferroni post hoc tests (P 0.05). Conclusion: These findings highlight a synergistic effect between PAPE and CAF in enhancing short-term explosive performance, offering practical strategies for optimizing high-intensity activities in recreationally active individuals.

Keywords

• post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE)
• caffeine supplementation
• explosive power
• anaerobic capacity
• sprint performance