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Abstract

Measuring vertical jump is considered one of the standardized test used to determine athletic performance. The Vertec is considered the gold standardized test for vertical jump where this equipment is hard to obtain and typically expensive. However easily mobile, more accessible, and less expensive equipment such as the Jawku has yet to be explored on its reliability and validity in vertical jump heights. PURPOSE: To determine if new technological equipment (Jawku) is a valid measurement of vertical jump height. METHODS: Forty participants (Age= 23.4±4.4 yrs, height= 66.8±3.7 in, weight= 164.5±36.4 lbs, shoe size= 9.2±1.6 US) were measured for reach height on the Vertec and performed a familiarization countermovement (CM) and non-countermovement (NCM) jump. Participants then jumped a total of six trials (alternating CM and NCM) where both the Vertec and the Jawku measured jump heights simultaneously. A factorial ANOVA was used to assess significant differences between jumps. Pairwise error was controlled through the Bonferroni techniques. Alpha was set at .05 for all tests. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in counter movement jump height between Jawku (13.7±3.3 in) and Vertec (14.3±4.6 in), p=.604, nor in non-counter movement between Jawku (12.9±2.8 in) and Vertec (13.3±4.5 in), p=1.0. Agreement was similar for both devices in each condition CONCLUSION: Although there was 13.7% absolute error in CM and 16.2% in NCM, there were no significant differences in both the jump heights for both the Jawku and Vertec. Caution should be used when relying on Jawku for precision results.

This project was supported in part by the A&M-SA Office of Research.

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