Training With Full Body Compression Garments Does Not Improve 40-meter Sprint Performance In Healthy Men

Wearing compression garments (CG) during exercise training may lead to reductions in injury and improvements in recovery. A novel full body CG is purported to improve athletic performance through increased muscular activation of the core. However, no studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of this CG. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that training in the CG will improve 40 m sprint performance when compared to training without the CG. METHODS: Sixteen healthy males (age: 21 ± 3 y, BMI: 25 ± 3 kg/m2) were divided into two groups: one that wore the CG during training (CG; n = 8) and one that did not wear the CG during training (CT; n = 8). Both groups completed a 40 m sprint before (PRE) and after (POST) four weeks of exercise training. The training program consisted of three sessions per week and included the following exercises: skater jumps, I-Y-Ts, hip thrusts, lunges, pushups, triceps dips, squat jumps, and dead bugs. The intensity progressed each week via reductions in rest time and increases in repetitions. Sprint time (s) and sprint speed (m/s) were measured using a laser timing system. A laser was placed at 0 m, 20 m, and 40 m to measure 20 m sprint time and speed, flying 20 m sprint time and speed, and 40 m sprint time and speed. Data are presented as a change from PRE and were analyzed using a two-way repeated measures ANOVA. The p-value was set a priori to p < 0.05. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences for CG and CT for 20 m sprint time (CG: 0.07 ± 0.18 s, CT: 0.03 ± 0.16 s; condition: p = 0.70, time: p = 0.36) or speed (CG: -0.10 ± 0.26 m/s, CT: -0.11 ± 0.35 m/s; condition: p = 0.98, time: p = 0.31). There were no statistically significant differences for CG and CT for flying 20 m sprint time (CG: 0.08 ± 0.31 s, CT: -0.08 ± 0.05 s; condition: p = 0.25, time: p = 0.98) or speed (CG: -0.11 ± 0.80 m/s, CT: 0.29 ± 0.17 m/s; condition: p = 0.26, time: p = 0.62). Lastly, there were no statistically significant differences for CG and CT for 40 m sprint time (CG: 0.12 ± 0.54 s, CT: 0.00 ± 0.15 s; condition: p = 0.59, time: p = 0.59) or speed (CG: 0.11 ± 0.27 m/s, CT: -0.12 ± 0.10 m/s; condition: p = 0.06, time: p = 0.93). CONCLUSION: Training in CG does not improve performance during a 40 m sprint compared to training without CG. In summary, it does not appear that training in CG enhances sprinting performance in healthy males.