Principal component analysis of countermovement jump force–time variables for sex- and sport-specific profiling in elite athletes

Force–time (F-t) variables derived from the countermovement jump (CMJ) offer insights into neuromuscular performance and may differ across sexes and sports. This study aimed to assess variables from the F–t curve and analyse force profiles by sex and sport. A total of 550 CMJs from 188 elite athletes representing nine sports were analyzed. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) reduced dimensionality and identified latent components describing force production. PCA extracted three components explaining 91.6% of variance: PC1 (propulsive, 38.0%), PC2 (braking, 29.3%), and PC3 (temporal–impulse, 24.3%). Component scores differed significantly across sports in both sexes (all p < 0.001). In males, gymnastics and fencing showed the highest PC1 scores, while triathlon consistently presented the lowest. Badminton displayed superior PC2 and PC3 characteristics. In females, artistic gymnastics exhibited the highest PC1 capacity, whereas taekwondo and triathlon showed the lowest. Badminton and gymnastics outperformed several sports in PC2 and PC3. PCA mapping showed male fencing and judo clustered in high propulsive–high braking profiles, while triathlon athletes showed low braking strategy efficiency. Most female athletes displayed reduced propulsive and braking capacity, except gymnasts and judokas. F–t profiles differentiate neuromuscular strategies across sexes and sports, supporting their application to guide discipline- and sex-specific training interventions.