The effects of multiple factors on post-activation potentiation and performance enhancement: a narrative review

Purpose: The aim of this review was to examine the effects of various factors, including recovery time, conditioning activity, range of motion, gender, age, fiber type percentage, training experience, and supplement intake, on post-activation potentiation (PAP) and post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE). After clarifying the differences between these two potentiation strategies, the review examines the physiological mechanisms underlying these processes and their relationship with the aforementioned factors. Methods: A literature search was conducted in multiple databases, using as keywords those factors, PAP and PAPE. Results: PAP/PAPE appears to benefit athletes, adults, and individuals with a higher percentage of fast-twitch fibers more. To increase performance, it is recommended to use an intensity greater than 80% of one repetition maximum and high volumes. For trained subjects, a recovery time of 3 to 10 minutes is beneficial, while its effectiveness for untrained subjects is still unclear. Potentiation is greater when the primer exercise has a wide range of motion and is similar to the verification test. Additionally, supplementation with caffeine or creatine also contributes to the magnitude of potentiation. Finally, although there is evidence suggesting a net potentiation, the balance between fatigue and potentiation remains complex and unclear. Conclusions: Each factor that interacts with PAP and PAPE should be evaluated individually to ensure the most appropriate conditioning activity for the athlete.