Aydin, SavasEken, OzgurAldhahi, Monira I.2026-04-022026-04-0220262045-232210.1038/s41598-026-39312-x2-s2.0-105031612288https://hdl.handle.net/123456789/30040https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-39312-xPost-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) is used to acutely improve sport-specific performance, yet the optimal loading strategy for complex combat sports remains unclear. This randomized, counterbalanced crossover study investigated the acute effects of moderate- and maximal-load squat conditioning activities on judo-specific fitness among nationally competitive male judokas. All participants completed three sessions on separate days (>= 48 h apart): a control condition consisting of a standardized judo-specific warm-up only, an 80%-PAPE protocol (warm-up + 6 squats at 80% of 6RM), and a 100%-PAPE protocol (warm-up + 1 squat at 100% 1RM). After a 7-min passive recovery, athletes performed the Special Judo Fitness Test (SJFT). Data were analyzed using one-way repeated-measures ANOVA with Bonferroni-adjusted post hoc tests. The 80%-PAPE condition produced the greatest improvements in total throws and the SJFT index, whereas the 100%-PAPE condition did not enhance throw performance but improved 1-min heart rate recovery. These findings indicate that moderate-load PAPE provides a more favorable potentiation-fatigue balance for optimizing judo-specific performance under short recovery periods.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessContraction IntensitySpecial Judo Fitness TestWarm-up StrategiesCombat SportsPost-Activation Performance EnhancementJudoArticle