Background Post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) effectively augments explosive performance, especially in jumping. As female athletes have distinct neuromuscular and biomechanical traits that may affect the PAPE response, the optimal squat load and recovery duration for collegiate female basketball players remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate how different back-squat conditioning loads influence subsequent jump performance and to identify the optimal load-recovery combination for enhancing jumping ability in this population. Methods Twenty-eight collegiate women`s basketball athletes(age 20.39 ± 1.4 years, height 167.50 ± 2.22 cm, body mass 57.75 ± 4.98 kg, training age 6.49 ± 0.63 years)were randomly allocated to 90%, 80%, or 70% of one-repetition maximum (1RM) back-squat groups, or a control group. Athletes completed 3 × 3 parallel back squats, after which countermovement jump (CMJ), single-leg and double-leg approach-jump heights were assessed at baseline and 4, 8, and 12 min. CMJ kinetics—peak power output, vertical ground-reaction force, and flight time—and lower-limb surface EMG were recorded concurrently. Results Loads >= 80%1RM reliably elicited PAPE, with improvements demonstrating clear load-dependence and time specificity. Double-leg approach-jump height peaked at 8 min in the 90%1RM group (40.50 ± 1.73 cm). Single-leg approach-jump height was maximized at 8 min in the 80%1RM group (40.00 ± 0.82 cm), exceeding the control condition. Kinetic and EMG analyses indicated that 90%1RM produced a delayed rectus femoris activation peak (8 min) and a later CMJ power peak (12 min), whereas 80%1RM facilitated earlier gastrocnemius activation (4 min) with a stable output profile; performance benefits with 70%1RM were minimal. Conclusions For collegiate female basketball players, using a parallel back-squat load of 80%1RM followed by an 8-12-minute recovery period can effectively improve jump performance during pre-competition activation. Coaches and trainers should be aware that responses may differ between individuals, and testing this protocol beforehand is recommended to optimize its use for specific athletes.
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