Impact of plyometric training on agility, sprint and vertical jump functional performance in junior level basketball players

Abstract

As a dynamic team sport, basketball emphasizes the need for customized training programs for junior players, given its unique demands characterized by varied movement patterns. While existing research predominantly addresses injury prevention and performance enhancement in other sports, there is a discernible gap in similar studies focusing on Asian junior basketball athletes. Recognizing basketball's intermittent and dynamic nature, this study investigates the efficacy of an eight-week plyometric training program on agility, sprint performance, and explosive leg power in junior players. Sixty-four participants, meeting specific inclusion criteria, voluntarily participated in the study and were randomly assigned to either the regular activity group (RAG, N = 32) or the plyometric training group (PTG, N = 32) via randomized controlled trial. The plyometric training program, spanning eight weeks with three sessions per week, featured a carefully designed program to enhance power, speed, and explosiveness. Ethical clearance was obtained, and the study was registered under the Clinical Trial Registry (CTRI/2023/04/052010). Assessments, including the "T" test for agility, the 30-m sprint test for speed, and the Sargent jump test for jump height and leg power, were conducted at pre-, mid-, and post-training stages. Statistical analyses, including independent samples t-test and repeated measures ANOVA, were employed to examine the statistical significance of observed variances. The results consistently demonstrated the PTG's superior performance in agility, sprint speed, and jump height over the RAG. These findings provide valuable insights into optimizing the athletic performance of junior basketball players through a well-structured plyometric training program. The study underscores the reliability and robustness of observed effects while acknowledging the modest practical significance of small effect sizes in terms of statistical significance. These results provide a foundation for further exploration and improvement of training protocols in sports science, offering practical recommendations to coaches, trainers, and sports professionals to enhance the functional performance of junior basketball players.