Effect of sprint versus ball-drill training on physical fitness in young basketball players

Basketball involves high-intensity bouts interspersed with brief/incomplete recovery periods. As a result repeated-sprint ability and change of direction training assume logical validity in basketball. Ball-drill games (BD) were suggested as a viable training to provide a range of specific physiological adaptation in basketball. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the effects of BD with Sprint Training (ST), and Generic Training (GT) on sprint ability and agility in basketball players. Thirty male regional-level players (17.3 ± 0.8 years, 74.2 ± 9.8 kg, 181.7 ± 7.3 cm) were matched according to VO2max and Anthropometrics and randomly assigned to 3 training groups: BDG (n=12, 4x4min 3 vs 3 at 95% of HRmax with 3-min passive recovery), STG (n=9, 3x6x20m shuttle running with 20-sec and 4-min recovery between bouts and series respectively) and GTG (n=9, control group, generic basketball technical/tactical exercises). Players were tested before and after 8 training weeks (2 sessions/week, 2hrs/session), for force platform Squat Jump and Countermovement Jump; Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test level 1 (YYIRTL1); Agility T-test (forward, lateral, and backward running); Line sprinting over 5/10/20 m and Line drill (LD). No time x group differences were found in jumping and sprinting performance. Significant improvements were reported for YYIRTL1 in BDG (+21%, p<0.05) and STG (+30%, p<0.05). Agility T-test performance showed significant improvements in BDG (-3.4%, p<0.05) and STG (-4.7%, p<0.05). LD test performance was enhanced in the BDG (-1.3 %, p<0.05) and STG (-2.2%, p