Acute effects and short-term adaptations following different strength and power-oriented resistance training protocols in basketball players

Abstract

Basketball is a team-sport that incorporates aerobic and anaerobic metabolic processes characterized by intermittent high-intensity actions such as jumping, sprinting, shuffling or changing direction. In the recent years, there has been a clear increase in the physical demand of the competition due to changes in regulations and tactical evolution of the game, which emphasizes the need for the development of physical qualities in modern basketball. As a consequence, strength and conditioning (S&C) programs have become common practice in this sport with the main aim of improving muscular strength and power, balance, coordination and overall athletic performance but also to minimize injury risk. In order to achieve this, different resistance training programs are utilized during the off-season, pre-season and in-season periods. Amongst the several methods used by S&C coaches, heavy resistance circuit training (HRC), power circuit training (PCT), complex training (CT) and optimal load training (OLT) are some of the most prescribed in-season. However, further understanding on their specific acute fatigue responses and short-term adaptations is still necessary to help S&C coaches design the most appropriate strength and power-oriented programs, according to the moment of the season. Therefore, the present thesis aims to: (1) examine the acute effects of different circuit training protocols (i.e., HRC and PCT) on physical and technical performance of basketballers and investigate to what extent these can be utilized during the in-season period, from a fatigue-management approach; (2) systematically review the literature in order to determine the effectiveness and the most appropriate intervention characteristics of a commonly used strength-power training method such as CT; (3) compare the effects of this specific protocol to other power-oriented training method (i.e., OLT) on neuromuscular performance of basketball players. The results of the present compendium of articles allowed concluding that HRC resulted in greater fatigue levels and higher acute physical and technical performance decrements in basketball players, in-season, when compared to PCT, hence questioning its applicability during match-congested periods over the course of the competitive phase of the season. Moreover, through the systematic review and meta-analysis, it was concluded that CT can be an effective method to increase sprint and VJ performance in a team-sports setting. Particularly, CT interventions longer than 6 weeks with loads no greater than 85% of 1RM and 2 min of ICRI seem to be the most adequate in team-sport athletes. Finally, a modified CT and an OLT protocol in which moderate loads were used and no plyometric drills were performed, resulted in similar (moderate-to-large) increases in lower-body maximal dynamic strength without impairing sprint, vertical and horizontal jump performance and change of direction ability in basketball players during the competitive period. Thus, both methods can be used in-season to offer variability to the resistance training sessions possibly contributing to help keep players engaged and motivated in the weight room.