Physiological and Biochemical Adaptations to a Sport-Specific Sprint Interval Training in Male Basketball Athletes

The present study compared the effects of incorporating traditional sprint interval training (SIT) or basketball-specific SIT (SSIT) into typical off-season training of male basketball players. Adaptations to and effect size (EF) of interventions on aerobic fitness [evalu-ated using Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level-1 (Yo-Yo IR1)], change of direction [T-test (TT) and Illinois agility test (IAT)], vertical jump (VJ), standing long jump (SLJ), linear speed, maxi-mal strength [one repetition maximum test in leg press (1RMLP)], and hormonal status were examined. Male athletes (age = 25.7 +/- 2.0 years; height = 188.1 +/- 7.9 cm; body mass = 85.9 +/- 8.0 kg) were randomly assigned to one of three groups of SIT (n = 10): three sets of 10 x 15 sec all-out intervals with 1:1 recovery be-tween bouts and a 3-min recovery between sets; SSIT (n = 10): the same intervals as SIT + basketball-specific ball drills while run-ning; and CON (n = 10): two sessions per week of regular basket-ball technical and tactical drills. SIT and SSIT resulted in signifi-cant changes compared with baseline in maximal oxygen uptake (4.9%, ES = 2.22 vs. 6%, ES = 2.57), TT (-1.8%, ES =-0.46 vs. -2.7%, ES = -1.14), IAT (-4.5%, ES =-2.01 vs.-5.4%, ES = -1.93), VJ (7.5%, ES = 0.58 vs. 12%, ES = 0.95), linear sprint time (-2.9%, ES =-0.32 vs.-4.3%, ES = -0.69), Yo-Yo IR1 (18.5%, ES = 2.19 vs. 23.7%, ES = 2.56), serum testosterone (28%, ES = 1.52 vs. 29.7%, ES = 1.59), and cortisol (-6.53%, ES =-0.37 vs. -12.06%, ES = -0.64). Incorporating SIT and SSIT into typical off-season basketball training triggers adaptive mechanisms that enhance aer-obic and anaerobic performance in male basketball players. The effect size values indicate more significant effects of SSIT than SIT in most physiological and sport-specific adaptations. Such a superior effect could be attributed to the more basketball-specific movement pattern of the SSIT. Such interventions can be used by the coaches and athletes for designing the training load and for bet -ter training adaptations throughout the training seasons and com-petition periods.