Relationship between Upper and Lower Body Strength and Basketball Shooting Performance

Strength is one of the key physiological performance attributes related to optimal on-court basketball performance. However, there is a lack of scientific literature studying how strength relates to shooting proficiency, as a key basketball skill capable of discriminating winning from losing game outcomes. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between maximal upper and lower body strength and free-throw, two-point, and three-point shooting accuracy. Ten males and seven females performed bench press and back squat one repetition maximum (1RM) and basketball shooting testing during two laboratory visits. The shooting protocol consisted of five sets of 15 free-throw, two-point, and three-point shots performed in sequential order. Each set was separated by a 30 min rest interval to minimize the influence of fatigue. Each subject attempted 225 shots, combining for a total of 3825 shots. The average free-throw, two-point, and three-point shooting accuracy for men were 74.5 +/- 11.9, 68.4 +/- 9.9, and 53.3 +/- 14.9%, and for women 79.2 +/- 11.2, 65.5 +/- 8.4, and 51.2 +/- 15.3%, respectively. The average bench press and back squat 1RM for men was 88.2 +/- 18.6 and 117.0 +/- 21.2 kg, and for women, 40.6 +/- 7.5 and 66.9 +/- 9.9 kg, respectively. The findings of the present study revealed no significant relationships between maximal upper and lower body strength and basketball shooting performance for both male and female participants. Neither bench press nor back squat 1RM was a good predictor of free-throw, two-point, and three-point shooting performance.