Effects of Combined Balance and Plyometric Training on Athletic Performance in Female Basketball Players

Bouteraa, I, Negra, Y, Shephard, RJ, and Chelly, MS. Effects of combined balance and plyometric training on athletic performance in female basketball players. J Strength Cond Res 34(7): 1967-1973, 2020-The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of 8 weeks combined balance and plyometric training on the physical fitness of female adolescent basketball players. Twenty-six healthy regional-level players were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (E; n = 16, age = 16.4 ± 0.5) or a control group (C; n = 10, age = 16.5 ± 0.5). C maintained their normal basketball training schedule, whereas for 8 weeks E replaced a part of their standard regimen by biweekly combined training sessions. Testing before and after training included the squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ), drop jump (DJ), 5-, 10-, and 20-m sprints, Stork balance test (SBT), Y-balance test (YBT) and modified Illinois change of direction test (MICODT). Results indicated no significant intergroup differences in SJ and CMJ height; however, E increased their DJ height (p < 0.05, Cohens'd = 0.11). No significant intergroup differences were found for sprint performance or SBT, but dynamic YBT tended to a significant group interaction (p = 0.087, d = 0.006). Post hoc analysis also showed a significant increase of MICODT for E (Δ 6.68%, p = 0.041, d = 0.084). In summary, the addition of 8 weeks of balance and plyometric training to regular in-season basketball training proved a safe and feasible intervention that enhanced DJ height, balance, and agility for female adolescent basketball players relative to the standard basketball training regimen.