Influence of Rest on Players' Performance and Physiological Responses during Basketball Play

Examining the impact of different re-warm-up strategies on non-starter basketball players' physical performance

This study assessed the effectiveness of re-warm-up strategies in counteracting performance declines in non-starter female basketball players during prolonged inactivity. Fifteen elite youth players (16.7 ± 0.6 years) participated in a crossover study comparing four re-warm-up protocols following a standardized warm-up. Performance was measured immediately after warm-up and 15-min post re-warm-up using the counter-movement jump (CMJ), drop jump (DJ), and 5-0-5 change of direction test (CODs). Prolonged inactivity (CON) significantly decreased CMJ and DJ height (p < 0.001) and slowed CODs times (p = 0.019). Plyometric re-warm-up (PLY) preserved CMJ, DJ, and CODs performance (p > 0.05), while dynamic stretching (DYN) and passive heat maintenance (TOW) maintained DJ and CODs (p > 0.05) but reduced CMJ (p < 0.001). ANCOVA revealed a significant effect of re-warm-up strategies on CMJ (F = 20.71, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.54), with post hoc tests showing PLY was superior to other protocols (p < 0.001). These findings emphasize the effectiveness of plyometric strategies in maintaining physical performance during inactivity. Tailored protocols considering individual needs and basketball-specific demands can enhance player readiness and team success.

Individuality Affects the Efficiency of Basketball Pre-Game Warm-Up on Players' Performance

Pre-game warm-up is integral to athletes' preparation before a basketball game. The main objectives of this study were to compare specific performance indicators before and immediately after a basketball pre-game warm-up, and examine the individualized players' responses. The impact of rest intervals after warm-up (9-23 min) was also examined. A total of 20 male basketball players (age: 21.15 ± 2.2 years; body mass: 82.23 ± 10.78 kg; body height: 184.18 ± 7.9 cm) performed a pre-game warm-up and were assessed in selected indicators such as heart rate (HR), flexibility, running speed, and countermovement jump with arm swing (CMJAS) before, immediately after, 9 min and 23 min after warm-up. Immediately after warm-up, HR increased to all players (mean change: 69.78%), while flexibility (mean change: 20.14%) and CMJAS (mean change: 4.95%) increased to the majority of players (except one and two players, respectively). The individualized results regarding speed were conflicting, showing a decrease or increase. However, 9 and 23 min after warm-up, there was a decrease in HR, speed, and CMJAS (p < 0.5), while flexibility remained stable (p > 0.5) in the total sample, with great change variations among players. In conclusion, it seems that each player's individuality may affect the warm-up's efficiency. Thus, it is important to carefully design the pre-game warm-up so that all players will be in the most suitable condition to meet the demands of their competition.

Local passive heating administered during recovery impairs subsequent isokinetic knee extension exercise performance

BACKGROUND: Passive heating has attracted attention as a potentially promising recovery modality in sports. However, investigations of passive heating have yielded only inconsistent results for exercise performance. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the acute effects of local passive heating administered between repeated bouts of isokinetic exercise. METHODS: The experiment was a randomized crossover study. There was a total of three visits including a familiarization visit. During the remaining two visits, eleven healthy men performed three bouts of nine sets of isokinetic knee extensions using their dominant single-leg (30 repetitions/set, 180∘/sec). A 15 min recovery, during which a local passive heating pad at control (CON) or heating (HT) was applied to the rectus femoris, was afforded after the 3rd and 6th sets (Recovery 1 and 2). Isokinetic exercise performance, as assessed by peak torque, total work, and average power was analyzed using two-way repeated-measures ANOVA. RESULTS: Following Recovery 1 and 2, isokinetic exercise performance, as assessed by peak torque, total work, and average power was reduced in Set 4 (p< 0.001, p< 0.001, p= 0.080) and Set 7 (p< 0.001, p< 0.001, p= 0.009) in the HT group relative to the CON group. Electromyography analysis revealed that signal amplitude was lower in the HT group in Set 4 (p< 0.001) subsequent to Recovery 1, and that firing frequency was higher in Set 7 (p= 0.002) in the HT group after Recovery 2. Furthermore, EMG time-frequency maps from one representative participant showed that following Recovery 1 and 2 peak energy decreased during the first five repetitions in Set 4 and 7. CONCLUSIONS: Local passive heating administered during recovery decreased subsequent performance of isokinetic knee extensors, muscle activation ability and increased firing frequency maintaining force output. Therefore, local passive heating is not an appropriate acute recovery strategy for isokinetic exercises.

Development Status and Influencing Factors of Competitive Basketball Management System under the Background of Deep Learning

Competitive basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world. With the development of China's sports power strategy, the national movement has strengthened the status of basketball in sports. However, China's competitive basketball ranking is not high in the world, and the analysis of the reasons should start with the management system. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the development status and influencing factors of China's competitive basketball management system under the background of deep learning. For the background of deep learning, this paper describes the application of deep learning algorithms in basketball strategy. It adopts the expert interview method for the competitive basketball management system and elaborates in detail on five aspects: target mechanism, competition mechanism, selection mechanism, market mechanism, and incentive mechanism. The experimental results of the article believe that, based on the suggestions of 10 experts, the current Chinese competitive basketball selection mechanism is the most influential factor, with a weight of 16.1%, and the smallest impact is the level of athletes, accounting for 11.4%.

Impact of Warm-Up on Muscle Temperature and Athletic Performance

Purpose: We performed two studies to investigate: the minute-by-minute changes in muscle temperature following a 20-min warm-up routine (Study-1) and the impact of the typical post-warm-up period of inactivity on the performance of basketball athletes (Study-2). Method: In Study-1, 26 males (age: 23.6 ± 6.2 yr; BMI: 24.1 ± 3.1 kg/m²) performed a 20-min cycling warm-up and then rested for 20 min. Tibialis anterior muscle temperature was assessed throughout. In Study-2, six male professional basketball players (age: 24.9 ± 4.6 yr; BMI: 25.5 ± 1.8 kg/m²) performed a series of basketball performance tests after a 20-min warm-up, as well as 9-min and 23-min into a post-warm-up period of inactivity. Results: On average, muscle temperature increased by 0.1°C every minute during warm-up and dropped by the same amount every minute during inactivity. The increase during warm-up and the decrease during inactivity were higher at the start of each period. A 9-min inactivity period is accompanied by 3.8 ± 0.6% reduction in countermovement jump (p = .046). A 23-min inactivity period is accompanied by 7.3 ± 0.7% reduction in lay-up points (p = .027). Conclusion: These two studies show that a 20-min warm-up routine increases muscle temperature but this benefit is lost after a typical post-warm-up inactivity period in high-level basketball, leading to reductions in certain aspects of athletic performance.

Practitioner perceptions regarding the practices of soccer substitutes

Despite empirical observations suggesting that practitioners value the use of substitutions during soccer match-play, limited research has sought to substantiate such claims. This study used online surveys to assess the perceptions of practitioners within professional soccer about the use and practices of substitutes. Thirty-three practitioners completed one of two surveys (each requiring both open and closed questions to be answered), depending upon whether their primary role related mostly to tactical (‘tactical practitioners’; n = 7) or physical (‘physical practitioners’; n = 26) aspects of player/team management. Thematic content analysis of responses identified four higher-order themes: ‘impact of substitutions’, ‘planning and communication’, ‘player preparation and recovery’ and ‘regulations’. Eighty-five percent of practitioners believed that substitutes are important in determining success during soccer match-play, with the primary justification being the perceived ability of such players to provide a physical and/or tactical impact. However, contextual factors such as the match situation, timing of introduction, and players undergoing adequate pre-pitch-entry preparation, may be important for realising such aims. Although many practitioners believed that there was a need for substitutes to engage in bespoke non-match-day preparations and recovery strategies that differ from starting players, logistical considerations, such as scarcity of resources, often limit their scope. Notwithstanding, 96% of respondents indicated that substitutes frequently perform extra conditioning sessions to account for deficits in high-speed running loads compared with players exposed to a longer period of match-play. Substitutes’ pre-match warm-ups are typically led by team staff, however practitioners reported providing varying levels of input with regards to the practices adopted between kick-off and pitch-entry. Uncertainty exists as to the efficacy of current pre-pitch-entry practices, and 100% of practitioners highlighted ‘preparatory strategies’ as at least a ‘moderately important’ direction for future research. This study presents novel insights and highlights areas that are considered future research priorities amongst those working in the field.

Effects of Warm-Up, Post-Warm-Up, and Re-Warm-Up Strategies on Explosive Efforts in Team Sports: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

In team sports, it is imperative that the warm-up improves acute explosive performance. However, the exact strategies, methods, and consequences of different warm-up practices remain unclear. A time delay between the warm-up and match and during half-time could negate the positive metabolic effects of the warm-up.

OBJECTIVES

We conducted a systematic review to synthesize and analyze the potential effects of strategies during a warm-up (before match), post-warm-up (time between the end of warm-up and the start of a match), and re-warm-up (half-time break within a match) on explosive performance in team sports. Furthermore, we examined optimal warm-up strategies based on the included studies.

METHODS

We performed a search of four databases (Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and ScienceDirect) for original research articles published between January 1981 and August 2017. A total of 30 articles met the inclusion criteria, and the Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to assess the risk of bias. The results of the included studies were recalculated to determine effect sizes using Cohen's d.

RESULTS

A warm-up comprising 8 sets of 60-m sprints (- 2.19%, d = 1.20) improved sprint performance. Additionally, 7 min of dynamic exercises after 5 min of jogging improved sprint (- 7.69%, d = 1.72), jumping (8.61%, d = 0.61), and agility performance (- 6.65%, d = 1.40). The use of small-sided games also seems to be a valid strategy, especially for jumping performance (6%, d = 0.8). These benefits resulted from the warm-up strategies combined with some passive rest (between 2 and 10 min) before the main performance. In this post-warm-up period, the use of heated garments could result in better outcomes than simple rest (- 0.89%, d = 0.39). However, if the transition was longer than 15 min, before entering the match, performing a re-warm-up with short-term explosive tasks to reactivate was the most effective approach (- 1.97%, d = - 0.86). At half-time, heated garments maintained better sprint (- 1.45%, d = 2.21) and jumping performance (3.13%, d = 1.62).

CONCLUSION

Applying properly structured strategies in the warm-up and avoiding a long rest in the post-warm-up improves explosive performance. Studies tend to recommend a short active warm-up strategy (10-15 min), gradually increasing intensity (~ 50-90% of maximum heart rate), and the use of heated garments soon after the warm-up to maintain muscle temperature. However, 2 min of active re-warm-up with short-term sprints and jumps should be needed for transitions longer than 15 min (~ 90% of maximum heart rate). Last, at the half-time re-warm-up, combining heated garments to maintain muscle temperature and performing an active strategy, with explosive tasks or small-sided games for 5 min before re-entering the game, resulted in better explosive performance than 15 min of resting.

Shaq is not Alone: Free-Throws in the Final Moments of a Basketball Game

It has been previously observed that basketball free-throw (FT) shooting efficiency decreases towards the end of the game. The aim of the current study was to explore possible determinants for this distinctive pattern during close games (point differential of equal or under 2 points during the final minute of the game). A sample of shots attempted by 92 players in the Spanish professional basketball league (ACB) was collected. Several personal (age, experience, playing position and career FT percentage) and contextual (team ability, competition stage, game location, seconds remaining and score differential) variables were considered for the analysis of the data. The effects of the predictor variables on the players' performance were analyzed according to two game contexts (FT attempted during the final minute or the last pair of FTs) using binomial logistic regression analysis. The results showed that during the final minute the only statistically significant variable was being in the center playing position (OR = 1.58), which decreased the FT shooting percentage compared to forwards and guards. In addition, the results during the last pair of FTs showed that the playing position of guards (OR = 1.70) and centers (OR = 2.22) was significant (a decrease in their FT percentage). Conversely, the score differential when tied (OR = -1.17) or losing (OR = -2.43) was significant, reflecting a lower probability of missing the shot. The results were interpreted and discussed from the viewpoints of crisis theory and the literature on choking in athletic performance.