Correlation between explosive strength, aerobic power and repeated sprint ability in elite basketball players

AIM

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between explosive strength and aerobic power with basketball-specific repeated sprint ability in elite male basketball players.

METHODS

Twenty-four elite basketball players (age 22.2±3.4 years, height 197.1±6.2 cm, weight 95.7±8.8 kg; training experience 11.0±3.1 years; mean±SD), participated in the study. Subjects performed countermovement jump (CMJ) test and incremental pseudo-ramp test protocol with measured CMJ height and VO2max, respectively. Specific repeated sprint ability (RSA) test was conducted, with total sprinting time (summation of 10 sprint times - RSAtot) and sprint decrement (fatigue index - RSAFI) calculated.

RESULTS

Significant decrements in sprint performance from the eight 30-m sprint (P<0.05) were observed. Strong inverse correlation was found between CMJ and RSAtot (r=-0.74, P<0.01). No significant correlation was found between VO2max and RSA outcomes neither between CMJ and RSAFI.

CONCLUSION

CMJ is a predictor of RSA in elite basketball players. It seems that coaches and strength and conditioning professionals should devote additional time for explosive strength development in elite basketball players during preparatory period to enhance RSA performance.

High aerobic fitness is associated with lower total and regional adiposity in 12-year-old overweight boys

AIM

The objective of the present study was to determine relationship between aerobic (cardiovascular) fitness and body composition in both non-overweight and overweight 12-year-old school boys.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted in a random sample of 10 elementary schools. The study participants were a 170 healthy fifth-grade elementary school boys aged 11.9±0.4 years. Anthropometric data (height, body mass, waist circumference, abdominal skinfold thickness) were collected according to standard procedure. Total body fat and muscle mass percentage were assessed by bioimpedance analysis. Body Mass Index (BMI) age-specific cutoff points were used for overweight definition and boys were placed in two groups overweight and non-overweight. Aerobic fitness (VO2max) was assessed with the multistage shuttle-run fitness test. Boys were grouped into high (upper two quintiles) and low (lower two quintiles) aerobic fitness based on age distribution.

RESULTS

Waist circumference, abdominal skinfold thickness and total body fat were lower while muscle mass percentage was higher in overweight boys with high aerobic fitness in comparison with boys at the same BMI category with low fitness level (P<0.05). Aerobic fitness was inversely correlated with body fat in the whole group of subjects (r=-0,57, P<0.05), with particularly high correlation between VO2max and muscle mass in overweight boys (r=0.68, P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Indicators of local and total adiposity were lower in boys with high aerobic fitness. It seems that high aerobic fitness has is positively associated with body composition in overweight boys.