The purpose of this study was to evaluate the speed, agility, and explosive strength performance of elite basketball players over an 8-week plyometric training program. Fifteen elite male college basketball players in Taiwan (average age 22.16 ± 0.85 years old) were publicly recruited. All participants received 24 plyometric training courses three times per week for 8 weeks, and the courses were implemented pre- and post-test. The speed and agility test items were divided into a 20 m sprint and a T-shaped run. In the explosive strength test, a force plate was used to measure countermovement jump to understand the pre- and post-test differences in all the test indicators, including the rate of force development, time of the rate of force development, ground reaction forces for the moment of jumping, duration of passage, and jump height. It was found that, after the participants underwent the plyometric training program, the body mass index and body fat percentage were significantly reduced, the skeletal muscle mass was significantly increased, and the post-test scores for speed and agility improved significantly. All the participants exhibited a steeper gradient for the rate of force development (r = −0.816~−0.963) and a shorter time for the rate of force development (0.107~0.232 s). The ground reaction forces reached 1509.61~2387.11 Newtons. The duration of passage reached 0.643 s, and the jump height reached 0.624 m. The conclusion was that the plyometric training program can increase muscle volume in the lower limbs and legs, increase the rate of force development, and shorten the jumping time, thereby enhancing explosive strength.

Introduction: Exercise intervention is the easiest and most effective way to promote human health. This study combined technology and exercise to improve the health behavior of the older adults through a physical activity intervention and to enhance a health-promoting lifestyle. Materials and methods: A quasi-experimental research method was used to openly recruit 120 healthy male and female older adults over 65 years old (average age of males: 71.6 ± 1.25 years; average age of females: 72.3 ± 1.28 years), all of whom wore smart bracelets. The participants were monitored by special personnel during the same period of walking every Monday to Friday. All participants recorded their daily steps, distance walked, and calorie consumption data for a period of 8 weeks. Results: After 8 weeks of walking, all participants showed a positive medium–high correlation of various factors between healthy behaviors and the health-promoting lifestyle scales. In the post-tests of each factor of two scales, males had the highest correlation between regular physical activity and physical activity, and females had the highest correlation between regular physical activity and social support. The variabilities in the explanatory power of the health behaviors of males and females on the health-promoting lifestyle were R² = 70.9% (p < 0.01) and R² = 74.1% (p < 0.01), indicating that the variables of healthy behaviors have a positive effect on health-promoting lifestyles in male and female older adults. Conclusions: Walking interventions positively affect the health behaviors of older adults and encourage health-promoting lifestyles. The value of this study is in its contribution to health promotion and public health recommendations for older adults.

The purpose of this study was to understand the effect of intervention in the form of physical activity and social support while co-exercising to promote a health-promoting lifestyle in older adults. This study openly recruited 60 healthy male older adults, all of whom wore a wrist-worn Garmin device walker. Experimental group A was monitored by a special person and walked together as a group, experimental group B walked independently outdoors, and the control group went about their daily routine as normal. All participants recorded daily steps and calorie consumption data for eight weeks. The results of the study showed that when walking together in experimental group A, the number of daily walks and calories consumed could be maintained at a high level due to the effect of group and social support. The number of daily walks in experimental group B was inconsistent due to the lack of motivation to walk on their own. The control group consumed the lowest number of calories in their daily routine. The results show that physical activity and social support have positive explanatory power for a health-promoting lifestyle. Finally, physical activity in older adults should be promoted, and social support for interaction with peers can effectively promote a healthy lifestyle and respond to the arrival of the super-aged society in advance.

Recent studies have shown that lower-limb plyometric training can effectively enhance muscle strength and explosiveness, which are particularly important for improving jumping ability. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of plyometric training on vertical, lateral, and horizontal jumping abilities, and their subsequent impact on basketball shooting performance and sports injury prevention. A quasi-experimental design was used, recruiting 30 male college-level basketball players from Taiwan, who were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 15) and a control group (n = 15). Both groups participated in 2 h of basketball training daily, while the experimental group additionally engaged in plyometric training twice a week. The results revealed significant improvements in the experimental group in several key areas, including rate of force development (RFD), ground reaction force (GRF), jump height, jump distance, and both horizontal and vertical forces, across vertical, lateral, and horizontal jumps. Specifically, vertical jumps required the highest ground reaction force, followed by lateral jumps, with horizontal (step-back) jumps requiring the least. The optimal angles for the resultant force during take-off were found to be between 66.1° and 66.8° for lateral jumps, and between 56.2° and 57.2° for step-back jumps, while vertical jumps did not show significant variation in take-off angle. In terms of basketball performance, the experimental group demonstrated significantly better post-test results in all three types of jump shots, with the highest accuracy observed in the vertical jump shot, followed by the lateral jump shot, and the lowest in the step-back jump shot. Furthermore, the experimental group experienced a substantial reduction in sports injury rates, with the injury rate decreasing to 6%. These findings indicate that plyometric training not only enhances jumping performance, but also contributes to injury prevention by strengthening lower-limb muscles. This study provides a theoretical basis for coaches to develop comprehensive training programs that improve athletic performance and reduce injury risk.

This study aimed to conduct a kinetic analysis of the lateral and vertical jumps of elite male basketball players through a 12-week axial stability training program to improve sports performance. Thirty elite Taiwanese male basketball players were openly recruited and divided into experimental groups and control groups. The experimental group conducted the test twice a week, a 12-week (24-session) axial stability training program intervention in total, and the control group only received general basketball training. A double-track force plate was used to measure lateral and vertical jumps in order to understand their dynamic parameters. Finally, a difference analysis between the post-test of lateral and vertical jumps was conducted. The results show that the axial stability training program affected the activation of the abdominal and lower limb extensor muscles and had a stabilizing effect on the muscles of the experimental group. When the participants conducted a lateral jump, they were able to stand firm within 1 s and take off instantly. The θ value of the T-PRF ranged from 60.7° to 68.6°. The post-test of the participants’ vertical jump showed that the kurtosis of the RFD was steeper, the time required for the RFD was shorter, the GRF and the duration of passage increased, and the experimental group was better than the control group in all post-tests. By comparing the two types of jumps, it was found that they had the vertical force in common. The main differences were in the reaction force of the leg strength, the jump distance and height, and the take-off angle.

The purpose of this study was to understand the effects of a physical activity program and high-protein supplementation on body composition and upper and lower extremity muscle strength in male older adults in rural areas. In this study, 60 healthy male older adults (mean age 77.5 ± 4.6 years) from rural areas were recruited and randomly assigned to experimental group A (intervention of the physical activity program and high-protein supplementation), experimental group B (daily routine, with only intervention of high-protein supplementation), or control group C (daily routine). Experimental group A (EGa) carried out a physical activity plan three times a week, with an exercise intensity and calorie consumption of 250 kcal (5METs × ⅔hr × 75) for 3 months and drank a high-protein supplement (1.3 g/kg BW/day) after each exercise; experimental group B (EGb) followed only the intervention of high-protein supplementation. All the participants underwent pre- and post-tests for body composition, waist–hip circumference (WC, HC), handgrip strength (HS), 30 s dominant arm curl, 30 s sit to stand, and 2 min step tests. The results of the study showed that EGa significantly decreased body mass index (BMI), body fat mass (BFM), body fat percentage (BFP), WC, HC, and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and increased basal metabolic rate and muscle mass. Although both EGa and EGb used high-protein supplementation, EGa’s added three-month intervention of a physical activity program made it easier for that group to increase muscle mass and muscle strength. The WHR decreased from 1.015 to 0.931, representing a decrease of 8.28%, and an obvious weight loss effect was achieved. Thus, we concluded that the best way to maintain muscle strength in older adults is through physical activity with resistance and protein supplementation, which can reduce muscle loss in older adults.