The sport of basketball exposes athletes to frequent high intensity movements including sprinting, jumping, accelerations, decelerations and changes of direction during training and competition which can lead to acute and accumulated chronic fatigue. Fatigue may affect the ability of the athlete to perform over the course of a lengthy season. The ability of practitioners to quantify the workload and subsequent fatigue in basketball athletes in order to monitor and manage fatigue levels may be beneficial in maintaining high levels of performance and preventing unfavorable physical and physiological training adaptations. There is currently limited research quantifying training or competition workload outside of time motion analysis in basketball. In addition, systematic research investigating methods to monitor and manage athlete fatigue in basketball throughout a season is scarce. To effectively optimize and maintain peak training and playing performance throughout a basketball season, potential workload and fatigue monitoring strategies need to be discussed.

This study aimed to investigate the influence of chronological age and maturation status on sprint acceleration characteristics in junior Australian football (AF) players. Biological maturity of 109 subjects was assessed and subjects were grouped according to predicted years from peak height velocity (PHV) (pre-, mid-, and post-PHV) and chronological age (13 years, 14 years, and 15 years). A one-way multivariate analysis of variance and magnitude-based decisions were used to determine between-group differences. Instantaneous velocity was measured during two maximal 30m sprints via radar gun with the velocity-time data used to derive the force, velocity, and power characteristics. Chronologically, the greatest differences were observed between the 13 and 14 year old groups with the latter group producing likely greater relative maximum power (P_max) (ES[effect size]=0.44) and theoretical maximal velocity (V₀) (ES=0.49). The post-PHV group likely demonstrated a greater ability to apply force at faster velocity (V₀; ES=0.59) and orient the force in a horizontal direction (D_rf%; ES=-0.49) than the mid-PHV group. No differences in relative theoretical maximal force (F₀) were observed between groups. Considering the findings, practitioners should aim to improve relative lower limb strength through heavy sled push or sled pulls and traditional strength training exercises to improve relative F₀.

Edwards, T, Banyard, HG, Piggott, B, Haff, GG, and Joyce, C. The reliability and minimal detectable change of sprint times and force-velocity-power characteristics. J Strength Cond Res 36(1): 268–272, 2022—Research has not yet provided critical information for practitioners to determine the minimal detectable change (MDC) in sprint times or force-velocity-power characteristics. Therefore, the aim of this study was to establish the interday reliability and MDC of sprint times and sprint force-velocity-power characteristics in junior Australian football (AF) players. Seventeen players were assessed using a radar device that recorded instantaneous velocity during 3 maximal 30-m sprint accelerations performed on 2 nonconsecutive days. Sprint force, velocity, and power characteristics were derived through inverse dynamics applied to the raw velocity-time data. Relative and absolute reliability was determined by calculating the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), coefficient of variation (CV), and MDC. Data analysis was assessed for (a) the first trial, (b) the best trial (the fastest 30-m split time), (c) the average of the first 2 trials, and (d) the average of all 3 trials from each testing session. The main findings were (a) absolute theoretical maximum force (F0), theoretical maximal velocity (V0), absolute and relative maximum power (Pmax), maximum ratio of force (RFmax), maximum velocity (Vmax), and all sprint distance times (5–30 m) displayed acceptable reliability (CV < 10% and ICC >0.75) and 2) the average of 2 and 3 trials was the best method of establishing reliable sprint times and force-velocity-power characteristics between sessions. This study provides important information for practitioners to determine the MDC in sprint times and force-velocity-power characteristics that allow coaches to identify true changes in performance.

Edwards, T, Piggott, B, Banyard, HG, Haff, GG, and Joyce, C. The effect of a heavy resisted sled-pull mesocycle on sprint performance in junior Australian football players. J Strength Cond Res 37(2): 388–393, 2023—This study assessed the effect of heavy resisted sled-pull training on sprint times and force, velocity, and power characteristics in junior Australian football players. Twenty-six athletes completed a 6-week resisted sled-pull training intervention which included 10 training sessions and 1-week taper. Instantaneous velocity during 2 maximal 30 m sprints was recorded 1 week before and 1 week after the intervention with a radar gun. Velocity-time data were used to derive sprint performance and force, velocity, and power characteristics. A paired t-test assessed the within-group differences between preintervention and postintervention testing. Statistical significance was accepted at p ≤ 0.05. Hedges' g effect sizes (ESs) were used to determine the magnitude of change in dependent variables. Maximum velocity (ES = 1.33) and sprint times at all distances (ES range 0.80–1.41) significantly improved after heavy resisted sled-pull training. This was reflected in sprint force, velocity, and power characteristics with significant improvements in relative theoretical force (ES = 0.63), theoretical velocity (ES = 0.99), relative maximum power (ES = 1.04), and ratio of horizontal to vertical force (ES = 0.99). Despite the multifactorial nature of training and competing physical demands associated with preseason training, these findings imply that a short, resisted sled-pull training mesocycle may improve sprint performance and underlying force, velocity, and power characteristics in junior athletes.