Seasonal progression and variability of repeat-effort line-drill performance in elite junior basketball players

Abstract

To determine gender differences, positional differences, and patterns of change in the performance of the basketball line-drill test, 93 male (mean age 16.8 years, s = 1.1) and 95 female (mean age 16.5 years, s = 1.0) basketball players undertook 516 line-drill tests over a 5-year period. Log-transformed performance times were analysed using a mixed model that included quadratic within-participant fixed effects for time in the season and time in the programme. Changes and differences were standardized for interpretation of magnitudes. Mean performance times were 28.0 s (s = 1.3) for males and 30.4 s (s = 1.3) for females. The mean pattern of change in performance within a season differed substantially between the sexes and playing positions: male guards and female centres showed moderate to very large improvements mid-season of 1.1% and 3.5% respectively (90% confidence limits +/-2.1% and +/-3.0%), while female guards and male forwards showed large to very large decrements of -1.6% (+/-2.6%) and -2.4% (+/-2.0%). Over 3 years, males improved performance across all three playing positions by 1.4% (+/-1.3%) and females by 2.9% (+/-1.4%). Males improved performance by 0.2% (+/-0.5%) per year, whereas the performance of females deteriorated by 0.6% (+/-0.4%) per year. The differing patterns of performance change presumably reflect variations in training and competition loads, with short-term fluctuations in performance being managed to promote longer-term improvements.

Performance and Muscle Architecture Comparisons Between Starters and Nonstarters in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Women's Soccer

“…The main findings of this study indicate that athletes, regardless of playing time, are able to maintain power and anaerobic running performance throughout the season. These results support previous studies by Magal et al (29) who also reported that soccer players were able to maintain power performance during a competitive season and others who reported that LD performance is maintained throughout a competitive season in basketball players (17,32).…”

“…The line drill (LD) has been often used to measure for anaerobic capacity and is often used to indicate anaerobic fitness (11,20). Although the LD has been used extensively with basketball players (11,20,32), it is also employed in American football (21) and soccer (43). Although the use of performance tests like the LD and vertical jump are well established, recent technological advances have allowed for a greater sensitivity to assess performance change, physiological adaptation, or perhaps maladaptation during the competitive season.…”

Age-related variation of anaerobic power after controlling for size and maturation in adolescent basketball players

“…In contrast, cross-sectional studies detailing the physiological characteristics of young basketball athletes are rather limited, in particular studies of all out performances (Hoare 2000;Castagna et al 2008;Montgomery et al 2008;Coelho e Silva et al 2008;Carvalho et al 2011b). The studies generally include the age range typically associated with talent identification and sportspecific intensive training programmes, , 14 -16 years (Coelho e Silva et al 2008;Carvalho et al 2011a), but information on maturity status and effects is lacking, with few exceptions.…”

Longitudinal Changes of Functional Capacities Among Adolescent Female Basketball Players

“…Available data considering functional capacities in young basketball players is mainly based on male players (Montgomery et al, 2008; Carvalho et al, 2011a,b,c; Sisic et al, 2016; Torres-Unda et al, 2016). Although there is an increasing number of female young athletes involved in intensive training programs and high level competitions, available knowledge concerning the functional capacities of young female basketball players remains scarce (Mcmanus and Armstrong, 2011).…”