Effects of a Six-Week Change-of-Direction Repeated Sprint Training Program on Explosive Power and Agility in Youth Basketball Players

Overview

This randomized controlled study investigated the effects of a six-week change-of-direction repeated sprint training program on lower-limb explosive power and agility in youth basketball players. Repeated sprint ability and rapid changes of direction are essential physical performance components in basketball, as the sport requires frequent accelerations, decelerations, and multidirectional movements during gameplay. Participants were randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group. The experimental group performed a structured change-of-direction repeated sprint training program in addition to their regular basketball training, while the control group continued their usual basketball training routines without the additional intervention. The training intervention lasted six weeks. Before and after the intervention period, participants completed a series of performance tests designed to evaluate lower-limb explosive power and agility. These assessments allowed researchers to determine whether the additional sprint training program produced improvements beyond those achieved through routine basketball training. The findings of this study aim to provide evidence regarding the effectiveness of change-of-direction repeated sprint training as a practical conditioning strategy for improving physical performance in youth basketball players.

Basketball is characterized by intermittent high-intensity actions such as sprinting, jumping, rapid accelerations, decelerations, and frequent changes of direction. These movement patterns place considerable demands on athletes' explosive power and agility. Therefore, training methods designed to improve repeated sprint ability and multidirectional speed are considered important components of basketball conditioning programs. Change-of-direction repeated sprint training combines short-distance sprinting with rapid directional changes, simulating the movement demands commonly observed during basketball competition. Despite the practical relevance of this training approach, limited experimental evidence exists regarding its effects on lower-limb explosive power and agility in youth basketball players. The purpose of this randomized controlled trial was to examine the effects of a six-week change-of-direction repeated sprint training program on physical performance parameters in youth basketball players. Participants were randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group. Both groups continued their regular basketball training programs, while the experimental group additionally performed a structured repeated sprint training program incorporating directional changes. Performance assessments were conducted before and after the intervention period to evaluate lower-limb explosive power and agility. These assessments enabled the comparison of pre- and post-intervention performance changes between groups. The results of this study are expected to contribute to the development of evidence-based training strategies for improving physical performance in youth basketball athletes.