Investigation of the effect of Kettlebell exercises on shooting performance in basketball players

Objective: To develop alternative and effective training methods to help athletes achieve the desired athletic performance. This study aimed to examine the development of strength, speed, and technical parameters in basketball players through Kettlebell exercises. Material and Method: Sixteen male basketball players participated in the study. The players were randomly divided into two different groups: the experimental group (n=8) and the control group (n=8). The experimental group underwent a training process consisting of 16 sessions (8 weeks x 2 days). Overall body composition measurements, leg-back strength, grip strength, push strength, vertical jump, flexibility, 5-10-20 meter sprint, Illinois agility test, Knox dribbling test, and 2-3-point zigzag shooting test values were assessed before and after the training sessions. Matched-pairs t-tests were employed for paired sample comparisons, and independent samples t-tests were used for comparing the two groups. Results: No significant differences were found between the groups in overall body composition measurements and any test performance values before the training sessions (p>0.05). When comparing the pre-test and post-test performance results, statistically significant improvements were observed in favor of the experimental group in all sprint and agility performances, as well as strength and jumping performances (p>0.05). Additionally, as a result of the applied training, positive development was observed in the experimental group in terms of the 2-point and 3-point zig-zag shooting accuracy rates. Conclusion: Implementing Kettlebell exercises as a supplement to general basketball training is believed to assist athletes in strength, speed, agility, and technical aspects of basketball.