Effects of plyometric training on physical parameters in young female basketball players

This study examines the effect of plyometric training on physical parameters in young female basketball players. It included 24 young female basketball players from the national league before the 2022-2023 season and randomly divided them into a plyometric group (PG, n = 12) and an active control group (ACG, n = 12). Every athlete has 6-8 years of basketball history. 20m speed, agility, CMJ, SQJ, and repeated sprint ability tests were applied to female basketball players before the 6-week experimental period started. The plyometric exercise program was applied to PG and basketball technical training 3 days a week for 6 weeks. ACG, on the other hand, only continued basketball training. The athletes ' structural features and motoric performances were determined before and after the exercises. SPSS 26.0 (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL, USA) statistical program was used to analyze the data. The paired t-test was used to compare the intra-group pre-test and post-test results of the plyometric and control groups, and the independent sample t-test was used to compare groups. As a result of the analysis, 6-week plyometric training had a statistically positive effect on the pretest-posttest difference scores; while no difference was found in the PG and ACG pre-test findings, it was determined that PG showed more improvement in the 20m speed, agility, CMJ and repeated sprint ability test worst time, total time and fatigue index values than the control group in the post-test comparison. As a result, plyometric training drills applied at the right time and intensity by adding them to basketball training contribute significantly to developing motoric features of young basketball players.