Baltic Journal of Sport and Health Sciences (Oct 2018)
Aerobic Training does Not Improve Competitive Performance in Young Elite Basketball Players
Abstract
Research background and hypothesis. While for some authors team sport players should have a high VO 2 max, we hypothesize that there exist a non-linear relationship between VO 2 max and basketball performance. Research aims. Research aims were to study the correlation between basketball performance and VO 2 max in young elite basketball players and the effects of VO 2 max training on performance. Research methods. In the fi rst study, 67 high-level young basketball players performed a shuttle-run test (SRT) to measure their VO 2 max. Competition performance assessed through statistics ratings of 5 matches was determined for all players. The correlation between VO 2 max and performance was calculated. In the second study, the VO 2 max and the competition performance of 34 high-level young male players was assessed as in the fi rst study. The sample was divided into control and experimental groups, which trained their VO 2 max. At the end of the training period all participants repeated the SRT. The results of 4 games played before the fi rst test and 4 games played after the second test (against the same opponents) were compared in both groups. Research results. In the fi rst study we found a correlation of VO 2 max with steals in both groups. In the second study, the experimental group increased their VO 2 max and steals per game, but they decreased free throw per game and free throw percentage. Discussion and conclusions. No correlation was found between VO 2 max and competitive performance in this study, and increased VO 2 max had no effect on most of the studied variables. The data therefore suggest a non-linear relationship between VO 2 max and basketball performance. Keywords: aerobic capacity, basketball performance, non-linear relationship.