Evaluation of different jumping tests in defining position-specific and performance-level differences in high level basketball players

Abstract

The importance of jumping ability in basketball is well known, but there is an evident lack of studies that have examined different jumping testing protocols in basketball players at advanced levels. The aim of this study was to assess the applicability of different tests of jumping capacity in identifying differences between (i) playing position and (ii) competitive levels of professional players. Participants were 110 male professional basketball players (height: 194.92±8.09 cm; body mass: 89.33±10.91 kg; 21.58±3.92 years of age; Guards, 49; Forwards, 22; Centres, 39) who competed in the first (n = 58) and second division (n = 52). The variables included anthropometrics and jumping test performance. Jumping performances were evaluated by the standing broad jump (SBJ), countermovement jump (CMJ), reactive strength index (RSI), repeated reactive strength ability (RRSA) and four running vertical jumps: maximal jump with (i) take-off from the dominant leg and (ii) non-dominant leg, lay-up shot jump with take-off from the (iii) dominant leg and (iv) non-dominant leg. First-division players were taller (ES: 0.76, 95%CI: 0.35-1.16, moderate differences), heavier (0.69, 0.29-1.10), had higher maximal reach height (0.67, 0.26-1.07, moderate differences), and had lower body fat % (-0.87, -1.27-0.45, moderate differences) than second-division players. The playing positions differed significantly in three of four running jump achievements, RSI and RRSA, with Centres being least successful. The first-division players were superior to second-division players in SBJ (0.63, 0.23-1.03; 0.87, 0.26-1.43; 0.76, 0.11-1.63, all moderate differences, for total sample, Guards, and Forwards, respectively). Running vertical jumps and repeated jumping capacity can be used as valid measures of position-specific jumping ability in basketball. The differences between playing levels in vertical jumping achievement can be observed by assessing vertical jump scores together with differences in anthropometric indices between levels.

Position-related somatotype of elite female handball players

“…Somatotypology aims at classifying athletes into several somatotypes (endomorph, ectomorph and mesomorph) for the purpose of selecting athletes for certain sports. Some studies indicate that the endomorph somatotype is not suitable for basketball (22), whereas other studies confirm that the ectomorph type has predispositions for those sports. Ectomorphs are tallish and characterized by relatively longer bones, which makes them suitable for sports which require tall players (high jump, basketball, volleyball, etc.).…”

Relationship between musculoskeletal state and vertical jump ability of young basketball players

“…Jumping ability of male youth basketball players tested in this study demonstrated lower mean values of the SJ 28.9 ±5.4 (cm) and CMJ 34.4 ±6.2 (cm) than reported by Köklü et al (2011) among Turkish first (SJ (cm) 37.8 ±5.7; CMJ (cm) 40.6 ±4.7) and second (SJ (cm) 34.7 ±5.7; CMJ (cm) 36.0 ±5) division professional basketball players. Even higher performance of CMJ (cm) 45.5 ±5.6 has been shown among professionallevel male basketball players from Bosnia and Herzegovina (Pehar et al, 2017). A study presented by Schiltz et al (2009) concerning the height of the CMJ did not reveal significant differences between groups of professional basketball players 40.5 ±5.7 (cm) and juniors 41.8 ±5.8 (cm).…”

“…Köklü, et al (2011) observed selection of physical fitness characteristics of Turkish professional basketball players and found, among others, that the height of the Squat jump (SJ) was 36.2 ± 5.5 cm and CMJ 38.3 ± 5.3 cm. Along with other indicators Pehar et al (2017) has examined jumping performance of professional-level male basketball players from Bosnia and Herzegovina and found that the height of the CMJ was 45.5 ±5.6 cm on average. In both studies jump tests were performed keeping their hands on their hips.…”

Body Composition Characteristics Measured By Multichannel Bioimpedance In Young Female Basketball Players: Relation With Match Performance

“…The dominant characteristic for success in basketball is the longitudinal dimension of the skeleton, followed by the transversal dimension of the skeleton and body mass. In view of the specific structure of basketball, subcutaneous fat tissue appears strongly as a negative feature, that is, a factor that distorts the competitive activity of female and male basketball players (Ziv & Lidor;Pehar et al, 2017;Garcia-Gil et al;Ramos et al, 2018).…”