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Completed

NCT Number: NCT07339436

Lower Body Plyometric Training Effects on Upper Body in Basketball Players

The present study investigates effect of lower body plyometric training on upper body performance, muscle size, hormonal factors, and neuromuscular activity in male basketball players, with a focus on vertical strength transfer (VST). In this semi-experimental study, 50 male basketball players (aged 16-18 years, with at least 2 years of experience) were randomly divided into three groups: combined lower-upper body plyometric training (LUBPT), upper body training (UBPT), and control (CON). The 8-week training program, 3 sessions per week, included hurdle jumps, depth jumps, and dynamic push-ups. Assessments included serum levels of growth hormone and testosterone, muscle thickness (elastography), muscle electrical activity (EMG), and sports performance (overhead medicine ball throw, Sargent jump, long jump) in pre- and post-tests.

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Key information

Conditions

Basketball Performance

Age range

16 year–18 year

Sex eligibility

Male

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Birjand

Birjand, South Khorasan Province, 9717434765, Iran

About this study

This semi-experimental study was conducted to investigate the effects of an 8-week lower body plyometric training program on neuromuscular adaptations, hormonal factors, functional performance, and upper body muscle thickness in male basketball players, with a focus on vertical strength transfer (VST).

Fifty male basketball players aged 16-18 years with at least 2 years of competitive experience were recruited and randomly allocated into three groups: Combined Lower-Upper Body Plyometric Training (LUBPT, n=17), Upper Body Plyometric Training only (UBPT, n=18), and Control (CON, n=15). The control group continued regular basketball training without additional plyometric exercises.

The intervention lasted 8 weeks with 3 sessions per week. The plyometric program consisted of lower body exercises (hurdle jumps at 40-60 cm height and depth jumps from a 40 cm box) and upper body exercises (dynamic push-ups). Training volume and intensity progressed gradually over the 8 weeks (sessions 1-8: 2-3 sets of 8-10 repetitions; sessions 9-16: 3-4 sets of 10-12 repetitions; sessions 17-24: 4 sets of 12-15 repetitions), with 60-90 seconds rest between sets and 3 minutes between exercises.

Pre- and post-intervention assessments included:

  • Serum levels of growth hormone and testosterone (blood samples taken in fasting state).
  • Upper body muscle thickness (biceps brachii and pectoralis major) measured using ultrasound elastography.
  • Neuromuscular activity (root mean square, RMS) of anterior brachii, pectoralis major, quadriceps femoris, rectus abdominis, and triceps brachii muscles using surface electromyography (EMG) during standardized movements.
  • Functional performance tests: overhead medicine ball throw, Sargent vertical jump (height and power), and standing long jump.

All measurements were performed 48-72 hours before the start of training and 48-72 hours after the final training session. Statistical analysis was conducted using ANOVA with significance set at p < 0.05.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Male basketball players with at least 2 years experience

Exclusion criteria

  • injury

Treatment and study plan

Plyometric Training

Behavioral

8-week plyometric training program, 3 sessions per week. Lower body exercises: hurdle jumps (40-60 cm) and depth jumps (from 40 cm box). Upper body exercises: dynamic push-ups. Progression: increasing sets (2-4) and repetitions (8-15) over 8 weeks. Rest: 60-90 seconds between sets, 3 minutes between exercises. Administered in addition to regular basketball training.

Primary outcomes

  1. Overhead medicine ball throw

    Time frame: Baseline and after 8 weeks

    Participants stood with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a 2 kg medicine ball at the abdomen with both hands, then brought the ball behind the head with slight knee bend, and performed an explosive and strong throw forward with full force. The distance was measured with a tape measure and considered as overhead medicine ball throw performance [22]. In the above test, electrical activity of pectoralis major, rectus abdominis, quadriceps femoris, Anterior Brachii, and triceps brachii muscles was recorded.

  2. Overhead medicine ball throw

    Time frame: pre and post intervention

    Participants stood with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a 2 kg medicine ball at the abdomen with both hands, then brought the ball behind the head with slight knee bend, and performed an explosive and strong throw forward with full force. The distance was measured with a tape measure and considered as overhead medicine ball throw performance [22]. In the above test, electrical activity of pectoralis major, rectus abdominis, quadriceps femoris, Anterior Brachii, and triceps brachii muscles was recorded.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Growth hormone

    Time frame: Baseline and after 8 weeks

    For blood sampling, participants were asked to avoid sports activity for at least 48 hours before the test and attend the laboratory between 8-9 AM after 12 hours of fasting. Blood was drawn in a sitting position from the antecubital vein of volunteers in 6 ml amounts by a laboratory expert and collected in test tubes. Then, it was centrifuged for 10 minutes at 5000 rpm, and the separated serum was transferred to microtubes and stored in a -20°C freezer for analysis. Post-test blood sampling was the same as pre-test and 48 hours after the last training session. The highly accurate electrochemiluminescence (ECLIA) method and Siemens IMMULITE 2000 XPi Immunoassay System device with Siemens-specific kits with 0.0001 mIU/L accuracy were used to examine changes in growth hormone and testosterone levels of participants

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Birjand University of Medical Sciences

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Effect of Lower Body Plyometric Training on Neuromuscular Adaptations, Hormonal Factors, Functional Performance, and Upper Body Muscle Thickness in Basketball Players

Acronym: LBPT-VST

Important dates

Study start
2024
Primary completion
2024
Study completion
2025
First posted
Jan 14, 2026
Registry last updated
Jan 14, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

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This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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