Effect of Player Role and Competition Level on Player Demands in Basketball.

Jodie Palmer,Rodrigo Bini,Daniel Wundersitz,Michael Kingsley

doi:10.3390/sports9030038

Abstract

This study compared basketball training and match demands between player roles (starters, in-rotation bench players, out-rotation bench players) and between competition levels (semi-professional, professional). Thirty-seven players from one professional women’s team, one semi-professional women’s team, and one semi-professional men’s team wore accelerometers during training and matches throughout a competitive season. All teams were used for player role comparisons and the women’s teams were used to compare competition levels. Match and training session average intensity and volume, and durations of relative exercise intensities (inactive, light, moderate-vigorous, maximal, supramaximal) were calculated. Compared to out-rotation bench players, starters experienced twice the average match intensity and volume, spent 50% less match time being inactive, and spent 1.7–4.2× more match time in all other activity categories (p < 0.01). Compared to in-rotation bench players, starters experienced 1.2× greater average match intensity and volume, spent 17% less match time being inactive, and spent 1.4–1.5× more match time performing moderate-vigorous and maximal activity (p < 0.01). No differences in match demands were found between women’s competition levels, however the professional team experienced double the cumulative weekly training volume of the semi-professional team and spent 1.6–2.1× more cumulative weekly time in all activity categories (p < 0.01). To improve performance and reduce injury risk, players should prepare for the greatest match demands they could encounter during a season while considering potential changes to their role. Additionally, players might need their training volume managed when transitioning from a semi-professional to a professional season to reduce the injury risk from sharp increases in training demands.

Highlights

Possessing an adequate level of physical conditioning is crucial for optimum performance and injury prevention in basketball [1,2]
Out-rotation bench players spent less time performing moderate-vigorous activity than starters (p < 0.01, Effect sizes (ES): 1.13), while no differences between player roles were seen for durations in all other intensity bands
Findings from this study revealed that: (1) starters experienced greater match demands than both in-rotation and out-rotation bench players, and in-rotation bench players experienced greater match demands than out-rotation bench players, (2) minimal differences existed between player roles for training demands, and (3) when comparing competition levels, no differences in match demands were present, while differences in both sessional and cumulative weekly training demands were found

Summary

Introduction

Possessing an adequate level of physical conditioning is crucial for optimum performance and injury prevention in basketball [1,2]. To achieve adequate physical conditioning, training demands should meet or exceed the demands of competition. Various methods have been used previously to quantify the movement demands of basketball (e.g., timemotion analysis), and the physiological (e.g., heart rate, blood lactate) and perceptual (e.g., rating of perceived exertion) responses to those demands. Accelerometry has been proposed as a useful tool for quantifying the movement demands of basketball [3]. While extensive research to quantify match demands of basketball has been conducted and reviewed [4], match demands can vary between players on the same team. In professional women’s basketball, starters performed less sedentary and more vigorous-intensity activity than bench players during matches across a professional season [5], which is intuitive because starters generally receive more playing time [5–8]

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Discussion

Conclusion