The Isometric Midthigh Pull in Basketball: An Effective Predictor of Sprint and Jump Performance in Male, Adolescent Players.

Abstract

To examine correlations between peak force and impulse measures attained during the isometric midthigh pull (IMTP) and basketball-specific sprint and jump tests. Male, adolescent basketball players (N = 24) completed a battery of basketball-specific performance tests. Testing consisted of the IMTP (absolute and normalized peak force and impulse at 100 and 250ms); 20-m sprint (time across 5, 10, and 20m); countermovement jump (CMJ; absolute and normalized peak force and jump height); standing long jump (distance); and repeated lateral bound (distance). Correlation and regression analyses were conducted between IMTP measures and other attributes. An almost perfect correlation was evident between absolute peak force attained during the IMTP and CMJ (r = .94, R2 = 56%, P < .05). Moderate to very large correlations (P < .05) were observed between IMTP normalized peak force and 5-m sprint time (r = -.44, R2 = 19%), 10-m sprint time (r = -.45, R2 = 20%), absolute (r = .57, R2 = 33%), normalized (r = .86, R2 = 73%) CMJ peak force, and standing long-jump distance (r = .51, R2 = 26%). Moderate to very large correlations were evident between impulse measures during the IMTP and 5-m sprint time (100ms, r = -.40, R2 = 16%, P > .05) and CMJ absolute peak force (100ms, r = .73, R2 = 54%; 250ms, r = .68, R2 = 47%; P < .05). The IMTP may be used to assess maximal and rapid force expression important across a range of basketball-specific movements.