Effects of CrossFit™ versus regular training on physical fitness and skills in U12 basketball players: A randomized controlled trial

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

BACKGROUND: CrossFit™ (CF) training has gained popularity as a high-intensity functional training method, but its effectiveness in youth sports remains underexplored. This study examined the impact of CF on the physical fitness and basketball-specific skills of U12 athletes. The objective was to compare the effects of CF training versus regular training on physical performance and basketball-related abilities in U12 basketball players. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was conducted involving 40 male U12 basketball players. Participants were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (CF, n = 20) or a control group (regular training, n = 20) for 8 weeks, with 4 sessions per week. Pre- and post-intervention assessments included pushups, seated forward bend, standing long jump (SLJ), full-court dribble to layup, 1-minute shooting, 3/4 court sprint (sprint), and a 4-line shuttle run. RESULTS: The experimental group demonstrated significant improvements in pushups (T = -4.158, P < .001), SLJ (T = -10.228, P < .001), sprint (T = 2.121, P = .047), full-court dribble to layup (Z = -3.921, P < .001), and 1-minute shooting (T = -2.373, P = .028). The control group showed modest improvements only in the sprint and SLJ. No significant changes were observed in seated forward bend performance in either group. CONCLUSIONS: CF training was more effective than conventional methods in enhancing physical fitness and sport-specific skills among U12 basketball players. These findings support the integration of CF into youth basketball programs to promote athletic development.