Key result
Starting basketball players experienced up to twice the average match intensity and volume compared to bench players, while professional teams had double the training volume of semi-professionals.
Why the study?
This study compared basketball training and match demands between player roles and between competition levels.
Observational (n=37)
Yes
Starters and professional players experience significantly higher match and training demands, highlighting the need for tailored training volumes to reduce injury risk during role or competition level transitions.
Load disparities may warrant individualized monitoring in basketball; leaves open links to injury risk or performance.
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.
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Palmer et al. (2021) conducted an observational in Healthy basketball players (n=37). Player role (starter) and professional competition level vs. Bench players and semi-professional competition level was evaluated on Match and training session average intensity and volume, and durations of relative exercise intensities (p=<0.01). Starting basketball players experienced up to twice the average match intensity and volume compared to bench players, while professional teams had double the training volume of semi-professionals.
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