Effects of a six-week plyometric training program on balance, jumping ability, and between-leg asymmetry in young adult basketball players

Improving balance, jumping ability and unilateral actions is of great importance in basketball. The key question is how to get it. Eighteen amateur basketball players (age: 23 ± 2.8 years; height: 185.3 ± 0.064 m; body mass: 85.2 ± 9.9 kg) participated in this study and were divided into the experimental group (n = 10) or a control group (n = 8). The following metrics were recorded one week before and one week after the training program: anthropometric measurements, Y-Balance, Standing Stork, ankle dorsiflexion range of motion, arm-inclusive bilateral-vertical countermovement jump, unilateral 0.2-m drop jump, and Triple-Hop tests. The experimental group underwent a moderate-intensity six-week plyometric training program which included bilateral and unilateral jumps, some performed consecutively and others with rest between jumps. Results indicate that right ankle ROM improve 9.8% (p = .012), YBT Right Anterior (6.4%; 0.063) and YBT Left Posteromedial (6.2%; 0.010). In jumping ability, RSI left improve of 18.6% (p = .019), DJ Height Left (13.1%; 0.037) and DJ Height Right (11%; 0.025). Regards asymmetry the only statistically significant improvement occurs in the Ankle ROM test, with an improvement of 60.8% (p = .017).