Optimizing Performance: The Impact of a 10-Day High-Intensity Interval Training Protocol on Youth Athletic Performance

Objectives. This study aimed to examine the impact of a 10-day High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) protocol on the specific endurance of U16 female basketball players, focusing on improvements in aerobic and anaerobic capacity and performance in the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 (YoYoRL1). Materials and methods. Eight female U16 basketball players participated in the study, completing a 10-day HIIT program designed to enhance both general and sport-specific endurance. Pre- and post-training assessments included body composition measures (weight, BMI, body fat percentage) and the YoYoRL1 test to evaluate changes in performance. The training program incorporated various HIIT modalities, including full-body exercises, parkour circuits, and basketball-specific drills, with progressively adjusted work-to-rest ratios. Results. The findings showed a substantial improvement in YoYoRL1 test performance from pre-test to post-test, with participants’ mean scores increasing from 14.2 ± 1.2 in the pre-test to 16.5 ± 1.2 in the post-test (p = .001, ηp2 = .837), highlighting a large effect size and strong statistical significance in the results. Body composition analysis revealed a slight increase in weight (64.3 ± 10.6 kg post-test) and a small reduction in body fat percentage (20.2 ± 4.1% post-test), indicating favorable adaptations in muscle mass and fat distribution. Conclusions. Implementing the 10-day HIIT protocol significantly improved specific endurance and aerobic capacity in U16 female basketball players, suggesting that short-term HIIT interventions can effectively enhance performance in youth athletes. These findings support the use of HIIT for optimizing endurance and recovery in basketball, with implications for developing time-efficient training protocols for young athletes. However, the study’s small sample size and short duration limit the generalizability of these findings, necessitating further research with larger cohorts. Future research should focus on exploring such training program’ long-term effects and applicability in various athletic populations.