The effects of repeated sprint training on jump, sprint, and change of direction performance in male basketball players

Background: Increasing evidence suggests that repeated sprint training (RST) enhances performance in male basketball players, yet findings have not been quantitatively synthesized. Purpose: To meta-analyze the effects of RST on countermovement jump (CMJ), linear sprint, and change-of-direction (COD) performance versus control. Methodology: Systematic searches of PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus identified peer-reviewed controlled trials of basketball players with baseline and follow-up measures. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed; study quality was assessed using the PEDro scale. Prespecified moderators were age, program duration, training frequency, inter-sprint recovery, and sprint direction; subgroup analyses explored heterogeneity. Results: Nine studies ( n = 213) met the inclusion criteria. Pooled effects were small-to-moderate: CMJ (ES = 0.39, 95% CI 0.04–0.74; Z = 2.19; p = .03), linear sprint (ES = -0.40, 95% CI -0.75 to -0.06; Z = 2.29; p = .02), and COD (ES = −1.11, 95% CI −1.73 to −0.50; Z = 3.54; p = .0004). Most subgroup differences were not significant ( p = .0004–1.00), but in COD performance, the sprint subgroup (ES = −1.02, p = .002) and the COD subgroup (ES = −1.68, p = .02) showed larger effects and reached statistical significance. Conclusions: RST can improve CMJ and COD in male basketball players, with a borderline improvement in linear sprint speed; the largest gains appear in COD. While most subgroup differences were non-significant, larger improvements in COD were observed in specific sprint and COD subgroups. Limitations and Consequences: Evidence is limited by few trials, modest samples, and protocol variability, which may constrain generalizability. Practical Implications: Adult athletes using ≤30-s inter-sprint recovery and <3 weekly sessions may experience larger benefits; coaches can integrate RST accordingly. Originality: This is a focused quantitative synthesis of RST-induced neuro-muscular adaptations in male basketball players.