Enhancing Physical Fitness in Male Basketball Players through Yogic Asanas: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background. The increasing popularity of yoga as a complementary training method has prompted interest in its effects on physical fitness among male basketball players. Objectives. This study aimed to assess the impact of yogic asanas on physical fitness variables in male basketball players. The primary objective of this research was to determine the effectiveness of yoga asana practice on cardiorespiratory endurance (CVE), muscular strength (MS), muscular endurance (ME), and flexibility (FLE) in male basketball players. Materials and methods. A total of 41 male basketball players were involved in the study and randomly assigned to two groups: the Yoga Asanas Group (YAG) comprising 21 players (age: 18.44 ± 0.98 years, height: 171 ± 4.45 cm, weight: 87.94 ± 4.26 kg) and the Control Group (CON) with 20 players (age: 18.93 ± 1.38 years, height: 174 ± 6.21 cm, weight: 91.31 ± 7.00 kg). Physical fitness parameters were assessed before and after the intervention. Results. The results demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in physical fitness variables among players in the YAG, with p-values less than 0.05 for CVE (p < 0.001), MS (p < 0.001), ME (p < 0.001), and FLE (p < 0.001) following yoga asana practice. In contrast, the CON group exhibited no substantial changes (p > 0.05). Conclusions. The findings of this experimental study suggest that incorporating yogic asanas into training regimens significantly enhances physical fitness parameters in male basketball players, highlighting the potential benefits of yoga as an effective training modality.