title: Performance and Metabolic Demand of a New Repeated-Sprint Ability Test in Basketball Players: Does the Number of Changes of Direction Matter?
abstract: Zagatto, AM, Ardigò, LP, Barbieri, FA, Milioni, F, Dello Iacono, A, Camargo, BHF, and Padulo, J. Performance and metabolic demand of a new repeated-sprint ability test in basketball players: does the number of changes of direction matter? J Strength Cond Res 31(9): 2438-2446, 2017-This study compared 2 repeated-sprint ability (RSA) tests in basketball players. Both tests included 10 × 30-m sprints, with the difference that the previously validated test (RSA2COD) featured 2 changes of direction (COD) per sprint, whereas the experimental test (RSA5COD) featured 5 CODs per sprint. Test performances and metabolic demands were specifically assessed in 20 basketball players. First, RSA5COD test-retest reliability was investigated. Then, RSA2COD, RSA5COD sprint times, peak speeds, oxygen uptake (V[Combining Dot Above]O2) and posttest blood lactate concentration [La] were measured. The RSA5COD results showed to be reliable. RSA2COD performance resulted better than the RSA5COD version (p < 0.01), with shorter sprint times and higher peak speeds. Over sprints, the tests did not differ from each other in terms of V[Combining Dot Above]O2 (p > 0.05). Over whole bout, the RSA2COD was more demanding than the RSA5COD, considering overall metabolic power requirement (i.e., VO2-driven + [La]-driven components). Given that RSA5COD (a) mimics real game-play as sprint distance and action change frequency/direction and (b) has the same metabolic expenditure per task completion as metabolic cost, RSA5COD is a valuable option for players and coaches for training basketball-specific agility and assessing bioenergetic demands.
authors.affiliation: 1Faculty of Sciences, Department of Physical Education, UNESP-São Paulo State University, Bauru, Brazil; 2Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, School of Exercise and Sport Science, University of Verona, Verona, Italy; 3Post-Graduate Program in Movement Sciences, Biosciences Institute, UNESP-São Paulo State University, Rio Claro, SP, Brazil; 4Zinman College of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Wingate Institute, Netanya, Israel; 5Bauru Basketball Team, Bauru, Brazil; 6University eCampus, Novedrate, Italy; and 7Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Split, Split, Croatia.
authors.forename: Alessandro M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Zagatto
authors.forename: Luca P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Ardigò
authors.forename: Fabio A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Barbieri
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Milioni
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dello Iacono
authors.forename: Bruno H F
authors.initials: BHF
authors.lastname: Camargo
authors.forename: Johnny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Padulo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D056352:Athletes; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D001490:Basketball / Q000502:physiology*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D019344:Lactic Acid