A comparison of training and competition physical demands in professional male basketball players

Rubén Portes (Club Baloncesto Breogán de Lugo, Lugo, Spain.)
Carlos Ribas (Faculty of Sports Science, Universidad Europea de Madrid, 28001, Villaviciosa de Odón, Spain.)
Adrián López García (Faculty of Sports Sciences, Universidad Alfonso X el Sabio, 28691, Villanueva de la Cañada, Spain. Centre for Sport Studies, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain.)
Enrique Alonso Pérez-Chao (Faculty of Sports Science, Universidad Europea de Madrid, 28001, Villaviciosa de Odón, Spain. Faculty of Sports Sciences, Universidad Alfonso X el Sabio, 28691, Villanueva de la Cañada, Spain. Facultad de Ciencias de la Actividad Física y del Depo)

International Journal of Basketball Studies
Vol. 2 No. 1` (2023): INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BASKETBALL STUDIES

The main aim of this study was identifying differences in physical load between training and match-play. Twelve professional basketball players were monitored during 5 games. The following workload variables were recorded: Movement load (ML), Training Impulse (TRIMP), average Heart Rate (HR). Non-significant differences were found between activities (game vs practice). Regarding to practical meaningfulness, greater match values were reached for EL and IL variables compared to practices. In this regard, large differences for ML (F = 0.71, ES = 1.69) and TRIMP (F = 0.02, ES = 1.71, large) were found. In conclusion, greater values of physical load but non-significant differences were achieved during games compared to practice for ML, TRIMP and HR. In this regard, physical demands remain consistent (large effects) regardless of activity (game vs practice) in professional basketball players.