Lower Body Plyometric Training Effects on Upper Body in Basketball Players (LBPT-VST)

Effect of Lower Body Plyometric Training on Neuromuscular Adaptations, Hormonal Factors, Functional Performance, and Upper Body Muscle Thickness in Basketball Players

The present study investigates effect of lower body plyometric training on upper body performance, muscle size, hormonal factors, and neuromuscular activity in male basketball players, with a focus on vertical strength transfer (VST). In this semi-experimental study, 50 male basketball players (aged 16-18 years, with at least 2 years of experience) were randomly divided into three groups: combined lower-upper body plyometric training (LUBPT), upper body training (UBPT), and control (CON). The 8-week training program, 3 sessions per week, included hurdle jumps, depth jumps, and dynamic push-ups. Assessments included serum levels of growth hormone and testosterone, muscle thickness (elastography), muscle electrical activity (EMG), and sports performance (overhead medicine ball throw, Sargent jump, long jump) in pre- and post-tests.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Basketball Performance
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Plyometric Training

Detailed Description

This semi-experimental study was conducted to investigate the effects of an 8-week lower body plyometric training program on neuromuscular adaptations, hormonal factors, functional performance, and upper body muscle thickness in male basketball players, with a focus on vertical strength transfer (VST).

Fifty male basketball players aged 16-18 years with at least 2 years of competitive experience were recruited and randomly allocated into three groups: Combined Lower-Upper Body Plyometric Training (LUBPT, n=17), Upper Body Plyometric Training only (UBPT, n=18), and Control (CON, n=15). The control group continued regular basketball training without additional plyometric exercises.

The intervention lasted 8 weeks with 3 sessions per week. The plyometric program consisted of lower body exercises (hurdle jumps at 40-60 cm height and depth jumps from a 40 cm box) and upper body exercises (dynamic push-ups). Training volume and intensity progressed gradually over the 8 weeks (sessions 1-8: 2-3 sets of 8-10 repetitions; sessions 9-16: 3-4 sets of 10-12 repetitions; sessions 17-24: 4 sets of 12-15 repetitions), with 60-90 seconds rest between sets and 3 minutes between exercises.

Pre- and post-intervention assessments included:

• Serum levels of growth hormone and testosterone (blood samples taken in fasting state).
• Upper body muscle thickness (biceps brachii and pectoralis major) measured using ultrasound elastography.
• Neuromuscular activity (root mean square, RMS) of anterior brachii, pectoralis major, quadriceps femoris, rectus abdominis, and triceps brachii muscles using surface electromyography (EMG) during standardized movements.
• Functional performance tests: overhead medicine ball throw, Sargent vertical jump (height and power), and standing long jump.

All measurements were performed 48-72 hours before the start of training and 48-72 hours after the final training session. Statistical analysis was conducted using ANOVA with significance set at p < 0.05.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 50
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Iran
  • South Khorasan Province
    • Birjand, South Khorasan Province, Iran, 9717434765
      • Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Birjand

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male basketball players with at least 2 years experience

Exclusion Criteria:

• injury

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Combined Lower-Upper Body Plyometric Training (LUBPT) - n=17; Combined Lower-Upper Body Plyometric Training (LUBPT) group received an 8-week plyometric program targeting both lower and upper body, 3 sessions per week (total 24 sessions). Lower body exercises included hurdle jumps (40-60 cm height) and depth jumps (from 40 cm box). Upper body exercises consisted of dynamic push-ups. Progression: Weeks 1-2 (sessions 1-6): 2 sets of 8 reps per exercise; Weeks 3-4 (sessions 7-12): 3 sets of 10 reps; Weeks 5-6 (sessions 13-18): 3 sets of 12 reps; Weeks 7-8 (sessions 19-24): 4 sets of 15 reps. Rest intervals: 60-90 seconds between sets, 3 minutes between exercises. Training was performed in addition to regular basketball practice. Pre- and post-tests assessed neuromuscular adaptations (EMG: pectoralis major, rectus abdominis, triceps brachii), hormonal factors (growth hormone, testosterone), muscle thickness (biceps brachii, pectoralis major via ultrasound elastography), and functional performance (overhead medicine ball throw, Sargent jump height/pow	Behavioral: Plyometric Training; 8-week plyometric training program, 3 sessions per week. Lower body exercises: hurdle jumps (40-60 cm) and depth jumps (from 40 cm box). Upper body exercises: dynamic push-ups. Progression: increasing sets (2-4) and repetitions (8-15) over 8 weeks. Rest: 60-90 seconds between sets, 3 minutes between exercises. Administered in addition to regular basketball training.
Experimental: Upper Body Plyometric Training (UBPT, n=18); Upper Body Plyometric Training (UBPT) group received an 8-week plyometric program targeting only upper body, 3 sessions per week (total 24 sessions). Primary exercise: dynamic push-ups. Progression: Weeks 1-2 (sessions 1-6): 2 sets of 8 reps; Weeks 3-4 (sessions 7-12): 3 sets of 10 reps; Weeks 5-6 (sessions 13-18): 3 sets of 12 reps; Weeks 7-8 (sessions 19-24): 4 sets of 15 reps. Rest intervals: 60-90 seconds between sets. Lower body training was not included; participants continued regular basketball practice. Assessments pre- and post-intervention: serum growth hormone and testosterone levels; muscle thickness of biceps brachii and pectoralis major (ultrasound elastography); EMG activity (RMS) of anterior brachii, pectoralis major, quadriceps femoris, rectus abdominis, triceps brachii; functional tests including overhead medicine ball throw distance, Sargent jump (height and power), and standing long jump.	Behavioral: Plyometric Training; 8-week plyometric training program, 3 sessions per week. Lower body exercises: hurdle jumps (40-60 cm) and depth jumps (from 40 cm box). Upper body exercises: dynamic push-ups. Progression: increasing sets (2-4) and repetitions (8-15) over 8 weeks. Rest: 60-90 seconds between sets, 3 minutes between exercises. Administered in addition to regular basketball training.
No Intervention: Control (CON, n=15); Control (CON) group did not receive any plyometric training intervention. Participants continued their regular basketball training routine (technical/tactical drills, scrimmages) for 8 weeks, 3-5 sessions per week, without additional structured plyometric exercises for lower or upper body. No changes to standard practice schedule. This group served as the non-intervention comparator to assess the specific effects of plyometric training. Pre- and post-assessments (48-72 hours before start and after week 8) included: hormonal measurements (serum growth hormone and testosterone via ELISA); muscle thickness (right/left biceps brachii and pectoralis major using ultrasound elastography); neuromuscular electrical activity (surface EMG RMS during standardized tasks for anterior brachii, pectoralis major, quadriceps femoris, rectus abdominis, triceps brachii); physical performance tests (overhead medicine ball throw distance in meters, Sargent vertical jump height and power in kg m/s, standing

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Overhead medicine ball throw	Participants stood with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a 2 kg medicine ball at the abdomen with both hands, then brought the ball behind the head with slight knee bend, and performed an explosive and strong throw forward with full force. The distance was measured with a tape measure and considered as overhead medicine ball throw performance [22]. In the above test, electrical activity of pectoralis major, rectus abdominis, quadriceps femoris, Anterior Brachii, and triceps brachii muscles was recorded.	Baseline and after 8 weeks
Overhead medicine ball throw	Participants stood with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a 2 kg medicine ball at the abdomen with both hands, then brought the ball behind the head with slight knee bend, and performed an explosive and strong throw forward with full force. The distance was measured with a tape measure and considered as overhead medicine ball throw performance [22]. In the above test, electrical activity of pectoralis major, rectus abdominis, quadriceps femoris, Anterior Brachii, and triceps brachii muscles was recorded.	pre and post intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Growth hormone	For blood sampling, participants were asked to avoid sports activity for at least 48 hours before the test and attend the laboratory between 8-9 AM after 12 hours of fasting. Blood was drawn in a sitting position from the antecubital vein of volunteers in 6 ml amounts by a laboratory expert and collected in test tubes. Then, it was centrifuged for 10 minutes at 5000 rpm, and the separated serum was transferred to microtubes and stored in a -20°C freezer for analysis. Post-test blood sampling was the same as pre-test and 48 hours after the last training session. The highly accurate electrochemiluminescence (ECLIA) method and Siemens IMMULITE 2000 XPi Immunoassay System device with Siemens-specific kits with 0.0001 mIU/L accuracy were used to examine changes in growth hormone and testosterone levels of participants	Baseline and after 8 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Birjand University of Medical Sciences

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 20, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 29, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): March 20, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 5, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 5, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): January 14, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): January 14, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 5, 2026
• Last Verified: January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: cross-education; plyometric training; neuromuscular adaptation; hormonal factors
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Motor Activity; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena; Therapeutics; Physical Therapy Modalities; Patient Care; Exercise Therapy; Rehabilitation; Aftercare; Continuity of Patient Care; Physical Conditioning, Human; Exercise; Plyometric Exercise
• Other Study ID Numbers: Birjand-Plyometric-1403; IR.BIRJAND.REC.1403.016 (Other Identifier: Research Ethics Committees of University of Birjand)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No