French Contrast Training in Male Collegiate Basketball Players

Effects of 12 Weeks of French Contrast Training on Lower-Limb Explosive Performance in Male Collegiate Basketball Players

This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effects of 12 weeks of French Contrast Training (FCT) compared with traditional resistance training (RT) on lower-limb explosive performance in male collegiate basketball players. Forty participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either the FCT group or the RT group. Both groups trained twice per week for 12 weeks, with at least 48 hours between sessions. Lower-limb performance was assessed before and after the intervention using countermovement jump height, drop jump height, ground contact time, reactive strength index, 10-m sprint time, and isometric mid-thigh pull peak force. The study aimed to determine whether FCT produces greater improvements in jumping performance, reactive strength, short-distance acceleration, and maximal force than traditional resistance training.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Lower-Limb Explosive Performance
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: French Contrast Training; Behavioral: Resistance Training

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 40
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• China
  • Chongqing, China
    • Stadium

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

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

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Male collegiate basketball players aged 18-24 years.
2. At least 7 years of systematic basketball training experience.
3. At least 2 years of resistance training experience.
4. Competitive classification of Chinese National Second-Class Athlete or higher in basketball.
5. Regular participation in basketball-specific technical training three times per week under the same training program.
6. Physically healthy and able to participate in resistance and jumping training.
7. Willing to participate in the study and provide written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Lower-limb injury within the 3 months prior to enrollment.
2. Severe musculoskeletal or joint disorders that could interfere with resistance or jumping exercise.
3. Cardiovascular disease or other medical conditions that could prevent safe participation in high-intensity resistance or plyometric exercise.
4. Previous experience with structured French Contrast Training.
5. Unable to safely complete the prescribed training or performance testing procedures.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: French Contrast Training Group; Participants assigned to this arm completed a 12-week French Contrast Training program, with two training sessions per week and at least 48 hours between sessions. Each training sequence consisted of four exercises performed in order: back squat at 85% of 1RM, 30-cm hurdle jumps, squat jumps at 25% of 1RM, and band-assisted jumps. A 20-second recovery period was provided between consecutive exercises. Participants completed 4 sets of 8 repetitions for each exercise, with 3 minutes of rest between sets. Training loads were prescribed based on baseline 1RM values and remained unchanged throughout the 12-week intervention. All sessions were supervised by certified strength and conditioning coaches.	Behavioral: French Contrast Training; Participants performed French Contrast Training (FCT) twice per week for 12 weeks, with at least 48 hours between sessions. Each FCT sequence consisted of four exercises performed in the following order: back squat at 85% of 1RM, 30-cm hurdle jumps, squat jumps at 25% of 1RM, and band-assisted jumps. A 20-second recovery period was provided between consecutive exercises. Participants completed 4 sets of 8 repetitions for each exercise, with 3 minutes of rest between sets. Training loads were prescribed according to baseline 1RM values and remained unchanged throughout the 12-week intervention. All training sessions were supervised by certified strength and conditioning coaches.
Active Comparator: Resistance Training Group; Participants assigned to this arm completed a 12-week traditional resistance training program, with two training sessions per week and at least 48 hours between sessions. The program consisted of back squat at 85% of 1RM, Romanian deadlift at 85% of 1RM, leg press at 85% of 1RM, and walking lunge at 30% of 1RM. Participants completed 4 sets of 8 repetitions for each exercise, with 3 minutes of rest between sets. Training loads were prescribed based on baseline 1RM values and remained unchanged throughout the 12-week intervention. All sessions were supervised by certified strength and conditioning coaches.	Behavioral: Resistance Training; Participants performed a 12-week traditional resistance training program, with two sessions per week and at least 48 hours between sessions. The program consisted of back squat at 85% of 1RM, Romanian deadlift at 85% of 1RM, leg press at 85% of 1RM, and walking lunge at 30% of 1RM. Participants completed 4 sets of 8 repetitions for each exercise, with 3 minutes of rest between sets. Training loads were prescribed according to baseline 1RM values and remained unchanged throughout the 12-week intervention. All training sessions were supervised by certified strength and conditioning coaches.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Countermovement Jump Height	Countermovement jump (CMJ) height was assessed using a force platform system (Kistler, Winterthur, Switzerland; sampling frequency: 1000 Hz). Participants performed three maximal countermovement jumps with their hands placed on the iliac crests to minimize arm-swing contribution. A 1-minute rest interval was provided between attempts. The highest jump height, expressed in centimeters (cm), was used for analysis.	Baseline and immediately after the 12-week intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Drop Jump Height	Drop jump (DJ) height was assessed using a force platform system (Kistler, Winterthur, Switzerland; sampling frequency: 1000 Hz). Participants stepped from a 30-cm box onto the force platform and immediately performed a maximal vertical jump while attempting to minimize ground contact time. Three maximal attempts were performed with 1-minute rest intervals. The trial with the highest reactive strength index was selected, and DJ height from the same trial was recorded in centimeters (cm).	Baseline and immediately after the 12-week intervention
Ground Contact Time	Ground contact time (GCT) was obtained during the drop jump test using a force platform system (Kistler, Winterthur, Switzerland; sampling frequency: 1000 Hz). The trial with the highest reactive strength index was selected, and GCT from the same trial was recorded in milliseconds (ms).	Baseline and immediately after the 12-week intervention
Reactive Strength Index	Reactive strength index (RSI) was assessed during the 30-cm drop jump test using force-platform data. Participants completed three maximal attempts, and the trial producing the highest RSI was used for analysis. RSI was calculated from drop jump performance and ground contact time.	Baseline and immediately after the 12-week intervention
10-Meter Sprint Time	Sprint performance was assessed using electronic timing gates (Brower Timing Systems, Draper, UT, USA). Participants started from a split-stance position 0.5 m behind the first timing gate and sprinted maximally through 15 m. Three maximal trials were completed with 2-3 minutes of rest between trials. The fastest 10-m sprint time, expressed in seconds (s), was used for analysis.	Baseline and immediately after the 12-week intervention
Isometric Mid-Thigh Pull Peak Force	Isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP) peak force was assessed using a force platform system (Kistler, Winterthur, Switzerland; sampling frequency: 1000 Hz). Knee and hip angles were standardized at approximately 130° and 145°, respectively. Participants pulled maximally against a fixed bar for 3-5 seconds. Three maximal attempts were completed with 2-minute rest intervals, and the highest absolute peak force value, expressed in Newtons (N), was used for analysis.	Baseline and immediately after the 12-week intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Ziren Zhao

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 7, 2026
• Study Completion (Actual): June 7, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 18, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 18, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): August 20, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 20, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 18, 2026
• Last Verified: August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• 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; Resistance Training
• Other Study ID Numbers: CQUE-LL20260331009

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