Programme Justification

Exercise selection

Exercises were chosen that would be specific to the movements involved in basketball and also core exercises that are essential for almost all sports such as the back squat, Peterson et al 2006 identified that there was a clear linear relationship between back squat strength and vertical jump height, t-test time and sprint speed. Therefore if leg strength is increased, the force produced when changing direction will increase therefore improving agility which is the athletes secondary training goal. The back squat focuses on the quadriceps muscle group, so stiff leg dead lift was chosen to target the hamstrings so there is no muscle imbalance and therefore reduce the risk of injury. Nordic curls were also selected to reduce hamstring injury through increasing eccentric hamstring strength and by changing the angle of peak torque to a more extended knee angle (Clark, 2008) which is essential during the rapid deceleration, and change of direction required in basketball. The hang clean pull although it is a power exercise was included in this phase of the program aimed at hypertrophy because it is a complex movement it will be performed at lighter load to practice technique ready for later stages of strength and power programs where its benefits on ground reaction force and peak power output (Comfort et al, 2011) and therefore vertical jump height due to the similar mechanics of jumping (triple extension of ankle, knee and hip) will be essential for basketball.

Where possible exercises, particularly assistance were chosen in accordance to the specific adaptation to imposed demands (SAID) principle so their will be positive transfer over to basketball, for example tricep pushdown and dip were chosen because they replicate roughly the movement of bouncing a ball, lateral shoulder raise would also be a movement used heavily in basketball when trying to evade a player that is marking you within the key. Ankle prehab exercises were chosen to minimize the possibility of a fourth ankle sprain along with flexbility exercises that would reduce the most common injuries in basketball identified in the needs analysis 

Training Frequency

Beachle and Earle (2008) suggests that 4 sessions a week is appropriate for someone with an intermediate to advanced training status, it is also the off-season so the athlete has no team or skills training to factor into his training week although he would be doing light aerobic training on days off resistance training which still leaves a day of complete rest allowing him to recover for the week ahead. 

Exercise Order

Power and core exercises were selected to be performed first within the training program as they recruit the largest muscle groups and so have a higher energy expenditure so should performed when the working muscle is fresh. They also show greater acute metabolic responses than exercises for smaller muscle groups (Ballor et al, 1987) and require more complex neural control and co-ordination than exercises for smaller muscle groups (Kraemer and Ratamess, 2004). Superset and compound sets were also used simply to save time performing two exercises with no rest in-between.

Training Load/Repetitions

1 rep max tests were used for back squat, single leg press and bench press as they are core exercises and so can handle the high loads of a max test and also the athlete is experienced with resistance training. 3 rep max tests will be used for hang clean pulls and push press as they are more powerful exercises and the nature of a 1 rep max test will prevent the exercise being performed at the speed associated with the exercise. Stiff leg deadlift will also be assessed using a 3 rep max method as a 1 rep max test may put too much strain on the lower back muscles and causes this to be the determinant of the weight lifted as opposed to hamstring strength. A 1RM table from Baechle and Earle (2008) will be used to estimate 1RM from 3RM scores. 10RM testing based on goal repetitions was used for all assistance exercises, this is in line with McCall et al (1996) who found that bicep brachii cross sectional area increased by 1.5cm over a 12 week hypertrophy training program using a resistance equal to their 10RM for each exercise.  Baechle and Earle (2008) identified that the most effective load to induce hypertrophy is between 67 and 85%1RM and reps should be between 6-12. The athletes training load and reps has been selected around the middle of these figures because the athlete is experienced but it is also the first resistance program of their sporting year and so to prescribe exercises at the heavy end of hypertrophy training would not have been appropriate.

Volume

Fleck an Kraemer (1997) identified that large training volumes were effective when training goal was to decrease body fat percentage, increase lean body mass or muscle hypertrophy.  To achieve these large training volumes multiple sets were used, with the most common within literature being 3 sets of each exercise. (Kramer et al, 1997, Hass et al, 2000 and Starkey et al 1996)    

Rest/Unloading Weeks

A 3-week off-season active rest period was chosen in transition from the competitive season to off-season to overcome the fatigue felt after a season of competition and to allow the athlete to relax physically and psychologically. If the rest period is longer than 4-6 weeks there is a high chance of the athlete detraining and so losing their strength and power, the basketball in season is relatively long and so in order to have an appropriate off season (6 weeks) and pre season (8 weeks) this rest period could not be any longer.  

Periodisation

To induce hypertrophy during the off-season and increase muscle size and bulk, high volume and low/ medium intensity mesocycle’s were used.  This was followed by high intensity and low volume training during the pre season which is shown to improve both muscle strength and power. (Baechle & Earle, 2008). This would ensure that before the season starts the athlete will not only have larger muscles but also muscles that can produce more strength and power which will therefore aid in defensive skills as recommended by his coach. As the athlete will be playing every weekend for a club team, volume and intensity of training during the in-season is tailored to ensure the athlete is not suffering from muscle fatigue for games that could hinder his performance, this was ensured by keeping volume and intensity at low/medium levels, maintaining muscle mass throughout the season and limiting the possibility of overtraining. Gamble (2010) suggested that 2 days a week is the training frequency recommended during the competition phase. 

Testing periods occur 7 times throughout the year. During the in-season these are just skin folds ensuring weight maintenance and muscle mass is maintained. Performance must peak for the play-offs towards the end of the season where the most important games will occur, therefore 4 weeks prior to play-offs a high intensity and low volume training session will occur for 2 weeks to again improve strength and defensive skills, the 2 weeks prior to the play-offs will be used as unloading phases to achieve super compensation for the play-offs and peak performance (Bompa, 1999).