The Effects of Different Types of Eccentric Overload Training on Strength, Speed, Power and Change of Direction in Female Basketball Players

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of two types of eccentric (ECC) overload training on strength, speed, power and change of direction in female basketball players. Twenty amateur basketball players (mean ± SD: age: 23.67 ± 6.05 years; height: 1.73 ± 0.05 m; body mass: 80.28 ± 17.67 kg) participated in a randomized trial. The players performed either flywheel inertial training (FIT) (n = 11) or tempo ECC training (TET) (n = 9) for 4 weeks, performing two sessions weekly. Performance characteristics, one repetition back squat (1RM), counter-movement jump (CMJ), squat jump (SJ), 10-metre sprint (10 m), change of direction (COD) and sit and reach flexibility (S&R) were tested pre and post intervention. Post-hoc testing revealed significant improvements in the FIT group for 1RM (p ≤ 0.001; ES = 0.59), 10 m (p = 0.003; ES = −0.54) and CMJ (p ≤ 0.001; ES = 1.04), while significant improvements were revealed in the TET group for 1RM (p = 0.007; ES = 0.71) and S&R (p ≤ 0.001; ES = 0.58). In conclusion, both FIT and TET groups demonstrated a positive training stimulus for increasing muscular strength. FIT may produce superior adaptions in CMJ and 10-m sprint, while TET may produce superior adaptions in S&R. Neither group achieved increases in either SJ or COD.