Effect of Bodyweight Training on Basketball Skills for Middle School in the People's Republic of China

Yuxing Xin; Suvachai  Rittiom; Kiattiwat  Watchayakarn

doi:10.60027/iarj.2026.e288945

Authors

Yuxing Xin Bangkokthonburi University, Thailand https://orcid.org/0009-0000-9022-6772
Suvachai Rittiom Bangkokthonburi University, Thailand https://orcid.org/0009-0006-6435-8804
Kiattiwat Watchayakarn Bangkokthonburi University, Thailand https://orcid.org/0009-0005-5169-3761

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.60027/iarj.2026.e288945

Keywords:

Plyometric Training, Muscle Power, Basketball Shooting, High School Athletes, Sports Performance

Abstract

Background and Aims: Basketball is a widely popular sport in China, contributing significantly to physical development and professional opportunities for young athletes. However, limited muscle power in shooting skills among high school players remains a barrier to competition success. This study aimed to investigate the effects of plyometric training on muscle power related to basketball shooting among high school students in Yichun, Jiangxi Province.

Methodology: The study utilized a quasi-experimental design. A sample of 60 students was selected from an initial population of 84 through performance-based screening in free-throw shooting. Participants were divided into an experimental group and a control group, each comprising 30 students. The experimental group engaged in plyometric training combined with regular basketball shooting drills, while the control group practiced standard shooting exercises. Training occurred three times weekly (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) over eight weeks. Pre-tests and post-tests were administered at the start, the 4th week, and the 8th week. Data were analyzed using dependent and independent t-tests.

Results: Both groups showed improvements in basketball shooting performance over time. However, the experimental group that received plyometric training demonstrated significantly greater enhancements in muscle power and shooting performance compared to the control group. At week 8, the experimental group's shooting scores increased from a pre-test mean of 37.33 (SD = 1.03) to 42.16 (SD = 0.49), which was statistically significant at the 0.05 level.

Conclusion: Plyometric training effectively enhanced muscle power and improved basketball shooting performance among high school students. This suggests that integrating plyometric exercises into basketball training programs could be beneficial for skill and strength development.

References

Bertollo, M. (2021). Basketball development in China: Historical and cultural perspectives. Sports Science Journal, 12, 12–18.

Corbin, C. B., Welk, G. J., Corbin, W. R., & Welk, K. A. (2022). Concepts of physical fitness: Active lifestyles for wellness (19th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.

Donald, A. (2018). Implementing plyometric training to enhance performance in youth athletes. Journal of Sports Conditioning, 33(4), 45–52.

Feng, F. (2021). Physical and athletic development trends among Chinese youth. Journal of Physical Education Research, 18, 216–220.

Gao, D. W. (2021). Body agility and shooting performance in adolescent basketball players. Journal of Sports Science and Practice, 23(2), 217–222.

Gregory, M. (2018). Youth strength and conditioning: Best practices and safety considerations. Journal of Pediatric Sports Medicine, 27(2), 75–82.

Hardayal, S. (2019). Principles of plyometric training and muscle power development. Sports Physiology Review, 7(1), 433–440.

Jessica, A. (2018). Critical skills for successful basketball shooting. International Journal of Basketball Studies, 14(3), 90–95.

Krejcie, R. V., & Morgan, D. W. (1970). Determining sample size for research activities. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 30(3), 607–610.

Masurier, G. L. (2022). Fitness for life (7th ed.). Human Kinetics.

Pakulano, S. (2019). Biomechanical foundations of plyometric training. Journal of Applied Sport Sciences, 22(5), 598–604.

Rean Soi, Y. (2016). The role of sports science in training endurance, agility, and strength. Thai Journal of Sports Science, 10(1), 42–47.

Wang, J. H. (2020). The historical evolution of basketball in China. Chinese Journal of Sports History, 15(2), 253–259.

Yin, H. C. (2022). The modern era of Chinese basketball. Asian Sports Studies, 19(1), 66–72.

Zang, L. W. (2019). Cultural significance of basketball in China. International Review of Sports Sociology, 17(3), 195–200.

Zhang, Y., Liu, S., & Huang, W. (2017). Evaluating the effectiveness of short-term plyometric training on basketball shooting performance among intermediate players. Journal of Sports Performance, 15(2), 105–111.