Acute physiological, perceived exertion and enjoyment responses during a 4-week basketball training: a small-sided game vs. high-intensity interval training

Jinshu Zeng; Haris Pojskic; Jing Xu; Yuanhong Xu; Fei Xu

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1181646

Acute physiological, perceived exertion and enjoyment responses during a 4-week basketball training: a small-sided game vs. high-intensity interval training

Front Psychol. 2023 Jun 26:14:1181646. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1181646. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Jinshu Zeng¹, Haris Pojskic², Jing Xu¹, Yuanhong Xu¹, Fei Xu¹

Affiliations

¹ School of Physical Education, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.
² Department of Sports Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden.

Abstract

Introduction: Although previous research found that small-sided game (SSG) training was more enjoyable than high-intensity interval training (HIT) in various sports, no data were provided during longer training period in basketball. Furthermore, the comparison of internal loads between the two training approaches needs to be further examined. Thus, this study aimed to examine the acute physiological, perceived exertion and enjoyment responses during 4-week progressive basketball SSG or HIT programs.

Methods: Nineteen female collegiate basketball players were randomly assigned to two groups that performed either HIT (n = 10) or SSG (n = 9) 3 times per week for 4 continuous weeks. Average and percentage of maximal heart rate (HR_mean and %HR_max), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), and physical activity enjoyment (PACES) were determined during each training session.

Results: There was a main group effect in PACES (p < 0.001; $η_{p}^{2}$ = 0.44, moderate), and SSG had higher PACES than HIT in each week (p < 0.05). There were no significant interactions or main group effects in HR_mean, %HR_max or RPE, but a main time effect was found in HR_mean (p = 0.004; $η_{p}^{2}$ = 0.16, minimum), %HR_max (p < 0.001; $η_{p}^{2}$ = 0.25, minimum), and RPE (p < 0.001; $η_{p}^{2}$ = 0.31, moderate), respectively. In the SSG group, although no significant differences were found in HR responses, %HR_max was below 90% in week 1 and week 2. Accompanied with changes in %HR_max, RPE in week 1 and week 2 was lower than that in week 3 and week 4 (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that SSG and HIT elicit similar acute HR response and RPE level, but SSG is perceived as more enjoyable and therefore it is more likely to increase exercise motivation and adherence comparing to HIT. Moreover, it seems that half-court, 2 vs. 2 SS Gtraining format with modified rules and lasting ≥ 7.5 min should be prescribed as an enjoyable training alternative to provide optimal cardiovascular stimuli (> 90% of HR_max) for female basketball players.

Keywords: exercise adherence; internal load; self-determination theory; training evaluation; training periodization; women players.