The purpose of the study was to assess factors that contribute to countermovement jump (CMJ) performance in women's basketball athletes. Thirteen female athletes participated and were tested for maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and heart rate (HRmax). Athletes were monitored, daily for a total of 21 weeks with heart rate-based wearable devices and CMJ performance and body weight were tested weekly after one day of recovery. 3-jump average height (CMJavg), maximum height jump (CMJmax), and CMJ power (Watts) were calculated and recorded. Playing intensities >85% HRmax, HRavg, HRmax and training load were averaged for three consecutive days prior to the recovery day. After the season, data was grouped as changes in CMJ power from week one: Large (≤ -4.39% change), Moderate (-4.4% to -0.62% change), and Minimal (≥ -0.61% change) changes. Fixed-effects models revealed a main effect of group (p ≤ 0.05) for CMJavg, CMJmax, VO2max, weekly percent changes in body weight and for 3-day training load, HRavg, and playing time at >85% HRmax. When athletes experienced minimal changes in CMJ performance, relative to large changes, they produced greater power, jumped higher, avoided negative changes in weekly body weight, had a greater preseason VO2max and 3-day average workloads appeared to have an impact on CMJ performance.
Keywords: Wearable technology; heart rate zones; neuromuscular fatigue; workloads.