Effect of high-intensity intermittent hypoxic training on 3-on-3 female basketball player’s performance

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the effects of 4 weeks high-intensity interval training in hypoxia on aerobic and anaerobic performance of 3-on-3 basketball players. Methods: In a randomised controlled trial, 15 female basketballers completed eight 1-h high-intensity training sessions in either normobaric hypoxia (hypoxic group n = 8, altitude 3052 m) or normoxia (normoxic group n = 7, sea-level). Results: After training, the hypoxic group increased their 1-min all-out shuttle run distance by 2.5% ± 2.3% (mean ± 95% CI, d = 0.83, P = 0.04), compared to the normoxic group 0.2% ± 2.3% (d = 0.06, P = 0.8), with the difference between groups being clinically worthwhile but not statistically significant (d = 0.77, P = 0.1). Distance covered in the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test tended to increase in the hypoxic (32.5% ± 39.3%, d = 1.0, P = 0.1) but not normoxic group (0.3% ± 24.5%, d = 0.08, P = 0.9), with a non-significant change between groups (d = 0.9, P = 0.2). Compared to normoxia, the hypoxic group significantly increased subjective markers of stress (d = 0.53, P = 0.005), fatigue (d = 0.43, P = 0.005), and muscle soreness (d = 0.46, P = 0.01), which resulted in a lower perceived training performance in the hypoxic compared to the normoxic group (d = 0.68, P = 0.001). Conclusion: High-intensity interval training under hypoxic conditions likely improved 1-min all-out shuttle run ability in female basketball 3-on-3 players but also increased subjective markers of stress and fatigue which must be taken into consideration when prescribing such training.