EFFECTS OF HALFTIME RE WARM-UP IMPLEMENTED DURING AN OFFICIAL MATCH IN U19 BASKETBALL PLAYERS

Background: The passive nature of rest breaks in basketball games could impair athletes’performance and even increase their risk of injury. Re Warm-up (RW-u) activities could help avoid these problems, but there is a lack of research on their efficacy, especially in official competitions. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a halftime RW-u strategy on male basketball players in ecological conditions. Methods: 26 official matches involving 4 teams of the U19 regional championship were analyzed, with 64 well-trained basketball players participating (17.3 ± 0.8 yr). In 14 games (EXP), a standardized RW-u lasting 3 min was performed between the 2nd and 3rd quarters (Q). The RW-u consisted of sprints, changes of direction, lunges, squats, lateral slides, and basket shots, and was completed immediately before the start of the 2ndhalf. No specific Warm-up was carried out in the remaining 12 games (C). During all matches, the minutes played by each team member in each period were monitored and the team scores were recorded for each quarter. Immediately after each match, athletic performance was assessed using the Counter Movement Jump (CMJ) and the Lane Agility Test, and the Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) was recorded. Results: No differences were found in total minute played (EXP 20.9 ± 6.6 min; C 20.0 ± 6.0 min, p[0.05) and for each period (1sthalf EXP 10.2 ± 3.6 min; C 10.1 ± 3.4 min, p[0.05; 2ndhalf EXP 10.8 ± 4.1 min; C 9.9 ± 4.0 min, p[0.05). During the matches including RW-u, the teams’ score was higher in the 3rd quarter compared to the average score of the other three quarters (DQ3- Q1Q2Q4 EXP 4.1 ± 3.9pt; C -2.6 ± 5.9pt, p = 0.034) and compared to the final score of the game (Q3/TOT EXP 29.4 ± 6.4%; C 21.9 ± 6.4%, p = 0.038). The RW-u application showed no significant effects on CMJ (EXP 47.2 ± 6.4 cm; C 46.3 ± 6.1 cm, p[0.05); nevertheless, agility performance improved (EXP 11.3 ± 0.3 s; C 11.6 ± 0.7 s, p = 0.002), and the RPE was higher (EXP 6.4 ± 1.7; C 5.8 ± 1.7, p = 0.016). Conclusions: The results suggest that active rest could increase physiological function resulting in improved athletes’sporting efficiency, despite showing higher fatigue levels compared to passive rest condition. Performing RW-u activities is therefore a valuable strategy to avoid reducing sports performance after prolonged breaks in basketball matches.