Effectiveness of a Biomechanics-Informed Motor Abilities Training Program for Improving Jump Shot Performance in Palestine U18 National Basketball Players

Abstract

This study aimed to design a biomechanics-informed training program based on selected motor abilities identified through kinematic analysis and to investigate its effectiveness in improving jump shot performance among Palestine U18 national basketball team players. An experimental design utilizing pre- and post-tests with experimental and control groups was employed. The sample consisted of 20 national team players preparing for continental competitions, who were randomly assigned into two equal groups: an experimental group (n = 10) and a control group (n = 10) The experimental group followed the proposed biomechanics-informed program, while the control group continued with their conventional training regime.

The study utilized a battery of motor ability tests and standardized jump shot accuracy tests. Motion analysis software (APAS) was utilized to capture key kinematic variables that guided the construction of the training intervention. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired-samples t-tests, and independent-samples t-tests at a significance level of α ≤ 0.05.

The findings revealed statistically significant post-test improvements in all motor abilities and jump shot performance variables in favor of the experimental group (p ≤ 0.05). Furthermore, significant post-test differences were observed between the two groups, favoring the experimental group. These results demonstrate that integrating kinematic metrics into motor ability training is more effective than conventional methods in optimizing skill execution among high-performance youth athletes.

The study recommends embedding biomechanical analysis into the physical and technical preparation of national youth basketball teams and promoting the use of motion capture technologies during elite-level athletic preparation.