Effect of High-Intensity Intermittent Hypoxic Training on 3-on-3 Female Basketball Player’s Performance

Purpose To investigate the effects of 4 weeks high-intensity interval training in hypoxia on aerobic and anaerobic perfor-mance 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 con-sideration when prescribing such training.