Effects of 3v3 and 4v4 Small-Sided Basketball on Physiological Indicators and Exercise Performance in Sedentary Young Adults: A 4-Month Randomized Comparative Study

This dataset contains comprehensive raw data supporting the research article "Effects of 3v3 and 4v4 small-sided basketball on physiological indicators and exercise performance in sedentary young adults: a 4-month randomized comparative study". It provides complete, de-identified data for reproducibility and further secondary analysis, adhering to ethical and academic standards.Data Content & File StructureThe dataset includes 8 Excel files covering 40 sedentary young adults (18–25 years old, BMI 25.0–30.9 kg/m²) randomized into 3v3 (n=20, 10 males/10 females) and 4v4 (n=20, 10 males/10 females) groups, with a 4-month (September–December 2025) basketball small-sided game (SSG) intervention:Athletic Performance Data: Raw test values (3 trials per measurement) and final scores of vertical jump (VJ), 20m sprint, 20m multistage fitness test (20mMFT), and T-test agility at baseline, mid-intervention, and post-intervention, including demographic information (age, height, weight, BMI).Weekly External/Internal Load Data: Total distance (TD) tracked by GPS, maximum heart rate (MHR) via Polar RS400 monitors, and rating of perceived exertion (RPE, Borg CR-10 scale) for each weekly training session (3 sessions/week), with device numbers, attendance status, and abnormal data notes.Coefficient of Variation (CV) Data: Stratified CV% of TD, MHR, and RPE by gender (male/female), SSG format (3v3/4v4), and month (1–4) to reflect load variability.Supporting Documents: Random allocation table (stratified block randomization by gender), equipment calibration records (GPS/HR monitors, monthly calibration with error values), and ethical review approval form (Reference Code: 2025196).Key Variables & DefinitionsDemographics: Unified ID, gender, age, height (cm), weight (kg), BMI (kg/m²).Athletic Performance: VJ (cm), 20m sprint time (s), 20mMFT total distance (m), T-test time (s) (raw trials and final values).Training Load: TD (total movement distance, m), MHR (maximum heart rate during training, bpm), RPE (subjective exertion score, 0–10 AU).Auxiliary Variables: Device number (GPS01–GPS20, HR01–HR20), measurement date, attendances tatus, calibration error, randomization details.Data Usage NotesAll data are in editable Excel (.xlsx) format, compatible with SPSS 26.0+/R/Python for statistical analysis (repeated-measures ANOVA, independent-samples t-test as described in the associated article).Raw data are de-identified to protect participant privacy, in compliance with the ethical approval from Wuhan Sports University.Derived values (e.g., variation rate of load) can be calculated using the formula provided in the "Data Reproducibility" worksheet of core files.Ethics & AvailabilityThe study protocol was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Wuhan Sports University (Approval Code: 2025196) and conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Participants provided written informed consent. This dataset is available for non-commercial research purposes; for inquiries, contact the corresponding author (SiJin Meng, E-mail: [e-mail]).