Diaphragmatic-Based Complementary Training in Basketball: The Science Behind Pre-Activation of Inspiratory Muscles.xlsx

Background: Inspiratory muscle pre-activation (IMpa) has been suggested as a potential strategy to enhance athletic performance by improving respiratory muscle function and reducing fatigue. However, its immediate effects on basketball skills remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the impact of IMpa on passing, dribbling, and shooting performance in basketball players.Methods: Ten healthy male basketball players (aged 18–25) participated in a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Each player completed four different trials on separate days: (1) Control (CON), (2) Inspiratory muscle pre-activation (IMpa, 40% maximal inspiratory pressure), (3) Placebo inspiratory muscle pre-activation (IMPpa, 5% maximal inspiratory pressure), and (4) General warm-up (GW). Basketball skills were assessed using the Johnson basketball skill test and the AAHPERD speed shooting test. Statistical analyses were performed using repeated measures ANOVA (p < 0.05).Results: Significant improvements were observed in the IMpa and GW conditions compared to the CON and IMPpa trials. The IMpa trial increased passing accuracy by 21.97% (p < 0.05) and speed shooting performance by 13.09% (p < 0.05) compared to the CON trial. No significant differences were observed in dribbling and shooting scores among the trials (p > 0.05).Conclusions: Inspiratory muscle pre-activation at 40% maximal inspiratory pressure improves passing accuracy and speed shooting performance in basketball players. This diaphragmatic-based approach can serve as a complementary warm-up strategy to enhance precision-based basketball skills.