An Empirical Study on the Effect of Functional Physical Training on College Basketball Players: Based on Tests and Analysis of Body Fat, Heart Rate, and Endurance

Abstract

Functional physical training (FPT) has gained attention as a potential alternative to traditional physical training (TPT) for enhancing athletic performance, particularly in sports like basketball that require a combination of strength, endurance, and cardiovascular efficiency. This study aimed to explore the effects of FPT on body fat, heart rate, and endurance (strength endurance, anaerobic endurance, and aerobic endurance) among college basketball players. A pre/training/posttest design was employed, involving 24 college basketball players (ages 19–25) from two universities, divided into an experimental group (EG) receiving FPT and a control group (CG) receiving TPT. Both groups trained for 90 minutes three times a week over 10 weeks. Body fat, heart rate, and endurance metrics were measured before and after the training period, with data analyzed using SPSS 27.0 software for T-tests. Within-group comparisons revealed significant improvements in body fat, heart rate, and endurance for the EG (all p < 0.01), while the CG showed significant improvements except in anaerobic endurance (p = 0.074). Between-group comparisons demonstrated that FPT was superior to TPT in enhancing recovery period heart rate, strength endurance, and anaerobic endurance (all p < 0.05), though no significant difference was observed in aerobic endurance (p = 0.114). The findings suggest that FPT is more effective than TPT in improving recovery period heart rate, anaerobic endurance, and strength endurance, highlighting its potential as a preferred training method for optimizing the performance of college basketball players.