An eight-week study comparing recreational basketball games and interval running to improve fitness and body composition in inactive young adults

ISRCTN	ISRCTN14130863
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN14130863
Sponsor	Huzhou University
Funder	Huzhou University

Submission date: 10/02/2026
Registration date: 12/02/2026
Last edited: 12/02/2026

Recruitment status: No longer recruiting
Overall study status: Completed
Condition category: Other

Prospectively registered

Protocol

Statistical analysis plan

Results

Individual participant data

Record updated in last year

Plain English summary of protocol

Not provided at time of registration

Contact information

Mr Zewei Liu
Public, Scientific, Principal investigator

HUZHOU university
Huzhou City
313000
China

Phone	+86 13567296311
Email	1318699478@qq.com

Study information

Primary study design	Interventional
Allocation	Randomized controlled trial
Masking	Open (masking not used)
Control	Active
Assignment	Parallel
Purpose	Prevention
Participant information sheet	49015 Participant_Information_Sheet_v1 10Jul2025.pdf
Scientific title	Effect of basketball small-sided games and running-based high-intensity interval training on physical adaptability in untrained young individual: a randomized controlled study
Study objectives
Ethics approval(s)	Approved 16/07/2025, Ethics Committee of Hunan Mechanical & Electrical Polytechnic (-, Hunan, 410000, China; -; 1187033139@qq.com), ref: 20250710
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied	Fitness and body composition in inactive young adults
Intervention	This study was an 8-week, three-arm, parallel-group randomized controlled trial. Ninety untrained young adults were randomly allocated (1:1:1; gender-stratified, concealed envelopes) to: (1) basketball small-sided games (SSG), (2) running-based high-intensity interval training (HIIT), or (3) a non-training control group. The intervention groups trained 3 times per week for 8 weeks. Each session began with a standardized 15-min warm-up, followed by 16 min of main training. SSG used 3v3 (4×4 min, 3-min rests) or 5v5 (2×8 min, 5-min rest) formats. HIIT used 30–30 or 40–20 running intervals at ~80–85% HRmax in 4 sets × 4 repetitions with 3-min rest between sets (16 min total work). Heart rate and perceived exertion were monitored during training. Outcomes were assessed pre- and post-intervention by blinded assessors, including body composition/anthropometrics and physical fitness tests (strength, jumps, sprint speed, change of direction, and aerobic endurance).
Intervention type	Behavioural
Primary outcome measure(s)	Body mass measured using portable scale (SECA 760; accuracy 0.1 kg) at Baseline (Week 0) and Post-intervention (Week 8) Body mass index (kg/m²) measured using body mass and height obtained from a portable stadiometer (SECA 213; accuracy 0.1 cm) at Baseline (Week 0) and Post-intervention (Week 8) Handgrip strength (left hand) measured using measured using a calibrated electronic hand dynamometer (TKK 5101 Grip‑D) at Baseline (Week 0) and Post-intervention (Week 8) Handgrip strength (right hand) measured using measured using a calibrated electronic hand dynamometer (TKK 5101 Grip‑D) at Baseline (Week 0) and Post-intervention (Week 8) Standing long jump distance measured using an infrared long-jump measuring device (FairPlay FP‑TYD) at Baseline (Week 0) and Post-intervention (Week 8) Vertical jump height measured using iPhone 15 slow‑motion video (240 fps) analysed with the My Jump 2 app at Baseline (Week 0) and Post-intervention (Week 8) Ten‑metre sprint time measured using an infrared timing system (FairPlay FP‑2000C) at Baseline (Week 0) and Post-intervention (Week 8)
Key secondary outcome measure(s)	Thirty‑metre sprint time measured using an infrared timing system (FairPlay FP‑2000C) at Baseline (Week 0) and Post-intervention (Week 8) 5–0–5 change‑of‑direction test time measured using an infrared timing gate (FairPlay FP‑2000C) at Baseline (Week 0) and Post-intervention (Week 8) Twenty‑metre multi‑stage fitness test total distance measured using Léger 20‑m shuttle run protocol at Baseline (Week 0) and Post-intervention (Week 8)
Completion date	25/11/2025

Eligibility

Participant type(s)
Age group	Adult
Lower age limit	18 Years
Upper age limit	22 Years
Sex	All
Target sample size at registration	90
Total final enrolment	90
Key inclusion criteria	1. Age between 18 and 22 years. 2. Sedentary or untrained young adults, defined as not participating in regular structured exercise or sports training during the previous 6 months. 3. Male and female participants. 4. Apparently healthy, with no self-reported cardiovascular, metabolic, neurological, or musculoskeletal disorders that would contraindicate high-intensity exercise. 5. Able to safely perform high-intensity physical exercise, as confirmed by a pre-participation health screening. 6. Willing and able to participate in an 8-week supervised exercise intervention and attend all testing sessions. 7. Provided written informed consent prior to participation.
Key exclusion criteria	1. Any acute or chronic disease (medical condition) that would make participation unsafe. 2. Any current sports injury or musculoskeletal problem. 3. Being on any ongoing treatment regimen (e.g., current medical treatment during the recruitment period). 4. Being physically active ≥ 90 minutes per week (i.e., not meeting the “untrained/sedentary” criterion used in this study). 5. Inability or unwillingness (for intervention arms) to follow the study protocol with a training compliance rate of at least 85%. 6. Inability to complete all assessment tests throughout the study period. 7. Not providing written informed consent.
Date of first enrolment	10/07/2025
Date of final enrolment	16/07/2025

Locations

Countries of recruitment

China

Study participating centres

Results and Publications

Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share	No
IPD sharing plan summary	Not expected to be made available
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type	Details	Date created	Date added	Peer reviewed?	Patient-facing?
Other files	Informed consent form version 1	10/07/2025	12/02/2026	No	No
Participant information sheet	version 1	10/07/2025	12/02/2026	No	Yes
Protocol file	version 1	10/07/2025	12/02/2026	No	No
Statistical Analysis Plan	version 1	10/07/2025	12/02/2026	No	No

Additional files

49015 Informed_Consent_Form_v1 10Jul2025.pdf: Informed consent form
49015 SAP_SSG_vs_HIIT_RCT_v1 10Jul2025.pdf: Statistical Analysis Plan
49015 Protocol_SSG_vs_HIIT_RCT_v1 10Jul2025.pdf: Protocol file
49015 Participant_Information_Sheet_v1 10Jul2025.pdf: Participant information sheet

Editorial Notes

11/02/2026: Trial's existence confirmed by Ethics Committee of Hunan Mechanical & Electrical Polytechnic.