Contrast Training 4 Week Template: A Supreme Approach for Improving Female Athletic Performance?

Recommended 4 Week Resistance Training Intervention for College Female Basketball Players During Pre-Season.

Rationale:

            Female basketball players require a diverse set of fitness abilities to both excel in the sport and prevent injury. Basic requirements to be a proficient player consist of aerobic endurance, jumping ability, agility, strength, balance, coordination, and higher lactate thresholds. Regarding injury risk, a major concern in basketball are lower body injuries to the knee and ankle. Therefore, it is recommended that female basketball players engage and strength and neuromuscular training to prevent these injuries (Akbar et al., 2022). Reasons have been known for decades why the female basketball player is more likely for knee injuries include: inability to absorb high forces, biomechanical differences (i.e. increased Q-angle), notch dimensions of knee, increase joint laxity (more noticeable in later luteal phase), ligament size, and decreased muscular strength (Arendt & Dick, 1995). Newer research has highlighted the likely role of the female cycle to predispose to increased risks of knee injury due to both physiological and psychological means. For example, female athletes report to feel their weakest, decreased motivation to perform, decrease strength and stamina while during the late luteal phase and when on their period Hayward et al., 2024). Therefore, it is recommend to incorporate strength, coordination (neuromuscular exercises), balance, plyometrics, rand aerobic conditioning to improve the resilience of the female athlete to knee and lower body injuries (Mancino et al., 2024).

            Determining the way in which resistance training should be used and prescribed varies with numerous ideas tested. Research over the last few decades has seemed to like the benefits of using plyometrics and weight training in the same setting as a form of contrast training or “complex training” to improve training effectiveness and efficiency (Cormier et al., 2020). Randomized control research conducted by both Sanchez-Sixto et al. (2021) and Wang et al. (2024) used competitive female basketball players in their early 20’s. Both researchers compared CT to either resistance training only or plyometric training only and a control group. The findings of both these studies were that outcomes of vertical jump (counter movement jump), agility (5-0-5 COD test) and Illinois agility test, 1 rep-max back squat, and to max force production improved in the CT interventions significantly more compared to plyometrics only or resistance training early. In the study by Wang et al. (2024) the 8-week exercise program CT saw about 15% increase in vertical jump while 7% improvement in the resistance training only group. Similarly, the 6-week study by Sanchez-Sixto et al. (2021) demonstrated a 11% increase in CMJ in the CT group and only 6% increase in the plyometric group. Was merits further investigation, but important to note for injury prevention, is the plyometric-only group saw a 6% decrease in maximum force production while the CT group had about a 6% increase in force production. According to Wang et al. (2024), strength (force production ability) is a prerequisite for change-of-direction which when paired with balance and agility work results in better biomechanics and less risk of knee injuries.

  The hypothesis why CT works better than only resistance training or plyometrics is that the preceding back squat before the jumping/ plyometrics causes PAP (post activation potentiation) which is a transient increase in muscle force capability following intense contraction (Kambitta et al., 2025). Both local muscle and increased neural activation are thought to be involved in the phenomenon. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated in the PAP effect appears to be more significant in highly trained athletes; a great feature for the college-age player still wanting to improve performance. Recommendations for rest intervals from the heavy lift before performing plyometrics is anywhere from 3-12 minutes to maximize potentiation while mitigating the effects of fatigue (Kambitta et al., 2025). Further CT protocols typically utilize higher %1RM loads of 75-90% 1RM with the following plyometrics done at maximum intensity of 5-15 repetitions. The 6-week study by Sanchez-Sixto et al. (2021) used a 3-minute rest period following the full back-squat and 1 minute rest after the plyometric jumps before squatting again. However, this program only used 50-65% 1RM loads. These loads are much lighter than what Wang et al. (2024) 8-week program performed by eventually working to heavy singles at 100% of 1RM; rest intervals were 4 minutes in this study. Both of these studies saw great improvement in the outcomes, so recommendations of using 3-4 minute rest periods may be warranted in this context with basketball practice also occurring on same days as CT training. Thus, reducing the workout time length while still yielding great benefits.

Since this 4-week block of training is intended to be used in the pre-season, a blend of the protocols used by Sanchez-Sixto et al.(2021) was tested in-season for 6 weeks and Wang et al. 2024) was tested off-season for 8 weeks. Both used variety of linear periodization. Sanchez-Sixto et al. (2021) did training 2x/week and progressed the back squat by increasing loads weekly from beginning at 50% and ending at 65% while simultaneity decreasing reps and bar speed and vertical jump tests of 5 reps/ set. Wang et al. (2024) used an acclimation week 1, followed by a hypertrophy blook in week 2-4, and week 5-8 used highest 1RM loads for the back squat while using 5-10 reps of jumps per set; training was performed 3x/week. Since we are in the pre-season, we are past the general preparatory phase and hypertrophy phases and need to become more specific and acclimated to exceed the demands needed in basketball games. However, practice time is becoming more frequent and thus a balance between stimulus-to-fatigue needs to be considered for this 4-week block of CT. The total workload could be divided into 3x/week sessions with less volume per session if easy to get in and out of the weightroom. However, most of the workouts only take about 30min when performed in full according to CT recommends from the previously mentioned studies. Therefore, it is recommended that CT only needs to be performed 2x/week suggested in the schedule below to elicit the benefits while not taking away from practice time and accumulating unnecessary fatigue.

Sun	Mon	Tues	Weds	Thurs	Fri	Sat
Week 1	CT session 1			CT session 2
Week 2	CT session 3			CT session 4
Week 3	CT session 5			CT session 6
Week 4	CT session 7			CT session 8

Training Specifics
CT session 1	1A: Full squat (high bar or safety bar): 5 sets, 6 reps @ 75%, rest 3-4 min 1B Drop jumps 5 sets, 5 reps max effort, 60sec rest
CT session 2	1A: Hex bar deadlift (low handles): 5 sets, 6 reps @ 75%, rest 3-4min 1B: Box jumps 5 sets, 5 reps max effort, 60sec rest
CT session 3	1A: Full squat (high bar or safety bar): 5 sets, 4 reps @ 85%, rest 3-4 min 1B Drop jumps 5 sets, 6 reps max effort, 60sec rest
CT session 4	1A: Hex bar deadlift (low handles): 5 sets, 4 reps @ 85%, rest 3-4min 1B: Box jumps 5 sets, 6 reps max effort, 60sec rest
CT session 5	1A: Full squat (high bar or safety bar): 6 sets, 3 reps @ 90%, rest 3-4 min 1B Drop jumps 6 sets, 6 reps max effort, 60sec rest
CT session 6	1A: Hex bar deadlift (low handles): 6 sets, 3 reps @ 90%, rest 3-4min 1B: Box jumps 6 sets, 5 reps max effort, 60sec rest
CT session 7	1A: Full squat (high bar or safety bar): 7 sets, 2 reps @ 92%, rest 3-4 min 1B Drop jumps 7 sets, 6 reps max effort, 60sec rest
CT session 8	1A: Hex bar deadlift (low handles): 7 sets, 2 reps @ 92%, rest 3-4min 1B: Box jumps 7 sets, 6 reps max effort, 60sec rest

References:

Akbar, S., Soh, K. G., Jazaily Mohd Nasiruddin, N., Bashir, M., Cao, S., & Soh, K. L. (2022). Effects of neuromuscular training on athletes physical fitness in sports: A systematic review. Frontiers in Physiology, 13, 939042. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.939042

Arendt, E., & Dick, R. (1995). Knee injury patterns among men and women in collegiate basketball and soccer. NCAA data and review of literature. The American journal of sports medicine, 23(6), 694–701. https://doi.org/10.1177/036354659502300611

Cormier, P., Freitas, T. T., Rubio-Arias, J. Á., & Alcaraz, P. E. (2020). Complex and Contrast Training: Does Strength and Power Training Sequence Affect Performance-Based Adaptations in Team Sports? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 34(5), 1461–1479. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000003493

Hayward, E., Akam, L., Hunter, D., & Mastana, S. (2024). Role of the Menstrual Cycle on Performance and Injury Risk: A Survey of Female Professional Rugby Players in the United Kingdom. International journal of environmental research and public health, 21(2), 150. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21020150

Kambitta Valappil, I. N., Parpa, K., Govindasamy, K., Katanic, B., Clark, C. C. T., Elayaraja, M., Karmakar, D., Băltean, A. I., Forț, P. R., & Geantă, V. A. (2025). The effects of complex training on performance variables in basketball players: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 7, 1669334. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2025.1669334

Mancino, F., Kayani, B., Gabr, A., Fontalis, A., Plastow, R., & Haddad, F. S. (2024). Anterior cruciate ligament injuries in female athletes: risk factors and strategies for prevention. Bone & joint open, 5(2), 94–100. https://doi.org/10.1302/2633-1462.52.BJO-2023-0166

Sánchez-Sixto, A., Harrison, A. J., & Floría, P. (2021). Effects of Plyometric vs. Combined Plyometric Training on Vertical Jump Biomechanics in Female Basketball Players. Journal of Human Kinetics, 77(1), 25–35. https://doi.org/10.2478/hukin-2021-0009