Does Test Duration Matter? Comparing 1-s and 5-s Isometric Mid-Thigh Pull Protocols for Performance Diagnostics in...

To compare kinetic characteristics of a 1-s isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP) protocol with the traditional 5-s protocol and examine their associations with basketball-specific performance. Twenty-five Tier 3 male basketball players performed standardized 1-s and 5-s IMTP trials. Performance assessments included 20-m linear sprint times (0-5, 0-10, and 0-20 m splits), countermovement jump and squat jump height, 505 and t-test times. The 1-s protocol produced slightly lower net absolute and relative peak force (p < 0.05, g = -0.28 to -0.25), but greater rate of force development (RFD) over 0-90, 0-200, and 0-250 ms (p < 0.05, g = 0.53 to 0.59). Absolute and relative peak force showed significant moderate-to-large correlations with 5-m sprint time (p < 0.05, r = -0.41 to -0.52), whereas 1-s RFD over 0-200 and 0-250 ms showed significant moderate-to-large correlations, with RFD over 0-200 ms also showing a significant moderate correlation with 20-m time (p < 0.05, r = -0.40 to -0.51). Only 5-s relative peak force showed a significant moderate correlation with 5-m time (p < 0.05, r = -0.40). Squat jump height showed significant moderate-to-large correlations with peak force and RFD variables in both protocols (p < 0.05, r = 0.47 to 0.58), whereas countermovement jump height (p > 0.05, r = 0.13 to 0.39) and change-of-direction performance (p > 0.05, r = -0.27 to 0.01) showed no significant associations. The 1-s IMTP protocol produced greater RFD despite slightly lower net peak force and showed broader associations with sprint acceleration performance.