The impact of computerized agility training on basketball performance: a comparative study with rope ladder training.

Background: Agility is a critical determinant of basketball performance, enabling rapid directional changes, movement reorganization, and real-time decision-making under competitive pressure. Objectives: To evaluate the effects of a four-week computerized agility training (CAT) program and rope ladder training (RLT) on general agility and basketball-specific skill performance in collegiate male basketball players. The study also aimed to examine position-specific training responses and quantify individual variability using linear mixed-effects models (LMM). Methods: In a randomized controlled trial, 64 male collegiate basketball players (aged 18-24; guards = 26, forwards = 26, centers = 12) were randomly assigned to either the CAT or RLT groups (n = 32 each group). Both interventions were performed three times per week for 4 weeks. Pre- and post-intervention assessments included a footwork speed test, a T-test for change of direction, and measures of choice reaction time and accuracy. Basketball-specific proficiency was assessed using the Combined Basketball Skill Test (CBST), incorporating performance time, penalty time, and stimulus response time. LMM were used to analyze the training effects. Results: Compared with RLT, CAT elicited significantly greater improvements in foot speed (+7.0% vs. +2.4%), choice reaction time (-6.9% vs. -0.7%), and CBST reaction time (-9.8% vs. -1.4%) (p < 0.05). CAT also led to larger reductions in overall CBST performance time (-2.1% vs. -0.3%) and completion time (-2.3% vs. -0.5%), although penalty time decreased significantly only among centers. Positional effects were observed: guards exhibited superior baseline agility, while centers demonstrated greater adaptive gains in decision-making and directional change. LMM revealed small to large effect sizes (Cohen's f = 0.12-0.74) and high conditional Conclusion: Computerized agility training significantly enhanced reactive agility and basketball-specific skill execution beyond rope ladder training, particularly in tasks involving perception and decision-making. The effects were position-dependent, with centers benefiting most from CAT. These findings highlight the limitations of traditional footwork drills and support the integration of perception-action-coupled, individualized agility training paradigms. Future research should explore the neurophysiological mechanisms and long-term retention of CAT in basketball conditioning.