Effects of 10-week French contrast training on lower-limb power, short-distance acceleration, and change-of-direction performance in female collegiate basketball players.

Background: Basketball requires repeated jumping, short-distance acceleration, rapid deceleration, and frequent changes of direction, yet it remains unclear whether French contrast training (FCT) produces greater adaptations than equal-load traditional training (ELT) in female collegiate basketball players. This study examined the effects of a 10-week FCT program on lower-limb power, short-distance acceleration, change-of-direction performance, and one-repetition maximum (1RM) back squat performance. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, twenty-five female collegiate basketball players were randomly allocated to an FCT group (n = 13) or an ELT group (n = 12). Jump, sprint, change-of-direction, and 1RM back squat outcomes were assessed before and after training and analyzed using two-way repeated-measures ANOVA. Results: Significant group × time interactions favored FCT for squat jump, countermovement jump, drop-jump height, reactive strength index (all p < 0.001), and eccentric utilization ratio (p = 0.003). Significant group × time interactions were also observed for 10-m sprint time, 10-m maximal velocity, 10-m maximal acceleration, lane agility, and basketball-specific change-of-direction performance (all p < 0.001). Conclusions: FCT may provide greater benefits than ELT for improving explosive and basketball-specific rapid movement outcomes in female collegiate basketball players. These findings may help strength and conditioning coaches select FCT when the goal is to improve explosive and rapid multidirectional movement performance rather than maximal strength alone.