The lean body mass (LBM) components have been suggested as important predictors of anaerobic performance, which is highly involved in basketball. We explored with descriptive cross-sectional design the relationship between anaerobic performance and full molecular and cellular body composition profile in young male basketball players. Twenty-one players (age = 16.8 ± 1.6 years; body mass = 76.3 ± 15.7 kg, height = 189.3 ± 12.6 cm) were recruited, 11 elite and 10 local level. Participants were evaluated on multicomponent body composition [LBM, appendicular lean soft tissue (ALST), bone mineral content (BMC), total body water (TBW), intracellular water (ICW) and extracellular water (ECW)] and field-based anaerobic performance (vertical jump, linear sprint, and handgrip strength). The stepwise regression analyses adjusted for confounders showed significant relationships of whole-body and regional body composition components with handgrip and jump performance (P = 0.03). Prediction models combining body composition variables assessed by bioimpedance analysis (BIA) and double-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) revealed that lean mass and hydration ratios (ICW/ECW and ECW/TBW) were strongly associated with jump performance (CMJ and CMJ25kg), independently of the competition level (P < 0.01). The novel finding in this study was that water quality (ICW/ECW) and water distribution (ECW/TBW, ICW) of total and regional LBM were the main predictors of vertical jump capacity in young basketball players.
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