In youth basketball, limited practice time in most clubs demands time-efficient conditioning methods integrated into regular training. In this context, superset training (SST) and repeated sprint training (RST) offer viable strategies to develop key physical capacities, including explosive strength, aerobic fitness, speed and agility, efficiently. Therefore, this study investigated whether adding a weekly 30-min SST or RST session to the regular basketball practice over eight weeks could improve physical performance, and whether responses would vary across different chronological and biological age-groups. Sixty-two youth players from a basketball club academy (U-13 to U-18) were randomly assigned to the SST (N = 32) or the RST (N = 30) group. Baseline measurements from a familiarization period, when players only performed basketball training, served as reference for evaluating the intervention’s impact, maintaining ecological validity. Explosive strength, aerobic fitness, speed and agility were assessed pre- to post-intervention. Compared to baseline, both SST and RST led to marked improvements in explosive strength (p < 0.001), aerobic fitness (p ≤ 0.004), speed (p < 0.001) and agility (p < 0.001) pre- to post-intervention. Notably, the extent of improvements varied by chronological age in specific capacities. Incorporating a single weekly 30-min session of SST or RST into regular basketball practice can effectively enhance key performance capacities in youth basketball players. These findings suggest that even minimal, structured conditioning can elicit meaningful performance gains and distinct responses across age-groups. This underscores the need for interventions tailored to age-specific developmental requirements, offering a practical strategy for clubs facing limited training time.
