Basketball

Agility and Speed Drills

2009-06-16T23:30:00.000-07:00

No matter how good a player you are, you can improve your level of play by becoming faster (up and down the court), and quicker (laterally and explosive movements).
Basketball is a game of movement. But it's also a game of stops-and-starts. Think about a typical trip down the court as an offensive player: sprint to the offensive end of the floor, hustle 10 or 12 feet across the court to set a screen, roll to the basket, make a quick move to get open to catch a pass, pass and screen away, cut to the basket for a potential offensive rebound.
It's all about footwork, movement, mobility. The defensive end of the floor requires equal (or even greater mobility and agility).
So, it's up to you to work on this part of your game. It takes hard work and persistence to get better, but you can do it, you can improve this area of your game.
If you're really dedicated to improving your game, take a look at some of the drills below. I work on these drills with my private training clients, and I know they are very effective.
Also, here's a tip: I recommend doing a lot of speed and agility training on grass instead of on the basketball court. It's much easier on the joints.
Agility Ladder DrillsThese are often associated with other sports (such as soccer or football), but every basketball player should use an agility ladder to work on their foot speed and agility.
There are various drills you can do with an agility ladder, but here are a few basics to get started:- One foot hop (go through each box hopping on one foot, then do again with the other)- Two foot hop (go through each box using both feet)- High knees (go through the boxes brining your knees up high)- Two feet in each box (using a running motion, step into a box with your right foot, then your left, then into the next box with your right, then your left and continue this pattern)- One foot in each box (same as above, but this time, only one foot will land in each box)- Sideways one foot in each box (sliding to your side, you'll put one foot in each box)- Sideways two feet in each box (same as above, but both feet will hit the ground in each box)
There are numerous other agility ladder drills (way more than we can list here). You can pick up an agility ladder at a local sporting good store, or online. Take a look at the SPARQ line of training equipment. They have lots of good stuff to help you work on your speed and agility.
Jump Rope DrillsOld school? No dount about it. But also very effective.
Jumping rope is a great way to get warmed up for a workout, but it's also a great way to work on your foot speed. Here are a few drills:- Speed jumps (jump fast, and we mean as fast as you can)- One leg (alternating between your right and left foot...for example, jump 4 or 5 times on your left foot, then move to 4 or 5 jumps on your right)- Running jumps (jump rope while moving from one end of the floor to the other...it's more a fast walk than a run, but you get the idea)
Cone DrillsCone drills are great at making you faster. Here are a few good drills I use with my clients:- Sliding drills (place 2 cones 6-8 feet apart and defensive slide from one to the other...then move them 10-12 feet apart and do the same. They key is to slide fast...very fast.)- The T-Cone drill (place 3 cones in a straight line about 3 or 4 feet apart, then place 2 other cones about 10 feet apart at the top of the "T". Now, start off running back and forth between the 3 cones and out to one of the cones at the top, then back-pedal to the starting spot. Do the same thing again, this time out to the other cone at the top, and back-pedaling to the start). Go FAST.
These are just some of the drills you can do as part of your foot speed and agility.

Basketball Workouts

2009-04-09T03:38:00.000-07:00

Post and Pivot Workout
It's not very often that you'll find a championship team that doesn't have at least one or two tremendous inside players. In order for an offense to be effective, things must be taken care of in and around the paint. In this article we will discuss what it takes to be a great inside player. Read more
Posting Up: A great inside player is very effective posting up. An average inside player is too casual about posting up. You need to know how to position yourself and how to seal your defender to make it easy for your teammates to enter the ball inside. Karl Malone is known as possibly the greatest power forward to play the game of basketball. One reason for this was his reputation to make himself so big and wide in the post. He was only 6 foot 9 which isn't all that big in the NBA but he made it so easy for his teammates to get him the ball because he would position himself so well and made himself a huge target.
Set Good Screens: A good offense is built upon good screens. So many times players just go through the motions in an offense and set lousy screens. As an inside player set the tone for your team by setting solid screens. You'll get more playing time and you'll win more games because this is what creates open shots. A big reason Rick Majerus' teams are so good is because he spends a lot of time with his players teaching them the importance of setting good screens. You'll also notice that by setting good screens you'll be more likely to score more points. When you set a good screen it seals your defender and if you roll towards the basket you're likely to be wide open.
Pivoting: Pivoting is another thing that many inside players are too casual about. It's hard to get excited about going to the gym and practicing pivoting but if you're going to be great it's a must. Most inside players are fine pivoting with one foot but aren't so good with the other foot. Don't give the defense an advantage by letting them force you in one direction. A great player to study if you want to see the effects of good fundamental pivoting would be Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs.
Dribbling: As an inside player you don't need to worry about becoming the next Pistol Pete Maravich, but you should be a good dribbler with both hands. Many times you're likely to get the ball as you cut through the lane and you'll need to make a few dribbles before you shoot a lay up. You can't afford to look at your dribble or not be able to dribble with your weak hand. Also when defenses press after you get the rebound you may need to dribble partway up the floor to clear the defenders and get the ball to a guard.
Scoring: First of all work on your free throws. Inside players get fouled more than most players because they end up shooting so many shots close to the basket. If you're not able to hit your free throws you are a big handicap to your team. Always crash the boards, stay active, and keep your hands up. So many great centers get most or all of their points from offensive rebounds, tip-ins, and lay-ups. Add the hook shot to your game. Years ago many great inside players used this shot because it's so hard to block. If you can become consistent close to the basket with a hook shot you'll be very hard to stop.
Rebounding: This could easily be argued as the most important responsibility of an inside player. To be a great rebounder, boxing off should be second nature to you. If it isn't you have a lot of work to do. We can't speak for all coaches but most coaches see a players lack of ability to box off, a mental weakness. There is just absolutely no excuse for it.When it comes to rebounding the ability to jump quickly is more important than the ability to jump high.

VERTICAL JUMP

2009-03-05T22:27:00.000-08:00

This vertical jump training program is designed to help you increase leg strength andexplosiveness, as well as to help in the reduction of knee and ankle injuries. If performedwith proper technique, and by utilizing a good work ethic, you will develop the necessarymuscular strength and balance to help in the prevention of knee and ankle injuries. It willalso help significantly improve vertical jump and explosiveness. Proper technique, asmentioned above, is VITAL for each exercise. Jumping is not the only movementinvolved here...you will also be landing. Pay close attention to the mechanics of landingafter each jump.Plyometrics, by definition, are exercises or drills aimed at linking strength with speed ofmovement to produce power. Enabling the muscle to reach maximum strength in as shorta time as possible is the goal. Plyometrics are probably the single most effective methodof increasing power.With that said, plyometrics are very rigorous and intense in nature. Because of this highintensity,plyometrics should only be performed at limited times throughout the year(usually during the offseason). These exercises should also be done only 1-2 times perweek, as I have explained below. Also, due to the high stress on muscles, tendons, andjoints, I recommend at least 6 months or more of basic weight training prior toincorporating any plyometric exercises. Plyometrics are included asyou progress through the program so this workout can be incorporated with it orperformed during the year…generally the spring/early summer is a good time.Plyometrics is one of the best training programs for vertical jump and it is very very useful for basketball. It helps to strengthen the ankles and reduce pressure on the knee. Plyometrics is really a great and effective program.