Hitting Goals On The Road To Success
The game of basketball has changed over the years in numerous aspects and today’s players are faster, stronger, and more athletic than ever. The sport also places a very high demand on a player, just think about it; a player must jump, run, sprint, shoot, and catch over and over without error during the course of a forty-eight minute game. Simply asking an athlete to go out and do this has produced a significant increase in injuries.
Coaches, parents, and players on all levels are realizing the need to stay injury-free, not just following a setback, but in a completely preventative sense. These ideals are designed around strengthening each fitness component — strength, power, speed, agility, flexibility, balance, quickness, and stamina — to meet the ever-changing physical demands of basketball. These CoachUp tips will ensure that maximum benefits are realized in strength and conditioning training while minimizing the risk for injury.
Never Stop Improving
Improve Total Body Strength
Your body will only function as well as its weakest part. If one area of your body is weak, then your performance on the court will reflect it. A specialized resistance-training program will improve these weak areas.
Improve Dynamic Flexibility
Performing typical stretching exercises is effective and will improve your static flexibility. Basketball, however, requires an extreme range of motion to shoot, rebound, or play defense. A properly designed stretching program will increase your dynamic flexibility and overall athletic performance. **IMPROVE EXPLOSIVE SPEED:** Basketball is a multi-directional sport. Having the ability to stop, start and change direction on a dime really makes a big difference on the court. It is essential to have a quick first step and the ability to change direction.
Improve Power
Power is the ability to demonstrate your strength faster. In basketball, this means being able to get off the floor faster and quicker. The result – rebounds, blocked shots and more height on jump shots.
Improve Agility
Agility is the ability to change direction without losing speed, strength, balance or control. Agility training will improve foot quickness and reaction time.
Improve Balance
Balance is the ability to control your body through a specific movement pattern. Drills challenging the player’s balance will help the player to become more efficient at whatever movement pattern is presented.
Improve The Core
The core covers the area from your chest to the knees. This core area gives you stability, strength and power. Core training is important because it is the epicenter for performing athletic movements.
Improve Endurance + Stamina
The energy system needed to play basketball is not the same as that of a long distance runner. However, endurance/stamina is very important to meet the demands and repetitiveness of basketball.
Hire a CoachUp Coach
An experienced fitness trainer can assess your specific needs and design an effective basketball conditioning program to save you time and more importantly, saving you the frustration that other general programs may fail to deliver.
What You Can Expect
Better Movement:
Plyometric training specific to basketball will provide the explosive power and speed needed to execute the movement patterns of basketball. This added force ensures optimal performance.
Improved Endurance + Stamina
Movement is a key element in basketball. Agility training focuses on speed, quickness and reaction time. Improving these motor units will allow the player to shoot, jump and run time and time again.
Protection Against Injury
Resistance training will strengthen and support those muscles used repeatedly in basketball. A comprehensive training program will focus on these muscles to minimize the player’s risk of injury. You cannot be a successful basketball player if you are on the sidelines.
Improved Results
Participating in a strength and conditioning program will have a positive psychological benefit. A player that is stronger physically will have confidence mentally. With the two together, the player will be able to lift their game to the next level and have that extra tank in the 4th quarter to finish off a tough opponent.
Develop More Strength
Strength training lays the foundation to developing a basketball player, and really any athlete. Strength plays a vital role in basketball. Shooting range, boxing out and the ability to get to the hole and finish are directly correlated to being stronger.
(Related: Read about elevating your game and becoming a sharpshooter here.)
Huddle Up
No, it won’t be easy, but that’s what we’re here for! CoachUp is committed to delivering quality service, knowledge, and expertise for any seriously aspiring athletes that want to take their game to the next level. If you’re struggling with any part of your training, whether it’s conditioning, core, strength, whatever it may be — there is a coach out there for you. Every day, basketball evolves just a little bit more, and it’s become incredibly difficult for most of the country to keep up with it’s physical demands. But, with us, we’ll help you get started on the right track towards success — what are you waiting for?
