Category: Sports Training Subcategory: Basketball

How to Get in Basketball Shape

Step-by-step Instructions

Here is what you need to do...

Step 1

Let me start by saying that there is NO substitute when trying to get into basketball shape for playing quality games and participating in quality practices. The best way to get into basketball shape is to force your body to perform basketball movements so that your muscles can get used to cutting, jumping, and running.

Step 2

However, there are several additional training methods that can improve you athleticism and durability on the basketball floor.

Step 3

First, use a weighted basketball to train your muscles and increase your strength on the court. A great exercise that harnesses the power of the training ball is a rebounding drill. Have a coach or a partner throw the training ball off the rim and rebound the ball before it hits the floor. After you have secured the rebound, gather yourself and explode towards the basket. Once you have made the layup, pass the ball back to your partner and repeat the process. Do several sets of 10 rebounds, and mix in sets of 10 backboard touches in between sets.

Step 4

Second, use the plyometric boxes to increase your vertical leap and explosion. Use the smaller box for one footed jumps and be creative how you jump onto the box (you could start parallel to the box and stick the landing, or you could do quick reps facing straight). Use the larger boxes for two footed jumps. Be sure to "stick" the landing whenever you are doing two footed jumps so that you can improve you balance as well as your jumping.

Step 5

Lastly, use the cones for running and conditioning drills. One great conditioning drill are called "quads". A single quad consists of 4 full length sprints of the court (each completed in 5 sec or less) and 2 half court shuttles (you start on the baseline and run to the half court line and back 2 times, you should do each set of sprints in under 15 seconds). You can complete the full length sprints and the shuttles in any order you want. So, for example you could run 2 full court sprints and then 1 shuttle, then two more full court sprints and another shuttle. A good workout would consist of 4-5 quads.