A Regimen for Basketball Success
An athlete’s competitive basketball season lasts typically for 6 months out of the year. Committed and serious players can sometimes compete for 10 months if they extend their play into the summer months. Although it may be rare, there are many players who truly commit their off-seasons to basketball. Players looking to take their games to the next level need to understand that basketball training and development should be a year-round commitment. Furthermore:
- A basketball-training program shouldn’t stop at the end of basketball season.
- The work a player puts in during the off-season is directly correlated to actions, skills, and success attained during the upcoming season.
- Other athletic sports are beneficial to build and maintain general athleticism or agility. However, basketball training should continue in conjunction with other sports training.
- Players must be committed to working out each week, both in session with a training coach, and when working out on their own.
Athletes can create and maintain a training regimen that goes from pre-season to interim challenges. An elite player’s workout plan usually consists of 4 phases and may look something like this:
- Off-season phase — 2 months (July –August)
- Pre-season phase — 2-3 months (August, September, October)
- In-season phase — 6 months (October – March)
- Interim Challenges — AAU, etc. – 3 months (April – June)
5-Key Training Points
- Training should mimic a basketball game or competition. Incorporate short sprints into your regular workouts. Conditioning plays a crucial role in how much playing-time a player might see.
- At any time while playing you may have to stop on a dime and sprint in the other direction. The basketball court is 94 feet long, so when doing sprints, keep them shorter than 94 feet. Incorporate different sprint lengths, from 15 to 90 feet. Agility is also crucial for a player.
- Practice under “game like” conditions. That is, train when you are tired and under pressure.
- Players must master the basics of fundamentals. There are always variances in what or how the fundamentals are taught, but training should teach the same basic things. It is important for an athlete in training to select, focus, practice and master them. They are the foundation of player development.
- Once you have mastered the fundamentals, confidence becomes crucial. The brain records every mistake and every correctly executed technique. During training, it is important to leave every session with the confidence that you have executed all your skills correctly and effectively.
