Intense Basketball Training

To become an elite basketball player you must engage in intense training.

Playing basketball at a high level requires strength, speed, endurance, agility, quickness, balance, coordination and mental preparedness.These attributes can be developed with intense training, which includes a combination of cardio work, strength training, proper diet and individual basketball skills practice.

Mind Set

Training with a purpose is the key to success. Accomplishments start with a definite and measurable goal. Basketball training begins with the end in mind. A solid goal will enable you to push your mind and body further when you feel you have reached your limit.

Cardio Training

Skipping rope is vital to basketball training.

Basketball is a game of spurts. Short bursts of sprinting are followed by physical half-court play followed by more sprinting. Most basketball games of basketball won and lost in the last few minutes. Therefore, a high level of endurance is crucial for a basketball player. Cardiovascular strength is the most important aspect of training. Improve cardiovascular strength directly via a combination of wind sprints, skipping rope and long distance running and indirectly while practicing individual skills such as shooting, dribbling and defensive slides.

Strength Training

Intense basketball training requires strength training.

In the half-court, players have to set and fight through hard screens, battle for position in the post and out-work other players for rebounds. As the game progresses, the body begins to wear down. The player with superior physical strength can impose his will on the weak and wary. No intense basketball training regimen is complete without upper and lower body strength training. Players accomplish this through plyometrics, weight lifting, isometrics or a combination of the three.

Diet

Nutrition is critical for basketball training.

A proper diet can make the difference between positive results and disappointment to any athlete. Since intense basketball training requires a high expenditure of calories, basketball players do not have to sacrifice caloric quantity. Instead, basketball training requires nutritional quality. This includes quality carbohydrates such as oats, brown rice and pasta, lean proteins such as fish and chicken, and low amounts of fat. Hydration is crucial to success and to avoid over-fatigue. Therefore, those engaged in a training program should drink plenty of water before, during and after training.

Practice

Basketball training would not be complete without practice. Pick out some aspect of your game to work on each day. Split practice between a couple days of shooting, a couple days of offensive dribble-drive moves, and a couple days of low- to high-post work. This way no part of offense is left wanting. Go hard. Imagine a defender guarding you as you practice. Any time you miss a shot, get after the ball and drive it hard to the hoop for a lay-up.

References

• Livestrong: Basketball Training and Conditioning Program
• Livestrong: How to Run Suicide Drills
• Degerstrom: Jump Rope
• Isometric-Training: Isometrics is the Fastest Way to a Firm Physique!