What Muscles Are Needed in Basketball?

Arms, legs and core muscles are all needed in basketball.

Basketball Muscles

If you've ever felt completely winded and sore after playing a few games of full-court basketball--not just sore, but everything-hurts-I-don't-remember-using-those-muscles sore--you know that the sport requires a lot of work from your body beyond your vertical leap and smooth shooting.

The biggest factor is that nearly all major muscle groups are needed in basketball. Your arms, your legs, your core...every major group has a responsibility. The concentration of each muscle group, however, varies depending on which phase of the game you are in: offense, defense or transition.

Leg Muscles

Your legs are key throughout the entire game. If you're playing in the low post area during offense, your upper leg muscles and glutes will be needed to push for position with your back to the basket. When you go for a jump shot or a layup, your calf muscles (specifically the quick-release ones) will be key to getting you into the air.

During transition from one goal to the other, your calf muscles will give you sprinting speed, whether you're running to defend or running on a fast break to the basket. You'll also need your legs muscles when you're playing defense, particularly when you're getting low in a defensive stance.

The Arms ... Not Just For Shooting

Arm muscles are mostly used during the offensive part of the game, especially your shooting arm's bicep. With strong and flexible biceps, you can create good velocity with minimal effort when shooting a jump or set shot. This is especially important with the long-distance and three-point shots, which require more push to meet the extended basket range. During defense, your deltoids and shoulders should be strong to compensate for the constant raising and lowering of your arms while you're trying to obstruct passing zones or shots.

Core Stability

Your core muscles (abdomen and lower back) are used most when landing from jumping and for positioning under the basket. A strong core can absorb energy when you're coming down from layups, jump shooting or attempts at blocking shots. A strong lower back can absorb the stress created by positioning in the low post.

So the next time you decide to shoot some hoops and it's going to be a full court game, you may want to consider stretching and doing a little warm-up. Your feet may hurt today, but everything will hurt tomorrow.

Resources

• Basketball-Plays-and-Tips.com: Effective Basketball Warm-Up Drills
• Basketball Drills and Plays: Summer Workouts for Perimeter Players