How to Condition for Basketball

Basketball is a very physically demanding sport. To be able to play this sport, you must be in the best physical shape possible and to do this you must condition your body for the stress you will put it under. The following steps will tell you how to condition your body by running a "suicide."

Instructions

1. Start at one end of the court where the goals are located. You will be running the length of the court rather than the width. You can start at any point along this line.

2. Place your hand on the out of bounds line or baseline, then start the drill as if you would a race. You should have a stopwatch ready or someone to time you. Every time you run a suicide you should try to beat your previous time.

3. Run to the free throw line, and touch this line.

4. Sprint back to the baseline, then to the half court line. Touch this line as well before returning to the baseline you started from.

5. Continue running this pattern of baseline to free throw line, baseline to half court, baseline to the other free throw line, and finally baseline to baseline. After doing this, you have completed a full suicide. Doing this conditioning exercise at full speed will definitely test your physical fitness.

6. Complete one full suicide in 60 seconds. This should be your goal. This is much more difficult than it sounds. Running 7-10 of these suicides a day for 2 weeks will get you in the best shape for playing basketball.