Basketball is a dynamic and fast-paced sport that requires a wide range of fitness attributes from its players. The start/stop style of play seen in basketball uses predominately the anaerobic energy systems and players must be fast and powerful to cover the court as fast as possible as well as skillful and agile so that they can react quickly to the flow of play. Explosive strength is vital for all basketball players, especially for their ability to jump and sprint.
Plyometrics
Plyometrics is a form of training designed to develop your jumping ability. When you rapidly stretch a muscle, it responds with a very powerful contraction--this is the essence of plyometric training. This so-called stretch-shortening reflex can be trained and used to increase your jumping ability. An example of a plyometric jumping drill is the depth jump. To perform a depth jump, stand on top of a 20-inch to 24-inch step. Jump off with both feet and immediately on landing jump as high as you can into the air. Depth jumps can consist of single jumps or a series, such as using a set of five hurdles after the initial jump off of the step.
Agility
Agility describes your ability to act and react quickly to the players around you and can be developed through proper training. A large number of drills can help develop your agility, such as man-to-man marking drills, zig-zag sprinting between sets of marker cones and multidirectional running drills in response to a coach's instructions. A very useful tool that you can use is a reaction ball. A reaction ball is a small tennis-sized ball that, when dropped or thrown, will bounce in a random direction to which you have to react as quickly as possible. You can buy a reaction ball from sporting goods stores. In 2010, they cost around $10.
Interval Training
Because of the start-and-stop nature of basketball, you should focus on your anaerobic fitness. One of the best ways to develop your anaerobic fitness is through interval training. By alternating periods of high-intensity work with periods of low-intensity recovery, you will closely replicate the demands of basketball. A suitable interval training workout for basketball would include alternating 30 seconds of sprinting with 60 seconds of walking for five to eight sets. In basketball, intervals performed on the court are often called "suicides." It is a common drill in basketball training.
Whole-Body Strength and Power
Although your ability to jump and sprint is mainly affected by your lower body, being powerful and strong in your whole body will help you cope with the physicality of basketball. Basketball is a non-contact game but contact does occur and being whole-body strong can mean that, when marking an opponent, you will be far less likely to be manhandled out of position or off of the ball. To develop whole-body strength and power, train using exercises such as squats, dead lifts, power cleans, the push press and the bench press.
References
- "High-Performance Sports Conditioning"; Bill Faran; 2001
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning"; National Strength and Conditioning Association; 2008
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