Basketball is a very demanding sport from a physical perspective. The game is about constant motion and all players who compete regularly have a high degree of physical conditioning whether they do formal strength training, cardiovascular work or any type of exercise. However, the players that focus on improving their strength, speed, quickness and athleticism have the best chance of improving.
Interval Training
Basketball players are almost always in good physical condition because of the nature of the sport they play. However, when you have to rely on speed and quickness to make certain plays, engaging in interval training can help a player build explosive speed and quickness. This will help a player when he is in the open court and needs to get to the basket. Go to your local high school or college track and run sprints of 100, 90, 80 and 70 yards consecutively, starting with the longest distance. Take no more than a 15-second break between sprints. After the last one, take a two-minute break and repeat the set. Do one more double-set of sprints before you leave the track.
Lower-Body Strength
Building up your lower-body strength will help you hold your position underneath the boards or at any point on the court where you want to be. Your opponent may want to push you off your spot. By doing work on the leg press and leg curl machines, you can build up your hamstring, thigh and calf muscles. Doing lunges and squats will help you build your glutes. This will allow you to hold your position and not get pushed around on the court.
Upper-Body Strength
This is one of the most underrated factors when it comes to offensive players, particularly those who drive to the hoop. Having upper-body strength will allow you to ward off the defender by using your body or your arms. A player who is fouled while shooting has a much better chance of making the shot when he is strong physically. A strong player can take a blow across the arms or upper body and still make the shot. A player who is weak will go flying to the ground. The weak player may or may not hit his free throws, but the stronger player will have a chance at making a three-point play. The bench press and arm curls should be staples of the basketball upper-body workout.
Effects
Working hard in the weight room, the running track the gym will help a player with his confidence level. He knows he is not taking any short cuts and is doing everything he can to make himself a better basketball player. Once the player begins to see some positive results on the floor, he will likely get a surge of confidence because he knows that nobody is outworking him and he is improving.
Misconceptions
Players can overdo the strength and conditioning aspects if they don't spend just as much time working on their own individual basketball skills. It's great to lift weights and get stronger so you can win the battle for loose balls or on the boards, but don't forget about your ballhandling, shooting and passing work. You cannot substitute conditioning work for basketball practice and trying to get better at the skills need to play the game. You have to do both.
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