Medicine ball training is a popular training technique for athletes, including basketball players. According to Phil Dyer, head athletic trainer at Caldwell College in Caldwell, New Jersey, participating in a consistent medicine ball training program will improve your basketball performance while also teaching you how to get into and maintain a functional athletic position.
Function
Medicine ball training requires you to execute explosive movements while using weighted balls, varying from two to 15 lbs. A standard basketball in the men's game weighs 22 ounces; 20 ounces in the women's game. A medicine ball trains your body to move explosively and quickly. According to Dr. Donald Chu, a leading authority in sports training, plyometric exercises such as medicine ball training will help you train for the physical demands of basketball.
Features
There are a variety of medicine ball training exercises that are specific to basketball. Upper body exercises such as the kneeling chest pass and the pass on the go require you to thrust the medicine ball forward as quickly as possible. Jump toss requires you to squat and then jump as high as possible, while throwing the medicine ball up in the air. The medicine ball smash requires you to explode forward and throw the ball as violently as possible towards the ground. All of the exercises mimic the movements that are necessary during a game.
Performance Benefits
Because you train your body to perform the movements against resistance, or with the medicine ball, you are able to more easily execute the movement during competition. Consistent training with medicine balls can improve passing, dribbling, jumping and rebounding abilities. The exercises mimic the biomechanical movements that you will be executing while playing basketball.
Time Frame
Medicine ball training should be done no more than two days per week and with at least two days of rest in between workouts. Dr. Chu states that more intense medicine ball workouts could even require more rest to allow for maximum muscle recovery. Medicine ball training can be done at the beginning or at the end of weight training sessions, or can even be done on opposite days of weight training workouts.
Considerations
While medicine training is an effective way to improve performance and fitness levels for basketball, it shouldn't be your sole training strategy if you're a basketball player. Basketball also takes adequate levels of strength, speed, agility and endurance. Therefore, your all-around basketball training program should also include sprints, footwork drills, weight training and skills practice, in addition to medicine ball training.
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