Basketball drills for speed focus on developing your quickness and agility. Because a basketball court is only 94 feet, you will never be able to reach maximum velocity on the court. According to conditioning guru Jonas Sahratian, developing speed in basketball is about developing overall acceleration and quickness. Basketball drills for speed range from suicide line drills to full court dribbling drills.
No Hands Defense Drill
The no hands defense drill develops your defensive footwork as well as your on-ball quickness. Have three offensive players line up along the three-point line, leaving eight feet between them. Stand at the free throw line with your hands behind your back. On your coach's whistle, side step up to your teammate standing at the top of the three-point line. Have the offensive players pass the ball around. After each pass, you must slide towards the offensive player with the ball and guard him without using your hands. Instead of using your hands to "reach in" and swat the ball away, this drill forces you to use your quickness and footwork to get in front of the offensive player.
Wall Marches
Wall marches help you develop good drive angles and proper running posture. Make a 45-degree angle with your body and place both of your hands on a solid wall. Lift one of your knees towards your chest, making sure to keep your toe pointed up. Hold this position for two to three seconds and then thrust your leg back down. Repeat the exercise with your other leg. According to Jonas Sahratian, this drill also works your abs and low back.
Scramble Ups
Scramble ups improve your quickness as well as your initial acceleration position and form. Get your body into a push-up position on the court. Lie down in this position and wait for your coach's whistle. On your coach's whistle, get off the ground and burst forward into a sprint. Sprint for 30 meters and do this five more times. Try this drill with a partner and turn it into a race. Adding competition to the drill will make you run faster and try harder to win.
Super Shuttle Drill
The super shuttle drill works on improving your footwork and jumping abilities. Stand under the basketball rim with your back to center court. On your coach's whistle, get in a defensive stance and slide to the right side of the basketball key. Sprint back down to the baseline and side step back to your start position. Repeat this drill on the other side of the court. When you get back to the start position, jump up and touch the backboard with your hands. Repeat this drill six to eight times. According to Sport Fitness Advisor, you can perform this drill with an additional player by staggering your start times.
Resisted Towel Sprints
Resisted towel sprints helps you obtain greater speed through resistance training. Stand at the baseline with a towel around your waist. Have a player on your team hold the towel from behind. Lean forward and start to sprint, fighting against the resistance of your teammate and the towel. Try to sprint 5 to 10 meters and then rest. Repeat this drill five times. After you repeat the drill, perform the sprint once without any resistance.
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