While basketball has traditionally been defined as a non-contact sport, the description is an insult to those who play it. In fact, according to an ESPN.com survey of a panel of experts, basketball was ranked as the fourth most demanding sport behind boxing, ice hockey and football of the 60 sports rated. So, it is imperative to consider strength training to enhance power, explosiveness, agility and speed in basketball.
Frequency and Duration of Training Sessions
An important element in designing a strength training program for an individual or a team is having a plan for the frequency and duration of training sessions. There should be three different training periods: post-season, pre-season and in-season. The post-season training period is when a player should concentrate on making significant gains in strength and explosiveness. The pre-season and in-season phases are geared toward maintenance purposes only. A program during the post-season should begin two to three weeks after competitive games have ended so a player has recovered from the grind of the season. The post-season, or off-season, period will consist of a 45 to 60 minute workout done three times per week, preferably Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The pre-season phase will reduce the workout time to 30 to 60 minutes per workout and reduce the frequency to just two days per week, preferably a Tuesday and Thursday schedule with basketball-specific activities on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Finally, workouts during the season should be reduced to 20 to 50 minutes per workout with two sessions held each week. While strength is not gained during the season, it is vital to maintain strength and prevent injury with a frequent training program.
The best times to lift are in the mornings away from afternoon sport practice. The second best option is to lift directly before practice with lower intensity. The worst option and least productive is to lift immediately after practice.
Types of Exercises
For total body power, the primary lift should be the power clean and the secondary lift should be the power clean-n-jerk. For total body strength, the primary lift should be the dead lift and the secondary lift should be the power shrug from the floor. For hip and knee extension, try the back squat or front squat. For hip extension power, use the hang clean or hang snatch. For hip extension strength, Romanian dead lifts or stiff legged dead lifts are preferred. For upper body push, use bench or standing presses and triceps extension or presses. For upper body pull, bent rows or chin rows and biceps curls are useful.
Sample Training Program
Each basketball strength training program should be focused on total body development. Each workout needs to incorporate multiple exercises dedicated to this emphasis. Here is a sample post-season three-day per week program. On Monday, a superset of deadlifts along with clean-n-jerk should be completed first with a set of five repetitions of deadlifts performed immediately followed by a set of five repetitions of clean-n-jerks with no rest in between. This equates to one full set or a superset. Complete three supersets with a minute and a half rest in between each superset. After this superset, perform four sets of six to eight repetitions each of back squats with the bar resting on the shoulders. Immediately after each set, perform five verticals in which the athlete crouches down and jumps as high as possible. Rest one minute between each superset. Move to pull-downs and perform three sets of five to eight reps with 30 seconds rest in between each set. After this, do three sets of five to eight reps of military presses with barbell with 30 seconds rest in between each set. Then, move to dumbbell curls and triceps press extensions, performing two sets of five to eight reps of dumbbell curls on incline bench set at 45 degrees with 30 seconds of rest in between each set, immediately followed by two sets of five to eight reps of triceps presses using two hands with one dumbbell over head with 30 seconds rest in between each set. Finish with core work by doing decline sit-ups--three sets of 15 to 20 reps for each set. Then go to hanging leg raises--three sets of 10 reps--and finally the bridge--three sets of 30 seconds to one minute for each set. Finish the workout with stretching cool-down for 10 minutes. On Wednesday, repeat program but substitute stationary lunges for squats. Do four sets of six to eight reps. Substitute bent over dumbbell rows for pulldowns--three sets of five to eight reps. Sub incline bench press with dumbbells for military presses--three sets of five to eight reps--and eliminate curls and tricep presses. On Friday, repeat Monday's schedule.
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