Fitness Training Programs For Basketball

Basketball requires a blend of many physical attributes. According to the Sports Fitness Advisor, basketball players must possess maximal strength, speed, power and endurance to perform effectively. Basketball is primarily an anaerobic sport, characterized by several bursts of maximal intensity efforts followed by periods of rest. The National Strength and Conditioning Association recommends training simulate actual performance scenarios so that practice sessions emulate this work-rest pattern.

Strength

Basketball players need maximal strength to gain position on offense and prevent yielding position on defense. Players can improve strength through resistance training, the National Strength and Conditioning Association reports. Exercises should replicate movements performed during game scenarios. Players should perform the overhead press, bench press and leg press to improve their basketball strength. Sets of six or less repetitions, using greater than 85 percent of maximum will adequately increase a player's strength.

Speed and Agility

Basketball players must be able to cover the length of the court quickly, while also shifting directions without losing speed. Players can improve their speed by performing repeated sprints of 10 to 20 seconds, followed by rest periods of two to four minutes. Agility can be improved through the use of cone and ladder drills. Coaches should time athletes during these workouts to combine speed and agility components, as well as measure improvement.

Power

Power is the ability to perform explosive movements of short duration. Acceleration, and jumping and diving for a loose ball all require power. Athletes can improve their power through resistance training or plyometrics. Good resistance training exercises to improve power for basketball are power cleans, snatches and jerks. Perform sets of one to five repetitions using 75 percent to 90 percent of your one-rep max to increase power. Plyometric exercises include broad jumps, depth jumps and box jumps. Perform these jumps as explosively as possible.

Endurance

Aerobic endurance allows basketball players to maintain a high-intensity performance late in the game and to recover quickly during rest periods. Basketball players can improve aerobic endurance by performing an aerobic activity for intervals of one minute or more. The best aerobic activity for basketball is running. You can still perform high intensity, short-duration efforts and improve aerobic endurance, as long as you limit the rest periods. The National Strength and Conditioning Association recommends a work-to-rest ratio of 1:1 to improve the speed-endurance needed for basketball.

Program Design

A well-rounded training program includes several strength, speed, power and endurance sessions each week. Coaches can include elements of each attribute within every practice. However, the Sports Fitness Advisor recommends focusing more on endurance and technique during the off-season, and then increasing the intensity of practices and simulating game-scenarios as the competitive season draws near.