Your muscles require blood and oxygen to do their jobs. The more you use your muscles, the more blood and oxygen your body demands from your heart. When you shoot a basketball, you use a variety of muscles that require a greater volume of blood and oxygen. Your heart rate increases to meet the demand.
Heart Rate
Your heart rate is determined by how hard your heart has to work to circulate blood through your body. If you are in excellent physical shape, your heart doesn't have to pump as fast to circulate as much blood as it would if you were out of shape. Resting heart rate is the number of times your heart beats per minute when you are at rest. Target heart rate is the speed at which your heart beats when you are in an aerobic state of training or exercise. To gain maximum cardiovascular benefits, you should exercise within this range. Maximum heart rate is the number of times your heart beats during intense physical activity and can be calculated by subtracting your age from 220. Your target heart rate is approximately 60 percent to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate.
Muscles Used When Shooting a Basketball
According to "Exercise Physiology for Health, Fitness, and Performance" by Sharon A. Plowman et al., shooting a basketball requires muscle tension to act upon a load, in this case, the basketball. When your muscles contract and act against a load, the muscle requires additional oxygen. The muscles used when shooting a basketball, including your trapezius, deltoids, pectorals, biceps and upper abdominals, all require additional oxygen, which puts an increased load on your heart. If you jump when you shoot, you also engage the hamstrings, quadriceps and gluteus maximus among others. The increased load causes the heart to beat faster, increasing your heart rate.
Increasing Heart Rate
To increase your heart rate when shooting, increase the number or intensity of muscles used. For example, you can increase your heart rate by jumping when you shoot or shooting from a further distance, which requires you to place greater force on the basketball. Using a heavier ball can also increase your heart rate.
Decreasing Heart Rate
If your heart rate is too high when shooting a basketball, reduce the number or intensity of muscles used. Move closer to the basket or shoot using just your upper body. Use a lighter ball if your heart rate goes too high.
Warning
If your heart rate suddenly increases, you develop chest pains, or if you have a heart condition and you become lightheaded or out of breath while shooting a basketball, call 9-1-1.
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