Basketball Exercises: How to Get Fit for the Court
Welcome to The Basics: Basketball Exercises. I’m a big fan of basketball and I’ve been playing for many years. In this blog, I’ll share some of my favorite exercises that help me improve my game. I hope you enjoy and please feel free to share your own tips and tricks in the comments section.
Exercises to Improve Your Shooting
There are many different exercises that you can do to improve your shooting. Here are a few of the most popular:
1. The free throw line drill: This drill helps you improve your accuracy and consistency from the free throw line. Shoot 10 free throws, then take a step back and shoot another 10. Repeat this until you make 50 free throws in a row.
2. The mid-range jump shot drill: This drill helps you improve your accuracy and consistency from mid-range jump shots. Start by shooting 10 jump shots from the top of the key, then take a step back and shoot another 10. Repeat this until you make 50 jump shots in a row.
3. The three-point shooting drill: This drill helps you improve your accuracy and consistency from the three-point range. Shoot 10 three-pointers, then take a step back and shoot another 10. Repeat this until you make 50 three-pointers in a row.
Exercises to Improve Your Dribbling
If you want to be a great basketball player, you need to have great dribbling skills. These six exercises will help you improve your dribbling so you can take your game to the next level.
1. Crossover dribble
One of the most important dribbling moves is the crossover dribble. To do a crossover dribble, start by dribbling the ball in your right hand. Then, quickly switch the ball to your left hand and cross it over your right leg. As you crossover, step with your right foot and then quickly switch directions and head down the court. Repeat this drill 10 times on each side.
2. Figure 8 drills
Another great way to improve your dribbling is to do figure 8 drills. To do a figure 8 drill, start by placing two cones or other objects about 10 feet apart. Then, starting at one cone, weave in and out of the cones while dribbling the ball. As you get better at this drill, increase the distance between the cones. Repeat this drill 10 times on each side.
3. Between-the-legs dribble
The between-the-legs dribble is another great move to add to your repertoire. To do this move, start by dribbling the ball in your right hand. Then, bring the ball behind your back and between your legs so it ends up in your left hand. As you do this move, be sure to keep your head up so you can see where you’re going. Repeat this drill 10 times on each side
Exercises to Improve Your Passing
Passing is one of the most important skills in basketball, and it is also one of the most difficult to master. There are a number of exercises that you can do to improve your passing, and the following are just a few examples.
1. One-handed passes: Start by standing still and passing the ball back and forth between your hands. Once you have gotten the hang of this, start moving your feet and making one-handed passes to a partner.
2. Two-handed passes: This is similar to the previous exercise, except that you will be using two hands to pass the ball. As before, start by standing still and then progress to moving your feet while making passes to a partner.
3. Chest passes: Start in a low stance with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees bent. Pass the ball from your chest to your partner, making sure to snap your wrists as you release the ball.
4. Bounce passes: Start in a low stance with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees bent. Pass the ball off the ground so that it bounces up to your partner’s chest level.
5. Overhead passes: Start in a low stance with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees bent. Pass the ball overhead to your partner.
Exercises to Improve Your Footwork
One of the most important skills in basketball is your footwork. Having quick and nimble feet can help you keep up with the fast pace of the game, as well as give you an advantage when it comes to defense and rebounding. Here are a few exercises that can help improve your footwork on the court.
Plyometric Drills
Plyometric drills are great for building explosive power and improving your agility. They involve quick, burst movements that can help simulate the sudden changes of direction that you often have to make on the court. Try doing some simple plyometric drills like jump squats, box jumps, and sprints to see an improvement in your footwork.
Ladder Drills
Ladder drills are another great way to improve your agility and footwork. They involve quick movements of your feet in and out of the rungs of a ladder placed on the ground. This helps improve coordination between your feet and your brain, making you quicker on your feet in game situations. Try doing some basic ladder drills like high knees, lateral shuffles, and cariocas to see an improvement in your footwork.
Forefoot running
Forefoot running is a type of running that focuses on landing on the balls of your feet instead of your heel. This helps increase the amount of time that you spend on your toes, which can lead to better footwork overall. Try forefoot running for a short distance at first and gradually increase it over time to avoid injury. You should also make sure to warm up properly before forefoot running to avoid pulling any muscles
Exercises to Improve Your Rebounding
There are a few key exercises that can help improve your rebounding. First, try doing some jump squats. Start in a squatting position with your feet shoulder-width apart, then jump up as high as you can. Try to land softly back in the squatting position. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.
Next, try single-leg deadlifts. Start standing on your left leg with a weight in your right hand (you can use a dumbbell, kettlebell, or even a milk jug filled with sand). hinge at your hip and lower the weight down towards the floor while keeping your left leg straight. Return to the starting position and repeat for 10 reps, then switch sides and repeat for another 10 reps.
Finally, try doing some lateral hops over a line or rope on the floor. Stand with both feet together, then hop laterally over the line (to your right first, then to your left). Try to land lightly on your feet and keep your knees bent when you land. Do 3 sets of 10 hops in each direction.
Exercises to Improve Your Defense
Basketball players need to have quick feet and be able to change direction quickly to be effective on defense. These five exercises will improve your lateral speed and quickness so you can stay in front of your man.
1. Lateral shuffle with resistance band
2. Lateral bounds
3. Lateral cone hops
4. Backpedaling
5. Sliding
Exercises to Improve Your Conditioning
There is no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to the best exercises for basketball players. However, there are some key principles that all good basketball workouts should adhere to.
First and foremost, any exercise you do should be specific to the demands of the sport. Basketball is a high-intensity sport that requires players to have a good level of aerobic and anaerobic fitness. As such, your workouts should reflect this by incorporating both types of exercise.
Secondly, your workouts should be progressive in nature. This means that as your fitness levels improve, the exercises you do should become more challenging. This progression will ensure that you continue to make gains in your conditioning.
Finally, your workouts should be varied. Doing the same exercises day in and day out will quickly lead to boredom and plateauing results. By mixing things up on a regular basis, you’ll not only keep things interesting, but you’ll also continue to make progress.
Here are some specific exercises that can help improve your conditioning for basketball:
Aerobic exercise:
- Running: Sprint intervals or long-distance running can help improve your endurance for playing long minutes on the court.
- Swimming: Swimming is a great way to get a workout without putting too much stress on your joints. It’s also excellent for recovery after games or practices.
- Cycling: Cycling is another low-impact way to get an aerobic workout. Stationary bikes are especially convenient for getting in a quick workout during the off-season.
Anaerobic exercise:
- Sprinting: Sprints are an excellent way to build explosive speed and quickness, both of which are critical for success on the court. -Plyometrics: Plyometric exercises train your muscles to produce maximum force in short bursts of activity. These exercises can help improve your power and explosiveness on the court.
- Weightlifting: Strength training can help improve your muscular endurance and help reduce the risk of injuries while playing basketball.
Exercises to Improve Your Overall Game
There are a number of basketball exercises that can help improve your game. Some of these exercises focus on specific skills, while others help improve your overall fitness and athleticism.
Here are some basketball exercises that will help you improve your game:
1. Shooting Drills
One of the most important aspects of basketball is shooting. If you can’t shoot, you can’t score, and that’s why shooting drills should be a big part of your training regime. There are a number of different shooting drills you can do to help improve your shooting percentage, including:
- The spot-up drill: After setting up around the perimeter, make 10 jump shots from each spot without dribbling.
- The free throw drill: Free throws are one of the easiest shots in basketball, but they’re also one of the most important. This drill will help you improve your free throw percentage by simulating game-like conditions. Shoot 10 free throws, then take a 30 second break and repeat.
- The catch-and-shoot drill: This drill helps work on your catch-and-shoot ability, which is important in game situations. Have a partner throw you passes from different spots on the court, and catch and shoot the ball as quickly as possible.
2. Ball Handling Drills
Another important aspect of basketball is ball handling. If you can’t handle the ball well, you won’t be able to create scoring opportunities for yourself or your teammates. These drills will help you improve your ball handling skills:
- The dribble weave drill: This drill helps with your ball control and hand-eye coordination. Dribble the ball between your legs as quickly as possible for 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds and repeat.
- The crossover drill: This drill helps work on your crossover move, which is an important move to have in your repertoire if you want to create space between you and your defender. Start with your right hand on top of the ball and dribble slowly towards the baseline. When you reach the baseline, cross over to your left hand and continue dribbling towards the opposite baseline. Then cross over back to your right hand and return to where you started.
- The behind the back drill: This drill helps with controlling the ball behind your back, which can be useful in game situations when trying to create space between you and a defender who is pressuring you from behind.
