Core Training

Core training is an essential part of a basketball training program.

But gone are the good old days when you did 50 sit-ups and called it a day.

Core training involves training your entire core (front and side abdominals and lower back), and doing it in a way that translates into total body balance and strength.

Core training programs are really all about balance, body-balance, with a focus on training the core area of the body:

The core of your body connects your upper and lower body. But it is much more than just an "in between" section that you don't have to worry much about. Think about the motions you make in a typical basketball game:

- Twist to your side to grab a pass
- Reach down to grab a loose ball around your feet
- Extend up and out fully to grab a rebound
- Grab a rebound away from an opponent by twisting the ball out of their hands

Most of the action on the court, in some way or another, involves your core (abdominals and/or lower back). That's why it's so important to give this part of your body proper attention, and the proper training.

But in addition to just strengthening your core body, this type of training has wider effects. By having a stronger core, you actually give youself better overall body balance, and better overall body strength. A strong core allows your upper and lower body to work better together, in unison, rather than in a disjointed, separated fashion.

Train using exercise balls
Exercise balls are a great way to train your core, and train for balance. Doing crunches, leg lifts, and even things like dumbbell bench presses or curls using the exercise ball help train your core, and build body balance. This type of exercise routine helps train your muscles, but also overall body movement.

Look at it this way: let's say you lunge for a steal, and try to grab the ball away from a defender. There are multiple actions taking place, all in at the same time, and none in isolation. For example, you're probably low to the ground, in a squatting position (so you're using your things, hips, calves, and lower back). You're also reaching out with your arms, grabbing for the ball (using your abdominals, forearms, biceps, triceps, shoulder muscles, etc.). There's a lot going on, and lots of muscles groups all having to act at the same time, and all in unison.

No movement in the game of basketball is isolated, so it makes sense to train muscles in concert as well. Traditional weight lifting is focused, in large part, on training muscles in isolation (not true isolation, but an effort at isolation nonetheless). Core training, and body-balance training takes the opposite approach, and for good reason.

Train using BOSU balance trainers
BOSU balance trainers look almost like the top of an exercise ball cut off from the rest of the ball. They are great pieces of training equipment for the same reasons we touched on above: they force you to work out on total body balance.

BOSU trainers can be used for such things as doing:
- Bicep curls
- Push-ups
- Quickness/agility footwork drills
- Weighted exercise ball drills
- Crunches and other abdominal exercises

Return to Basketball Training and Workouts Page

Return to Home Page