Strength Training for Basketball

Strength training is an important part of becoming a better basketball player, especially during the off-season.

Be sure to check with your doctor, parents, or coach before beginning any strength training program or workout routine.

Strength training with traditional weights is an important part of any good basketball training program. But with all the new equipment, and new training techniques available today, weight training as it was done 15 or 20 years ago is truly a thing of the past.

In addition to the traditional weight lifting exercises, there are a variety of sport-specific exercises and techniques you should include in your strength training workouts.

Things to remember:
- Always warm up properly before lifting weights
- Always have a spotter or trainer available to assist you during exercises
- Only lift weights that are comfortable for you (never try to show off by lifting more than you are able to)
- Always consult with your coach, parent, or trainer before starting a weight training program

Here is a list of some of the basic weight lifting exercises you will likely want to include in your training program:

- Bench press
- Incline bench press
- Bicep curl
- Tricep press downs
- Squats
- Lunges
- Shoulder press
- Leg extensions
- Leg curls
- Calf raises

But what is also very important, is how you do these exercises. I teach the benefits of training for power and explosiveness:

- Use power during the exertion part of the exercise
In otherwords, rather than go through the full range of motion very slow and methodically, power-out or up when doing the exercise. Always be under control and make sure to use good form, but using power in addition to strength during the exercise pays big benefits.

For example, say you're doing bench presses. Once you bring the weight down to just above your chest and are about to push the weight away from your body, do so with power. Don't just raise the weight, raise it like you are pushing against something, and trying to push it away as quickly as possible. Again, don't jerk the weights, but use a controlled, yet powerful motion to build strength and power.

- Emphasize full range of motion
The best way to train your muscles, especially for a sport like basketball, is to train through a full range of motion. For example, if you're doing a shoulder press (where you sit in a workout chair, and raise either dumbells or a barbell from your shoulders to up above your head), you'll want to go through that complete motion. Don't stop short at the top or bottom of the exercise.

If you only go through part of the motion, you're not utilizing your muscles completely. The best way to strengthening your muscles, and keeping them lithe and flexible, is to train through the full range of motion.

- Balance exercises
The new breed of professional trainers utilize balance-based exercises to effectively train athletes. Most sports, but especially basketball, require great body balance. Think about it: leaping to grab a rebound...lunging to tip a pass...sprinting out to grab a loose ball...all require great balance.

Doing certain exercises on an exercise ball (to help strengthen your abdominals and body balance), or using a BOSU balance trainer, are amazingly effective ways to help train your overall body (as a unit), and work on your balance. As your body adjusts, compensates, and focuses on keeping you on balance throughout the exercise, you're actually building strength and body balance.

Doing balance-based exercises is a MUST for any serious basketball player. To read more about these types of exercises, check out our Core Training page.

There are lots of places to train, so you don't have any excuses for not training:

- A health club or fitness center usually has all the basic free weights and machines. In addition, most high-end clubs have things like exercise balls, BOSU balance trainers, agility bands, etc.

- Most high schools, junior colleges, and universities have training rooms for their athletes.

- Many of my clients train at home, with free weights, Universal machines, or even a Bowflex machine.

- If you don't have access to any type of training facility, you can do push ups, sit ups, and various other exercises to help build strength.

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