Flexibility
Flexibility is widely defined as the range of motion in a joint or group of joints. Improving flexibility in the hamstrings, ankles, lower back, and hips can increase a player's potential to be explosive. Flexibility is best accomplished by performing all strength training movements through a full range of motion, as well as performing dynamic flexibility exercises before every workout or practice.
The days of sitting on the ground and static stretching are over! In addition to improving flexibility, dynamic flexibility exercises assist in developing coordination and motor ability – both of which are attributes that help improve a player's explosiveness.
Skill Proficiency
Proper skill training is the most overlooked aspect when trying to improve explosiveness on the court. Decreasing the time it takes to perform a specific basketball skill is in essence increasing the speed at which the skill is performed. Thus, increasing the speed at which a skill is executed will result in improved explosiveness on the court.
The most effective and practical way to improve skill proficiency is to perform these skills through countless hours of task-specific skill practice. Players need to practice the specific skill exactly like it will be used in competition--or at actual game speed. For example, the more efficient a guard becomes at shooting a jump shot, the more range he or she will have. Increased proficiency means it will take less time and effort to perform the specific skill as well as perform it more consistently.
Competent coaching, studying videotape, and hours of perfect practice are the best ways to increase skill proficiency.
Conditioning Level
A player's overall conditioning level is vital in his or her ability to become more explosive. After all, what good is improved strength and skill if it cannot be maintained for an entire game? Preventing or delaying the onset of fatigue is crucial to performance.
A well-prepared and well-conditioned basketball player should be just as strong and skillful in the second half of the game as they were in the first half. Again, it is important to note that being fit and being in basketball shape are two different things. Basketball is a game of repeated high-intensity efforts that are sustained for several minutes on end, with minimal rest and recovery in between. A well-designed and progressive preseason court conditioning program should reflect this, and will make sure players are in great basketball shape.
Another necessity of being in great shape is keeping body fat at an appropriate level. Excess body fat is simply dead weight. Too much dead weight will inhibit flexibility, reduce skill proficiency, and diminish overall conditioning ability. Keeping players' body fat percentage at an appropriate level is essential for maximizing their ability to be explosive on the court.
In order to maintain body fat levels, players should eat a calorically appropriate diet and adhering to a year-round conditioning program. Please note that additional muscle mass is not a hindrance to improving power, but rather an asset.
In summary, if a player wants to become more explosive on the court, and therefore give themselves an advantage over their opponent, they need to become stronger through productive strength training and structured plyometric drills, while at the same time mastering basketball skills like shooting, ball handling, passing, defending and boxing out. This contributes to the goal of being in superior basketball shape. Again, all of this can be accomplished through a well-designed strength and conditioning program that can be implemented year-round.
Here is a great drill to improve explosiveness on the court. You can check out more tips at Vertical-Jump-Program.com:
HIGHEST POINT
Benefits: Focus and explosivenessReps: 1 jump
Sets: 10-12
Rest: 5-10 seconds
Instructions:
- Player stands in a solid box out position as if about to rebound.
- Partner tosses two different colored balls into the air (you can use painted whiffle balls, racquet balls, or tennis balls for this drill).
- Partner calls out a color.
- Player vertically jumps to catch the corresponding colored ball at its highest point.
Coaching point: Player should stay in a low athletic stance (chest over knees over feet) and keep their hands up and active. They should try and keep the caught ball above their shoulders once caught and return to their original stance as quickly as possible.
Alan Stein is the owner of Stronger Team and the head strength and conditioning coach for the Montrose Christian boys basketball program. Stein has trained NBA stars like Kevin Durant and Michael Beasley and is the head conditioning coach for the McDonald's All-America Game, the Jordan All-American Classic and the Nike Summer Skills Academies. Visit his websites at StrongerTeam.com and Vertical-Jump-Program.com for more information.
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