| So you play basketball eh? Yeah, so did I when I was | | | | ABSOLUTELY NOTHING compared to running six |
| in school. I was pretty good too. But that doesn't really | | | | miles in the sun, non-stop, as fast as you can. The |
| matter all that much now does it? | | | | endurance you build up running such long distances for |
| I get asked this question all the time, and I mean ALL | | | | so many months will help you crush everyone on the |
| the time. Kids ask me what the best exercises are for | | | | basketball court. |
| someone who wants to play basketball in high school. | | | | And you'll stand out to the coaches too. Come |
| This is a tricky question. Basketball requires strength, | | | | basketball tryout season, everyone else will be out of |
| without a doubt. But it's not like football where strength | | | | shape and panting and you won't be. You'll be standing |
| is one of the key components. Basketball requires | | | | at ease, not even breathing hard. Coaches notice that |
| quickness and agility. Centers and forwards should be | | | | sort of thing, and they notice in a big way. |
| tall and strong, guards should be quick and agile. | | | | There's another benefit to jogging....sprints. At the end |
| But either can get away without being body builder | | | | of each of our basketball practices coach would make |
| strong. Especially in lower levels like junior varsity. | | | | us run sprints for five minutes or so. I used to |
| Of course, all things being equal, the player that is | | | | massively DREAD that, until I ran cross country for a |
| stronger is going to win out most of the time. I get that. | | | | season. |
| But I would really focus on skill before strength. Taller | | | | After that those measly five minutes worth of sprints |
| people aren't known for their upper body strength in | | | | were a joke, literally a joke. They wouldn't even make |
| high school for the most part. And don't worry, if you | | | | me catch my breath, and I was able to run them |
| make it onto college ball, they'll get you right into a | | | | faster then EVERYONE else on the team. And |
| weight training program run by very skilled and trained | | | | afterwards when everyone else collapsed on the |
| professionals and physical therapists. | | | | ground groaning. I just stood there without panting. |
| There is one exercise that will put you heads and | | | | Coaches notice things like that. |
| shoulders above literally everyone else in your school | | | | And this is not to mention once the season got fully |
| and division. | | | | underway and we started playing against other teams. |
| What is that one exercise? Jogging. | | | | I could out run them all. And I wasn't overly tired at the |
| I ran cross country on the team one year and the next | | | | end of the games, which is great if the game is close |
| basketball season was amazing. I could run rings | | | | and on the line. In those cases the team that is less |
| around EVERYONE, and when everyone else had got | | | | tired usually wins. |
| tired, both in practice, and in games and throughout the | | | | So forget about the weight room, instead grab a pair |
| season, I was hardly winded. | | | | of jogging shoes and join the cross country team for a |
| Running up and down a little basketball court for ten or | | | | season. You'll be glad you did! |
| twenty minutes per half in nothing, and I mean | | | | |