Hop Step

The hop step is a traveling movement on a basketball court. It represents a movement that is quick, covers large to small surface areas and allows the defender to have a strong base. It can be used at any time for movement purposes but is most widely used for offensive purposes.

A hop step is executed as follows; take one dribble in any direction, hop on one leg and land on two feet. We would form a line from fifteen feet away from the basket. This drill would run for twenty five minutes.

Drill; Power sweep, hop step and a shot/dunk.

The hop step allows a basketball player the ability to blow past a defender without losing control. Smart ballers will note that the beginning of the hop step is exactly the same as the swamp lunge. Swamp Lunge training such as Basketball Strength Volume I. is paramount for that reason alone.

Learn the hop step, use the swamp lunge and watch your basketball ability dramatically increase. Don't waste time in the "gym" following a "routine". Functional Training for Basketball is training tailor made for ballers and written by a serious one.

Basketball Strength

Today's Checklist

The following is a short list designed for you to understand how to train properly and for many years. This list is in no particular order and all are equally important. You must implement all ten of these to ensure total progress naturally.

1. Bodyweight Efficiency through Optimal Flexibility.
2. Add resistance through functional methods.
3. Regulate your breathing, nutrition and hydration.
4. Cardiovascular exercise every day for at least thirty minutes.
5. Dynamic stretching before workouts and static stretching after.
6. Daily baths to soothe the body and mind.
7. It's HOW you use it (your body) & the WAY you do.
8. Everything comes naturally with time and patience.
9. Do not compare yourself to anyone else but yourself.
10. Be honest with yourself and allow your body the time it needs to grow.

If everyone would do this, you would see millions of strong people all over the world. Sadly, this is not the case. We live in the age of the excuse maker. Do not be one of them and let's create a new age of men. Men of integrity, strength and honor.

The athlete's first primary goal is always to obtain bodyweight efficiency. Check out John Wood's new web site entitled Bodyweight Basics . Thsi is where a basketball player wants to begin.

Simply Unbelievable

Basketball Strength has a few suprises for you in the coming months. Copy and paste the link below to get a hint.

Suprise

Winning

You have to see yourself winning in order to win in anything. Overcoming obstacles to reach your goals is what training is all about. Overcoming obstacles to reach your goals is what life is all about. Make the decision now to WIN!

There is NO "secret technique" to visualizing yourself as a WINNER. You have to have confidence and believe in yourself to become a winner.

You can start this process by making your personal intentions clear to yourself. Define your goal and NEVER compromise your integrity. Make sure your mind is willing to make ALL the sacrifices it will take to win at all costs.

Winning is the end result of personal sacrifice to reach a goal. You need integrity to win clean. Once you develop the mindset to win, no man can ever take that away from you. Once you get to this point you will live by one rule;

The only man who can beat me is me.

Adequacy

Athlete's need mental and physical development. This kind of development can only be developed through the doing or practical application of exercise. Reading a book will NOT give you toughness. Safe, proper exercise that meets your goals is an option for building toughness.

Athletes need to learn what their body needs in terms of adequate rest, hydration, nutrition and lastly exercise. You can only learn by doing and it starts within your own mind.

Vision yourself succeeding and you will.

Athlete's Addage

Beyond the factor of pain, confidence separates athlete's. Confidence enables an athlete to carry out a specific task when it is needed most. Confidence provides a sense of posiitive well being in the mind of an athlete. For example, anyone who shoots a basketball should expect to make every single shot. If not, pass the ball.

In order to develop this confidence in oneself, proper skill and physical training is necessary. Confidence comes with proper repetition and success in training. No matter what sport the athlete is in, skill specific work is to be completed daily.

Cardiovascular fitness is to be exhibited daily. Applied functional training is to be performed every three days (off-season) and once a week (in-season). The riggors and demands of in-season athletics require maintenance with applied physical training. This is a smart way to go and has been used by successful athletes.

If an athlete drills himself to succeed he will.
If an athlete has belief in himself he will succeed.

The Answer

Anyone who is looking for a way to improve is a person looking to be honest with themselves. Being honest with oneself entails that the individual properly asses what it is they NEED. Too often, a WANT is desired before the NEED is developed.

The sport of Basketball is based upon sport specific skill and locomotor movement patterns. Time is NEEDED to be spent on developing those two areas of preparation. Without their development, improvement can not be made.

The answer is inside every single one of you if you are honest with yourself.

Basketball Strength

Use THIS to steal the cookie!

I, just like you are watching all that March Madness has to offer. Since I am a SERIOUS hoopla' fan, this time of year is my piece of cake. I enjoy the game for what it is; a test of skill, mental and physical conditioning.

Last night I watched four teams play in two separate games. I saw the ball get taken out of the hands of a another player outright more than three times. I also watched a few players let the ball "slip away" from there hands.

When it comes down to Tourney time, mistakes have to be ironed out. For a basketball player, grip strength is paramount to peak development. If your serious and want to develop it's time for you to trust the man with the worlds strongest hands, John Wood.

The Formulator will allow you to earn your grip strength safely and progressively.

Grip

High Level Conditioning

A competitive athlete needs to be in top physical and mental condition year round to expect success when it counts most. There is truly never an "off-season". The most prolific athletes I have ever read about began their off-season training programs within a week after ending a season. Coincidence anyone?

The N.C.A.A. Tourney has been underway and some teams HAVE been eliminated. Do you think it's time for them to pack it up and sleep or get back to working?

www.basketballstrength.com

Closing Out

In order to become a great defender you need to effectively close out. Close out is a terms widely known to the basketball world. It means to close off any opportunities for the offensive player. You have to stop his/her drive, pass or shooting opportunities. This is achieved by shuffling forward towards the defender while maintaining motor control over your body.

Most people can watch a basketball game and witness closing out over and over and not even realize it. Every single time an offensive player catches the ball, a defender rushes to get right in front of him. The defender is closing out. If you notice, a good defender will NOT run up to the offensive player. If he/she did, the offensive player would simply ball handle right around him/her.

As a former European Professional Basketball Player (C.D. Nacional) I know what it takes to get to the top. Basketball Strength is the worlds finest basketball conditioning instruction.

Old-School Conditioning

As we all know basketball is a relatively new game. With that fact, we all also know that the game is always evolving with new strategies. The one thing that has remained consistent is the players need to be in TOP physical and mental condition.

Our good fried Joe Sevlocki sent us a fine book; "The Science of Coaching" by Clair bee (1942).

"In order to reduce personal injuries to a minimum is it absolutely essential that each member of the squad follow regular health rules. These rules are directed towards proper exercise, diet, sleep, fresh air and sunshine".

Take it in, read it again and apply the methods to your conditioning program. Basketball Strength

Ball Handling

Becoming a proficient ball handler takes more than just learning to control a basketball. A true wizard will understand that the use of differential speeds will keep any defender at bay. Watch any high level ball handler and you will see this at work. The ball handling ability is always enough to gaze at but it is the use of differential speeds that really throws a defender off.

Some of the finest ball handlers I have ever seen NEVER used a fancy move. These men used three speeds; slow, medium and fast. These men could also dribble the basketball with both hands with equal proficiency. When you put those two things together you have a legendary mix.

Differential speeds (slow, medium & fast for example) give a defender a sense of confusion as to what you may do on the basketball court. If you have made a defender think, the battle has already been won. This could free up an opportunity for you to take a jump shot because the defender has sloughed off. He might now be afraid to guard you tightly because he did not want to get beat by you.

Anytime a basketball player has the ball he/she needs to use differential speeds. This will literally give you an opportunity to dominate a game. You will also be able to create opportunities for other players on your team. If you operated at the same speed ALL the time, would you be easy to guard?

Basketball Strength has the resources for you to tap into your hardwood potential.

Shoot Straight

Pete Maravich used the term "In Balance" to describe absolute body control. This, "In Balance" enables a basketball player to consistently repeat his skill. A players jump shot is developed through consistent repetition using a form that is right for the player.

A simple drill to develop YOUR jump shot is a Catch & Shoot drill. You can use a wall or a partner if you have one available. Use various passes against the wall or from your partner during the drill. Put 5 minutes on the timer and begin. Execution of Footwork; Step to the pass as it comes towards you with the foot that corresponds to the court side. This means you step right on the right side and left on the left side. Bring the back foot forward, gather and shoot straight.

Former University of Bridgeport Coach Bruce Webster used to tell his players to "shoot straight". It makes sense.Step to the pass, bring the back foot forward and shoot. Repeat your footwork and jump shot for five minutes. Fatigue will set in and you need to be mentally ready.

You have to concentrate on shooting the same exact way, every single time. If not, you will miss.Catch, gather, shoot. Catch, gather & shoot is what a Catch & Drill should look like. Through repetitions and time a deadly shot can be developed. Bring that back foot forward.