Today's Phrase

"A muscle must be worked from every possible angle".

- Karl Gotch

3 Bricks

Not too long ago, many innovative trainers implemented masonry bricks as a training tool for basketball players. Since they did not weigh a lot, were compact, and could be held, the bricks made for a good piece of training equipment.

The truth is...bricks still are a piece of training equipment. You need three standard sized bricks. Make sure you check and clear them free from debris. Put one brick down on the ground. Ten feet away place another brick down. You have the remaining brick in your hand. Walk back to the original brick that you layed on the ground.

Get into defensive stance and hold the brick out in front of you with either one or two hands. Slowly begin defensive sliding to the other brick. Once there, put down the orignal brick and pick up the new one then slide back. Repeat this exercise until reaching momentary muscular fatigue. This is a great conditioner and something that is relatively a diamond in the rough.

Hand in the face

As a defender, you must keep your hands up. I teach my athletes to keep one hand outward, in the opponents face blocking vision. This takes the view away from the offensive player and adds bigtime frustration to the equation. You can't shoot or pass at what you can't see.

Game Movement

The game of basketball is a series of complex moves within a confined space. Ten players occupy the floor and with the limited space, things get interesting from time to time. Outsiders to the game may not realize this descripted physicality.

To truly become a great player you must first understand and demonstrate all fundamentals of the game. This means having full dominanace over all rules, infractions, player movement, and individual fundamental skills.

To achieve this dominance you will have to commit and dedicate yourself to this mastery. A stubborn attitude towards proper and consistent practice must be donned. Your commitment to excellence will become so obvious you can read it like a t-shirt and everyone will know it. Go for it, learn the game and develop all fundamental skills through correct practice.

Your fitness level has the potential to reach far and beyond its current level with this commitment. This level of commitment will also play a dominant factor in your life because you teach yourself to commit and follow all the way through with a sensible plan. This is a winning character trait and one that leads to greatness.

Precision II

A big jump is not necessary to take and make a jump shot. I lived by the rule that you only jumped as high as you needed to when taking a jump shot. For example, if I was in a crowded paint, I would leap up over everyone, hang, and then deliver the shot. This a very difficult method of shooting and is considered advanced. If I was alone on the perimeter, I took a small jump and finished the shot. So you see, I take what the situation gives me.

Shooting is rythym and your rythym will ultimately depend on your level of conditioning. For example, let's imagine you are the type of shooter that takes a big jump in your jump shot and your fatigued at the end of a game. Your fatigue will keep you from fully elevating and you will most likely miss the shot. This is due to your daily practice of the big jump with the jump shot and factors of fatigue.

Now put yourself back in that same scenario except change your big jump to a small jump. Even if you are fatigued, you have a much better chance at making the shot. A smaller jump takes less fatigue to facilitate. No matter how fatigued you are in a game, I am confident that you will take and make a jumper with a small jump.

Keep training simple, keep basketball skills simple, and progress will come your way.

Precision

There are shooting coaches across America who charge and recieve tremendous amounts of money. I agree that there is a craft and skill to shooting but it's not as complex as people may seem. Below I will share with you a few factors that will help you shoot more consistently;

1. Find a form that suites your needs and that feels comfortable
2. Hold the ball away from the view you have of the basket
3. Have your body squared to the basket
4. Shoot basketball at the apex of your jump
5. Once you make one, do the same thing every time and make them all.

I'll be back to touch on more next time. Until then, shoot straight.

My Ball

There comes a point in every players life that they should want the ball. This initiatives comes from within and represents the mark of a true champion. Perfect practice will develop your skills to where they need to be however grabbing your destiny is another. It is time to grab hold of your basketball persona.

Many players go through their entire careers without ever challenging themself. My advise to you is to go for it all. I want you to become proficient in every aspect of the game with the ability to play five positions on the floor.

Once you make the decision internally to grab the ball and your destiny, your game will immediately improve. It all begins with confidence in your abilities. The picture above represents an ability that I am confident in. I know exactly how far I can take off from when I am near the rim. I found this through self-discovery, time, and patience. This developed skill produces a serious advantage.

Form Mastery

Basketball players need to move fluid & effortless to get the job done. They need to maximize their potentials through sensible leverage training. A key aspect of improving physical movement is to understand the principles of leverage; two levers & a fulcrum in between. Your body is a system of levers & fulcrums.

Once you begin your Basketball Strength conditioning, the goal is form mastery. Your movements will be developed into smooth proficiency for extended periods of time. Your performance ability will increase so rapidly that smooth motions actually become quicker. This response represents your physical body's adaptation process and a reward. It's always self-fulfilling when you can see, feel and reap the fruits of your labor.

I know that if you want something to happen you have to make it happen. This means you have to carefully plan an attainable road to success. Basketball Strength - Volume I is a complete, progressive format for your basketball conditioning. Specific movement patterns must be repeated correctly before becoming a natural physicality. Success is the inevitable outcome for a sensible, smart, and hard working individual.

Today's Tip

In your daily skills practice, incoporate the one on one moves into your regimen. Use a power sweep to move out of any position and into another. Use a stride stop and a hop step into a jump stop. Take less than two dribbles and finish your misses.

The power sweep will enable you to generate maximum bodily momentum. You need to completely develop the power sweep with the basketball in order to benefit with the Volume I progressions.

Today's Phrase

"In playing basketball it is my belief that the desire to play should be strong enough so that the player will devote plenty of time and thought to learning the fundamentals of the game".

- "Chuck" Taylor

Getting It

When it comes down to training and basketball, you have to get it to make things fit. Here is what you need;

1. Daily skills practice
2. Daily cardiovascular exercise
3. Volume I training every three days in the off-season.
4. Adequate hydration, nutrition & hydrotherapy
5. Adequate rest & sleep

In order to develop to your physical maximum you must make muscles & joints work from multiple angles. This is the path to optimal flexibility and you recieving the most out of your leverages.

Basketball Strength Volume I is a complete tool for you to mold yourself into the player you hope to become. I will teach you how to reach amazing points in flexibility, explosivity, and manipulative skill improvement. All you need to do is digest and impelement the training over time.

Volume I coming soon...

Physical Mastery

Volume I contains your keys to physical mastery. The methods and progressions detailed in the professional grade product will simplify your current regimen.

This will benefit players because they will train hard once and when ready. There is no opportunity for overtraining with my methods as they ensure your full recovery before training again.

As another benefit to Volume I , coaches will be able to have more time for instruction. Good coaches always appreciate extra time for practice.

Physical mastery is the goal of a basketball player. Every piece of the body has to work as one to complete each task effectively. Keep your skill work consistent, accurate and intense.

When the talent pools are relatively equal in a basketball game it's the player who thinks & executes that wins.

Why Volume I

Volume I is the beginning of a series of professional grade products specifically designed for basektball players. Since the popularity and globalization of the game has come into effect, training information has lacked.

Volume I will bridge that gap of expansion and allow basketball players to train they way they should instead of how they might be. Use this training system and reach your physical potential through it.

Volume I coming soon...

Today's Phrase

"Whatever you do decide to do, do it well".

- Kim Wood

Volume I

The first installment of original professional grade products from Basketball Strength is entitled Volume I. Volume I is a complete training course specifically engineered for basketball players. This system of physical training allows a player to develop a path of independence through various sensible exercise progressions.

In a short time soon this course in its entirety will be available to the public. As the creator, I can confidently say that the information and application in this product is second to none. Volume I is a comprehensive package for the player and coach. This ensures that the information in Volume I contains every possible essenial for the improvement of phsycial conditioning. You will be able to hold the potential of yourself and/or the players you coach, in your hands.

I believe in you.

Ball Handling II

Webster Drills (Stationary)
Maravich Drills (Moving)

These two methods of ball handling development teach the proper progression. You need to begin your ball handling work in an athletic, stationary position. It is this work that will give you confidence to take it up to the moving level.

Once you begin your Maravich Drills (some of which are stationary) you will have a prerequisite background to succeed. In preparing players to succeed, you need to provide them with an environment they can succeed within.

10 minutes a day is all that is needed for proficiency in time.

Today's Quote

"Nothing easily attained was ever worth while; nothing worth while easily attained to. This is the law."

- Percy Cerutty

Boxing Out

Grabbing rebounds consistently is mostly an effort based scenario. Competent physical training is mostly an effort based scenario. It is crucial that you know both of these activities are interelated.

When it coems down to boxing out, you have to have excellent body awareness. The only way to practice this skill is to do it. You can't think about it and expect the change to be made. Every time a shot goes up, find a man in your area and pin him behind you. Use your strength through leverage to keep him in an area. Once the ball is within your range, release the box out and go to the basketball.

Basketball players that box out then grab a lot of rebounds are the ones I like to watch most. They give tremendous efforts and stay true to the fundamentals of the box out. This is effort based and undeniable. A player who consistently boxes out is a nightmare for opponenets.

Just imagine if a player boxed out not only defensively but offensively as well? That's what I did for years and it drove coaches wild. Now it's your turn, so get n the court and practice it. Drive the man in your area backwards and create your own space.

Proper Preparation

Preparing for an athletic event has simple methods attached to tremendous efforts. In terms of basketball preparation, we know what we have to do.

1. Daily practice of the fundamental skills (1-2 hours).
2. Adequately care for the body (20-22 hours).
3. Basketball Conditioning when the body's fresh (0-1 hour).

Daily practice of the fundamentals is serious work. Everything you perform must be perfect and consistent. Practice correctly and you will perform correctly.

Adequate care of the body is most important, henceforth recieves the most time allocated for it. I highly recommend daily submergence into water for at least 1-2 hours. Make the time if you do not "have it".

Basketball Conditioning is exactly how you need to physically train to prepare to succeed. Basketball Strength Volume I will demonstrate exactly what you need. This system of physical training is bar none and yields an extremely high level of result.

Reaction Balls

When you are ready to take action to improveme your basketball game, you are showing responsibility. This level of personal commitment is necessary for you to achieve your apex in development. There are no accidents or coincidences when players achieve.

When the game of basketball was first invented, it was theplayers that took extra learning in their own hands. These players wanted an edge and worked hard to find it, then achieve it. The fundamental skills rule the game of basketball. There is no getting away from them. There is no hiding from them. If you want yourself or plyers on your team to succeed, you need to simplify and get back to the fundamentals.

For example; why do you need a reaction ball to improve ball handling when you can use a handball or even two basketballs? There is no need for a reaction ball, at all. This is a reinvention of the wheel and actually makes little sense. A basketball does not bounce randomly because it is a spherical object. Why practice with an object that replicates that.

Without even knowing it, players will drill using a reaction ball and in the game will be expecting the basketball to bounce the same way. This is when players look like they are shying away from the ball when in reality they are expecting an odd bounce. A coach might intepret this as a player not going to the ball when in fact it's the players natural reaction to his training environment.

Keep it simple, use a basketball, and drill the fundamentals.

Fundamentals

The fundamental skills of basketball rule the game. If you are a player or a coach, you already know this. In fact, you work so hard on the fundamentals it is hard to believe that the rest of the population does not follow suit.

Basketball is movement based with a special highlight on individual skill. If all players can demonstrate all proper fundamentals of the game, you have a chance to succeed and win games. Every player needs to play every position and learn all skills. This is one reason why European Professional teams "surprise" so many others; strong fundamentals. Everyone plays every single position.

Basketball Strength Volume I highlights the necessary movement for a player. These sensible movements allow players to develop into their own bodies, in time. In fact, when you're actually training, you can feel the difference!

Volume I is coming soon and I am proud to offer it to you all. This is a huge off-season for all of you and it would be my pleasure to take your game up a level!

Adequacy II

Athlete's need a short amount of time of which to train intensely and properly. They should be doing so under the supervision of someone who knows CPR and can administer First Aid if needed. Elongated time periods with the body exposed to the sun and training sessions exceeding two hours is completely unreasonable.

Keep training simple and life the same. There is no need to reinvent the wheel when civilization is already rolling. Get out there, educate yourself and improve!

Conditioning

Here at Basketball Strength, if we mention conditioning we are talking strength, endurance and overall will building. We understand that we need improve on a daily basis to make moves on the court. Even on non-training days, we're somehow training.

Anything you want to gain is linked with methods that will allow you to gain in time. This is no cat and mouse game with unrealistic and unattainable goals attached to it. This is education provided for you to make the necessary changes to succeed. If you are put in a position to succeed, with full educational resources, I feel you have been finely accomdated. From here, it's on you for the "doing".

I can teach you how to recieve the most from your leverages. This will allow you to improve in anything you do, especially reaching basketball goals. Since our lower bodies are our foundation, that is where our training begins. Basketball Strength Volume I is your conditioning course. Coming soon...

Sand Training

I am a high advocate of training on sand. Bodyweight exercises (some) are improved with the use of sand. Some are completely unsafe due to the leverage factors imposed upon the body. Bridging for example is an exercise I would not perform on sand. Reverse push-ups can be performed but only by an experienced trainee.

I do however swear by bear crawls, crab walks, push-ups, footwork drills, leaping, striding and hill sprints on sand. The properties of the sand allow you to improve your body without as much residual damage which occurs on hard surfaces.

If you are a basketball player who runs a lot, get on the sand and run. You will save your bones some aching and improve your connective tissue quality.

Basic Needs

Eat whole foods & raw fruits/vegetables when your hungry, rest not necessarily sleep when your tired and drink water when your thirsty.

A physical body is one that must be fed the right fuel to work the right way.

1 Dribble

If you want to improve offensively, learn to make moves using one dribble. A Basketball Strength prepared player with optimal flexibility should expect to get to rim from the three point arc in one dribble.

One dribble to the rim from the arc spells trouble for defensive players. What this also does is gives you free reign among the rest of the space on the court. Now since the defender knows you can go whenver you want, you have your shooting space.

Give yourself thirty minutes a day to develop your shooting and moves using one dribble. Make sure to work in all different angles. Think of the clock and make moves to all numbers on the imaginary clock. Use a stride stop, jump stop and hop step variations for jump shots.

Periphery

I have mentioned handball once already in this blog. That is an athletic activity that requires your periphery be somewhat developeod to win the game. Basketball is a game where you NEED excellent periphery to succeed.

In order to improve peripheral vision you must perform drills. There are many variations to the drill I am about to give you. Here's the first of all variations below;

Stand ten feet away from a partner. Each person must look at the chest of the other person. One person shall bounce the ball (bounce pass) to the other. The focus is always on the chest and never on the ball. Repeat until both partners have passed one hundred times.

You will find that in time you wll be able to focus on one object yet see several others fairly easily. You need to develop vision further rather than be happy with natural gifts.

Glasses

I do wear glasses and they are with a perscription. The reason why I mention my glasses is because with the right ones on, any point of view can be seen.

When is it considered healthful for a Medical Doctor to pass a thermogenic compound to the general public as an alternative for weight loss? I saw this on television the other day and exploded in laughter.

When is it considered sensible for a paid Professional Strength & Conditioning Coach to employ the use of the "Strength Shoe" in order to develop lower body efficiency. We all know that only Basketball Strength NOT the strength shoe produces results.

Both examples can be seen as right or wrong depending on the glasses worn. Now, in reality, both scenarios are gravely wrong. There are safer, more sensible and productive methods available. I am consistntly displaying SAFE methods for you!

The glasses that a person wears can actually become a pair of blinders if the person falls victim to himself and false information. If you are fed lies long enough you will spread and become those lies. The human brain is a super computer that we feed information. It then processes and we act on that ingested information.

If you wear a perscription like me, keep your mind open and do not close it for any reason whatsoever. Seeing the truth all things will enable your glasses to work multi-functional. That's why you and I have so much in common, we search for truth.

Effort based training is a method you can see and feel. You know when your job is done and when the mountain top has been reached. It's time for you to climb your mountain.

Grab a jump rope and give me ten minutes at a steady pace. Afterwards, give me 100 yards of a bear crawl and then 100 penetration step lunges. Tomorrow morning, I will take you step by step into why I had asked you to do this.

Self-Reliance

In working with athletes, I realize their need to improve at a quick rate. Improvement however can not be rushed. If you do rush, the results are less than what they could have been had you done it the right way.

Knowing what it feels like to work the right way is the best thing for a player. This feel is unique and can be replicated whenever the athlete has the time and space. Now all the athlete needs is a productive training system to use.

Notice I didn't say, "routine to follow". There is no specific routine to follow if you are well informed, only guidelines to adhere to, made by self. As an athlete matures within the realm of physicality he learns what he can do, what he should do, and how often he must do it.

If you have some training in you today why not get down like this; 250 push-ups & 250 squats. Work smart through the challenge, keep your breathing consistent and make it happen for yourself.

"Filters"

Some of the most influencial people I have ever met all held a common quality; an open mind. That open mind was also connected to a very fine "filter" located in the mind. This "filter" would gather the usefull info from the garbagio. This quality is one that can easily be developed if you allow yourself to.

How does this developed personality trait play into Basketball Strength?

Being able to clearly read and understand (filter) when someone is here to help you IS greatly important. Otherwise you might miss out on the opportunitys granted to you directly or indrectly every single day.

How do I know if I am filtering things properly?

Your "filter" is essentially your ability to decipher fact from fiction. You know this very well and it serves you multiple times per day. Your "filter" will also allow you to know when someone is leading you on a path to greatness.

"Filters" & Basketball Strength

Basketball Strength is the first of its kind. I have developed this conditioning system under the watch of the finest eyes in the Strength & Conditioning world. You will not find any "cut & pasted" routines here. You will not find any detailed schedules either. You will only find sensible effort based training that works.

Today's Closing Remarks

In reality, how can anyone but YOU decide your schedule of physical training?
Does anyone else '"feel" your body the way you do?

I know the answers to those questions because I was IN your shoes at one point. The goal of any instructor should be to lead the trainee to a path to independence. This is a statement of truth I first learned from Legendary Strength Coach Kim Wood.