Get Serious

When a player begins to mentally get serious about basketball, his/her body should become ready as well. By serious, I simply mean, ready to obtain and maintain adequate conditioning for the sport. Few athletes that play the sport are really conditioned for the sport.

What does it take to get into this condition I speak of?

First off, just like my friend Bryan Bailey says, "You have to work hard". In short, that's the first thing you need to do. You must make the concious choice to improve yourself to a higher level than the one you currently know.

Secondly, you need to execute a plan that makes sense. If you are going to train physically for basketball, then have a plan. Basketball Strength Volume I is where you need to begin. Anything else is NOT going to give you the results that you need.

I have been out of the game for six years yet I still maintain my basketball conditioning. Now how could that be? By the way, I'm not talking about the ability to run up and down the court. I am talking about the ability to jump and have the ball over a foot and change over the rim before I dunk it. If I can do it, you can do it.

Stop the nonsense with fake coaches and trainers. Harness your fundamental skills through daily practice and use my conditioning system. The two together are a perfect compliment. Visit my web site

"Relax"

This is the wrong teaching cue for any scenario in athletics. Instead of the word "relax" the instructor should use, "do not waste energy on facial expressions". "Concentrate all of your energy on the task and especially your breathing".

When you concentrate on proper breathing you can develop power. When you are able to maintain your breath control for extended periods of time you are power.

When you are training, conditioning, or in a heavy moment in the game of life do NOT relax. If you relax you will not come out on top because it is the energy that comes from within that you truly need. This energy, once harnessed becomes a tremendous natural resource.

Focus yourself on a task and do not waste one breath, facial expression, or physical movement. Everything you do has a specific purpose and I know you are ready to dominate that. As you're reading this, I know it makes sense to you. I too was taught to "relax" by my previous instructors and knew something was fishy with that line. I knew if I "relaxed" I would lose because I needed my own energy.

"Use only what you need to because there will be time when more is needed".

Right & Wrong

Basketball Strength was developed primarily because the game needed it. Since I went through the ranks as a player, I was able to see the insides of the game. I have to be honest and say I was dissapointed with many things. One of the things that dissapointed me most, was poor training methods.

Training methods should always be simple, basic, and properly explained. No player should have difficulty perofrming tasks in training. Too many times athletes are prompted to lift weights before they are ready to. There are specific reasons why this can be career threatening and all are broken down completely in Basketball Strength Volume I

Once you have the Book & DVD in your hands, you will realize how attainable this system is. Get yours to get yours.

Mirror Methods

My coach @ the Universitry of Bridgeport was a stern disciplinarian. Instead of a long speeech that noone needed to hear after a tough game, Bruce Webster would ask each of us to look in the mirror. He did this because, "the mirror doesn't lie".

That simple lesson of self-reflection (both literally & figuratively) has enabled me to reach my human potential, not only on the basketball court but in the game of life. Through this simple method of looking within, I have been able to properly assess myself in all possible areas and improve dramatically.

This self-judgement process is essentially what I know allows a person to improve. The most common problem in proper assessment is honesty. If there is no honesty with oneself, how could improvement ever occur?

A few steps to this mirror style of reflection is as follows
1. Complete any task.
2. Look directly into the mirror upon task completion.
3. While looking into your own eyes ask yourself the following questions; (
(1) Did I complete the task to the best of my ability?
(2) Did I plan properly to execute the task efficiently?
(3) Did I remain focused during the entirety of the task?
(4) Can I improve upon my performance?

You should know that there are no right ro wrong answers to this self-quiz. If you are honest with yourself, you will make immediate improvement with this exercise. You can go one step further and note that this mirror method applies to every single facet of life. If you apply this self-testing to all areas of your life, I know you will have more direction, confidence, and improved natural abilities.

Basketball Strength Volume I

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Take your potential & exploit it. It's time to look yourself directly in the face and admit that you need a better plan to succeed. I have laid out success for you in this Volume I installment from Basketball Strength. All you have to do is DO IT!

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Reference

When it comes it training information, it should be easy to apply like reference material. My intention in Basketball Strength Volume I was to provide you with the reference book for your physical self. Volume I represents much more than just a basketball improvement method.

Your personal independence is essentially what brings us together. I understand your need to want to improve and that's exactly why I put volume I together. I knew that there would be someone like you out there just waiting for the chance to really improve. I know how it feels to want something so bad yet it seems that it might never happen due to the shear magnitude of it. Volume I is your plan of attack to take that potential and use it instead of wondering how to really reach it.

Buy Basketball Strength Volume I

Purchase Now

Purchase Basketball Strength Volume I now! This revolutionary product is the finest basketball strength & conditioning instruction bar none. Click here to purchase Volume I.

Need

There are millions of people across the planet training to play basketball. Of these millions, right now only hundreds are implementing Basketball Strength Conditioning Methods. This number will appreciate in time as www.basketballstrength.com has just opened it's doors.

Why is the product Basketball Strength Volume I essential to a player?

First off because as a basketball player you have a responsibility to yourself and your team. That accord holds that when you're on the court & off, you represent.

Basketball Strength Volume I is your complete physical conditioning guide. Once you read the actual work (Book), you will realize exactly what has been missing from your routine. Volume I is an applied book of knowledge as opposed to schedulized routines from day to day. That nonsense is some of the poorest excuse for information I have ever been privy to. As a person who strives to be educated, I read through those type of schedules and "theory" even though they lacked substance. In short; I read almost everything I can get my hands on.

Basketball Strength Volume I completely fills the void left by thousands of writers who (in recent years) tried to make themselves money yet failed the public with information. I remember playing pro in Portugal and being handed a book of specific day to day routines for a basketball player. At the time, I had broken two toes on my foot and I was limited in some of my movements. The man who had asked my advice on the book was suprised when my response was, "Any book that demands a permanent schedule for a player not knowing the unexpected factors involved with the game (pointing @ broken toes ) should not teach. The author of the work did not ever play at a high level or more importantly never truly challenged his own ability against others". The book also demonstrated that if you missed a workout, you had failed the entire program.

This all changes with Basketball Strength Volume I.

In order to teach something effectively, the teacher has to be a master of those skills. The doing is what essentially allows the progress into a teacher. I have done, continue to do so, and have presented a comprehensive product for the entire basketball community. I am also a man who has mastered what I teach andyou will all see that with both the Book & DVD presentations of Volume I.

In the time to come, it will be common place to regard Basketball Strength Volume I as the absolute physical conditioning guide for all human beings. Volume I is needed.

Get Up

I had a coach in Junior College who constantly reinforced the catch phrase, "get up" when any of us had the ball near the rim. No matter who had the basketball, it would definitely be slam dunked. The "get up" was a very solid teaching/reminding cue for us.

I used specific training methods to acheive my maximum jumping potential. I also performed some conditioning tasks that made outsiders think deeply about my sanity. Either way, I was always in shape, ready to go, and performed the way I practiced.

It didn't ever matter who was on the court or in the paint because when I come down the lane I "get up". All in a teaching cue and efficient practice.

Cutting II

A few days ago I wrote a piece about cutters and their importance. While everything I wrote was completely true, there is one more factor that a player must come to grips with. A player who cuts needs to do so within the flow of the teams offense.

A player who cuts without using his teammates is one that does not understand TEAM. A cut is a slash anywhere towards the hoop in hopes to create a divergence and possible receive a ball to finish close to the basket. In short; see your teammates and carefully time your cuts.

The amazing thing about cutters is that even with a sound offense, cutting can make anyone open for a good shot. Work on your timing, your cutting, and especially recieving and finishing. In basketball there are creators and finishers. Pick one initially and then build your skill level to where you are both.

Basketball Strength Volume I

Get ready for the most unique and comprehensive conditioning program the game has ever seen! Basketball Strength Volume I is your physical training instructional course to lead you to your true potential.

Basketball Strength is the perfect compliment to daily skills practice. All participants should expect to improve cardiovascular, metabolic, optimal flexibility, & strength condition synergistically with these exercises. As a basketball strength participant you can also expect to improve your jumping, explosiveness, stability, mobility, and overall "game shape".

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Be One in the Crowd

This world is looking for leaders everday. People who are willing to step up for what's right and do what has to be done. The game of basketball and the game of life are one and the same. The battles won and lost during a game directly reflect the will, intelligence, and ability to work cohesively within a group environment. Thses are the same issue we face in everyday life.

What I am saying here is that your physical conditioning and basketball practice should place balance in your life. Your physicality will allow you to improve, become more confident in your abilities, and allow you to be a nicer person to be around. This isn't a prt-time job, it's FULL-TIME!

Basketball Conditioning is an everyday process. There are more ways than one to train and you need to know. If you trained hard yesterday with my Basketball Strenght methods, then I advise you to concentrate on breathing exercises today during your light cardiovascular exercise (swimming for example).

Today is a day like yesterday and it's time time to seize it. Carpe diem.

Flow

Every player should know what the flow is. The flow is an ever consistent momentum that is prevalent during a basketball game. You can not see the flow but you can feel it and become a part of it. Successful players understand this flow and use it to their advantage. An example of this offensively is when a player takes an open jump shot in or out of a set. A set is a designed offensive scenario.

Players that understand the flow make the extra pass for the open shot. They also set timely picks and hold them until their teammate is free for an open shot. Shots taken within the flow are high percentage shots. This is due to the quality of the shots and the form of which it was delivered.

Basketball is a team game and for success to occur, the flow of the game must be understood. Forget plays, sets, skills, and training for a second and think about feeling the flow of the game. Think about becoming part of the game and making things easy for yourself and your team.

Make the extra pass, set the extra pick, box out, beat your man to the spot defensively, keep your hands to yourself until the ball is in front of you and GRAB IT! There is never a reason to reach until the ball is placed in front of you. Once it is, GRAB IT and claim it; MY BALL. Work on feeling the flow today.

Cutters

All pieces to the basketball puzzle are equally important although arguments lean towards ball handlers being the most highly touted. For one minute, let's agree. Now if the ball handlers are most important what about the cutters?

Cutters are basketball players who weave in, out, and around traffice during a basketball game like a N.F.L. Wide Receiver. Developing the necessary traveling skills to become a good cutter is a time efficient process. You have to master your own movement and especially peripheral vision. A cutter is deceptive and always playing with his team. Too often players make cuts and do not realize how wide open they become. A good cutter will always keep an option open for a teammate to get him/her the ball. A player can obtain a College Scholarship just by cutting well.

It doesn't matter what system of basketball your team runs, you NEED cutters that know how to move. Cutters create opportunities out of shear effort and synergistic movement. Cutters are an entire offense within themselves. If you want to simplify the game and maximize your teams success, teach all players to become fine cutters.

Wheelbarrow

One of the most overlooked piece of exercise equipment is a wheelbarrow. Being a native of Canada (born in Toronto) I know of the tremendous value of the wheelbarrow. Up in Canada, the wheelbarrow is still implemented by many conditioning enthusiasts. What purpose does a wheelbarrow have for a basketball player?

For starters, this piece of equipment force you to move forward. Your overall conditioning will be tested beginning with your grip strength. I recommend any athlete starting with fifty pounds of sand in the wheelbarrow. If you can find a slight uphill grade to work upon, begin there. Flat land is also a good surface to work on but your time under tension will be longer. If you can use a slight hill, your training will be more abbreviated and in my opinion, more effective.

Every once in a while it is important to throw a positive wrinkle into training. Learning to use your body through physical manual tasks is a must for every human being. You should want to know that you can perform manual tasks if called upon. You also have yet another chance to learn more about yourself through positive and safe training methods. Remember to control your breathing and work sensibly. A basketball player can throw a wheelbarrow session in twice a month for a challenge.

Circle

The most underrated aspect of basketball conditioning is peripheral training. Peripheral training directly refers to the vision all basketball players need to have. You should not have to be looking at a basketball to see it coming at you or close to you. This is essentially what separates quality defensive players from guys who give up buckets. If you couple outstanding periphery with proper athletic conditioning, you have a champion defender. Any player who is exceptional on the defensive end must possess instincts for the ball and peripheral vision.

You can develop a players periphery by having them drill the eyes to work in that specific way. Circle up your team and have them gently pass the ball around the circle in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction for ten minutes. Make sure all players are NOT looking at the basketball, rather eachother. This drill builds confidence, obviously periphery, and a confidence to know where a ball is at all times.

There will come a point where you can actually feel a ball close to you before you instinctively grab what's yours; take it!

Game Shape

When a player reaches game shape, he knows it. The player knows that he has what appears to be unlimited endurance among his peers. This endurance allows him to succeed beyond his peers. To acheive this endurance the right brand of training must be set in place. In developing a system of basketball conditioning, I can prove to you that my system is second to none. Everything that you gain using Basketball Strength Volume I is everything you keep. In short; there is no use for non-functional muscle on an athlete.

A lot of weight training programs do prove there worth in allowing athletes to develop their body's. However, often times a players develop muscles they do not need. Muscle is extremely dense and heavy on the body. In general, do you think it makes sense to overdevelop any part of your body? Do you want to be weighed down by vanity?

Basketball Strength Volume I is your total conditioning program. This program focuses on developing what you need instead of what someone may think you want. Looking the part is one thing but experience proves that being the part is another.

Today

Are you going to make the decision to separate yourself from everyone else today?
Are you willing to take the necessary risks to succeed on the basketball court?
Do you have the level of personal commitment to make it to the top?

Ask yourself these three questions and act on the answers now. There is never a right time to start the self-improvement process. There will never be a red carpet laid out for your eventual success. Success is yours.

Frog Toes

Before you go to sleep at night, take one more trip to the kithen for a refreshing glass of water. As you are walking to get this drink, spread your toes apart and use them to walk. You will land on your heel, shift onto the ball of your foot, and use your toes to complete the step.

This frog toe method of walking develops the entire durability of the lower leg. Most people never spread their toes and use them to move. When you don't use youe toes you are purposely taking a big portion of the functionality out of your feet.

Use this frog toe style only once per day before sleeping. This is due to the obvious healing properties that the human body undergoes during rest, sleep, and relaxation. This is yet another thing that can dramatically improve you as an individual with your effort.

Timber

In teaching athletes to run, I find one drill most important. Have the player stand in one position with their body squared. Now ask the athlete to allow his body to slowly fall forward imitating a tree being cut down. You can even yell, "timber" as a command prompt.

When the athlete begins to feel the forward fall and change in leverage he will make the adjustment to run. This adjustment is a survival instinct embedded in every single one of us. I am yet to meet an athlete who allows himself to fall flat on his/her face. It's always, fall forward and run to gather bodily momentum.

This method of teaching running also focuses on the necessary usage of the balls of the feet. There are entirely too many heel/toe runners and not enough of toe/toe runners. I can always tell an athlete by watching him/her run on their toes. When you take away the heel, you cut your traveling time down. When you cut your traveling time down, you are becomng faster. This is basketball conditioning.

Walking

I can tell if an athlete is going to be able to recruit the maximum of themselves by watching them walk. Learning to walk by using what you need to is not by any means a common practice. Each joint in the lower body has an optimal range of motion. If a particular joint has a limited range of motion, the stride length will be affected. Optimal flexibility is the be all end all when it comes to human movement.

Basketball Stength Volume I is a training course specifically for basketball players. The system I have developed is based upon the premise of obtaining optimal flexibility within the entire body through exercise. The current "theories and methodologies" for basketball training are backwards. The time for correction for the good of the game and the player is now!

Volume I provides each player with a complete manual to physical improvement through safe, effort based methods. These methods allow players to increase their potential off the court during exercise. In many cases, my system of training can be implemented ON the basketball court. Performing training ON the court allows the player another opportunity to gain comfortability on the hardwood.

If you're going to work, you might as well work as smart as you can. Volume I coming soon...

Jumping Jax

Here's a fun challenge for basketball players; 1,000 Jumping Jax.

Last time I did this I developed a tremendous sweat and had one of my favorite workouts. Many people do not realize that this kind of work IS training. This is conditioning and you owe it to yourself to dispell the lies of today's fitness world.

You need yourself, safe methods of which to practice, some free space, and an adequate water supply w/bananas.

Body Conditioning

True basketball players sacrifice their body for the good of the team. You can see this through every pick that is set, every charge taken, boxing out, and every time you see chest to body contact on defense. This is a concious decision but one that develops unity among teammates. A lack of this develops selfishness and team mutiny.

Deliver

The ability to perform tasks with exactly the energy required is a saving grace to a player. For example, if you take a short jump on your jump shot, why should you jump any higher than you need to if you don't have to? That's the point; do only what is specifically required.

When you allow your body to do what it needs to do, it can do. This is a reasonable demand and action process that yields success. As you train your mind and body to meet with this philosophy, you will find your congnitive strength improving.

This is also called mental toughness. This is the point in time when it doesn't matter who is in front of you because you are trained to execute.

Defense

A smart defensive player will learn to apply the principles of leverage at all times. This means using their body in leverage advantage scenarios. Defense is played with the feet NOT the hands. Too many ballers learn backwards; they play defense with the hands and NOT the feet. A good defensive player will have the quick footwork of a prize fighter.

The ability to apply leverage principles relies heavily on your commitment to the game. This type of defense requires you give the maximum effort, be in top physical shape, and promote physical play. Physical play is a part of the game and something that needs to be taken seriously.

As long as you play defense with your feet, you can use your body to feel defenders. For example; when I defend in the post I use my chest to shield the basket from the offensive player. My chest would be touching the offensive player while my feet drove him out of a shooting position. This style of defensive play with the feet and chest is called; Man-Up.

Sneakers II

When I ball, I wear Chuck Taylors.
When I train, I wear Chuck Taylors.

When people watch me ball or train they always ask; "Isn't that really dangerous to play in shoes without ankle support"? My answer is always the same, "It's the man and not the shoe. My training has prepared my ankles for anything as my ankles are extremely durable".

Basketball players rely on their ankles to move therefore they should build their qualities to a high standard. A player should rely on his ability to improve instead of a synthetic product to cover his bases. A sprained ankle to a basketball player is temporary doom. Basketball Strength - Volume I will prevent that.

One more note; I had teammates overseas that often trained and balled barefoot. These men had the most durable lower legs I have ever witnessed. When I asked them what they did to improve themselves to that degree they said (in loose translation), "move without shoes of course".

Sneakers

Growing up as a child my parents never bought me expensive sneakers. Most of the childhood friends I had wore expensive sneakers. Is it really the sneaker that makes the player?

I spent most of my childhood riding my bicycle from park to park playing basketball against the best I could find. I always had a pair of sneakers on that looked less than exceptional and it made no differece to me. Truth be told, I was thankful to have something on my feet to allow me to play the game I love. I earned respect by showing up to tough parks, ballin', taking names and leaving. My sneakers didn't do it, I did.

When I dunked a basketball for the first time in 8th grade, I stood 5'-7". I wore old school Avia's with holes on the outside of them. It definitely wasn't the sneakers, it was me. I developed exceptional leaping ability through sound methods.

I wore every sneaker in college and while playing professionally. It is with great pleasure that I can tell you this; it's the native NOT the arrow.

Endurance

A basketball players endurance is a direct refelction of his fitness. Fitness includes physical and mental fitness. Many people think they know what physical fitness means but they are mistaken. I define physical fitness as a low resting heart rate (60 or below) earned through metabolic conditioing, bodyweight efficiency and the adequate mental toughness sometimes called will.

Running miles is a way to obtain cardiovascular fitness. Running sprints on sand supplemented with push ups during rest periods is a way to metabolic conditioning. You need the total package. Always run on sand and uphill if you have them around.

I can tell you that you will build more basketball rtelated fitness in hill sprints, sand conditioning with bodyweight exercises instead of round and round track work. Basketball players need animalistic qualities. You can build these qualities my learning how to move from every possible angle.

Try this one today;

sprint 50 yards and do 10 push ups
sprint 60 yards and do 20 push ups
sprint 70 yards and do 30 push ups
bear crawl 50 yards and do 40 sit ups
bear crawl 60 yards and do 50 jumping jax
bear crawl 70 yards and do 60 bodyweight squats

This workout will reveal fitness, mental toughenss and whether or not a player is ready to accept proper conditioning.

Protein Sources

Athletes need balanced diets NOT protein high or protein only diets. A balanced diet for a basketball player is filled with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and water (as described in yesterdays blog post).

If you notice I didn't mention a protein supplement or synthetic vitamin. Synthetic material made in a labrotory is not 100% sufficient for the human body. These supplements have also never been proven to work in anything other than animals. A medical professional may advicse you to take a synthetic prodcut but in reality has no explanation of fact for what it actually does to you.

A good post workout meal is a baked potatoe not a protein shake. Athletes need the diet with a high portion of it deriving from a carbohydrate source. Your post workout meals should be just that; a carbohydrate source.

So when it all comes down it, you need adequate nutrition to have your body work in a positive way. Understading and adhering to these principles is not difficult. You just have to make your decision to succeed.

Remember, gaining weight is a biproduct of your body's need for more food NOT overeating. If you are doing the right thing, you should look to gain three pounds of muscle per year. This is lean muscle that will stay with you for life as long as you keep working. You work hard, feed yourself properly and in time you will simply need more food. This is yet another example of your body adapting to the imposed demands.

Bon apetito

Quick Eats

A basketball player has to feed himself the right kind of fuel to perform optimally. There is truth to the addage; you are what you eat. The right kind of fuel is fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts and natural products. Produce and vegetables negate the need to ever ingest synthetic vitamins. They are also digested and quickly processed by the human body.

Packaged and processed foods take longer for the human digestive system to break down and use. This actually causes a build up inside the digestive system and wil cause a body to work less than exceptional. If a human body does ingest a plethora of packeged and processed foods, he can hold more than ten pounds of waste per day.

I can tell you that if you keep your system clean, your body can work more efficiently. Ten pounds is a tremendous physical burden not to mention what it does mentally to an athlete. This is essetially what athletes call, "feeling heavy or slow". The way to "feel light" is to consistently consume natural products that your body needs instead of what your taste buds have grown to love.