Basketball Fitness 101

They say that the game of basketball has gone soft compared to the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s wherein no harm, no foul was the rule of the game. But for me, basketball has evolved where in the main priority is to make the game safer for the players, and that the careers are protected through injury preventions. Training regimen has even evolved. Long time ago, lifting weights in the gym is big no-no in basketball. Even simple body weights such as push up or pull ups are being avoided by coaches and trainers because it disrupts the rhythm of the shooting although there are some truth regarding this. But the application and timing has been scientifically studied and monitored. Training before focuses mainly on running for long period of time around the oval, long and exhausting cardio exercises, sprints drills, and shuttle run.  With the current availability of technology wherein one can monitor the total distance covered during a single game, these numbers have cropped up based from a study in USA Basketball. Top 6 players who average 20-31 minutes per game log in between 6 to 10 km per game including warm up, while the 2nd may log in 3-6 km and worst of all your 3rd unit, which are the 10 to 15th player, could log in only between 0-1 km per game. If you play 2-3 games a week, the top players are logging in marathon type distance training in a week that is not including training, practice sessions etc. The pounding you have on your joints and knees, plus the court condition and practice facility we have in the Philippines unless you play in pro league where the best basketball are in place. But in colleges, in high school or local barangay all we have are hard concrete basketball courts. The drills from jumping and running are unimaginable. On the other hand, the big discrepancy between 1st 5 and 3rd 5 is so glaring that sometimes you can see your reserve player may look out of shape. Point being that when the time comes they need to sub, they may look lost in the court. It is not their fault. They are doing only a small fraction of work load compared to the starters. The discrepancy of the excessive volume will become an issue to your players if training and proper steps are not taken. Every second counts sometimes, when a reserve or players subs in, he or she must give all-out effort in the basketball court knowing that your playing time is really short. That means training for these players may differ compared to what the starters are doing. But in the local or barangay league, it is a different story. We have what we call a Barangayan system that will force a player to log in at least a number of minutes without substitution. So training regimen must be adopted to make you efficient in the short amount of time one is playing.

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Keep practices short as the season progresses with minimal extra running. The goal for players to peak just in time for the playoff and not be exhausted. I remember in local basketball 10-15 leagues wherein the day before a crucial game, the coach was killing his players with hard practice even giving penalty like push up or sprint if a player misses a shot or layup.

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Rest day or day off does not have to be inactive. It may come in form of watching game film or discussing defensive or offensive strategy then add shoot around 100-200 free throw perhaps.

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Team trainer or conditioning coach must openly communicate with players regarding pain or injury. Being sore maybe good but is totally different if it is associated with pain. 

The no pain, no gain is the wrong mind set for players, instead, one should ‘know your pain and know your gain’.

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As simple as sleeping at least 7 to 8 hours a day. Staying hydrated and proper nutrition, stretching, icing the joints, foam roller for deep muscle sore treatment or now getting more popular to athlete is capping or what locally known as “Bintosa” could be the best way of sustaining recovery from high level training throughout the year. Flexibility is one key factor for injury prevention. 

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Strength training and weight training is not only for off season, it can be incorporated during the entire season. Goal is to develop muscles that can help prevent injuries due to excess running volume. Impact that takes the toll on your joints especially your knees, ankles and hips. Strong core is the key and try to identify the muscles used in basketball then train on the muscle that are not being used.  Basketball has not gotten soft. Basketball now has focus mainly on safety and longevity on protecting the players. Training technique has evolved that basketball players now are far more physical in terms of muscle to fat percentage.

SIDELINE: Registration is now going on for the 30303 Consolacion Mountain Bike Duathlon 3.0> One can still avail of the free bike jersey until January 20 or the first 200 registrants. You can drop by at YKK Bikes in Legaspi, Missing Lnk in Robinsons Galleria, Cycle Logic in Parkmall and Aldo/Onitsuka Servitech in Tabok Mandaue. You can also register online and send payment through account name: Alan G. Choachuy,Metrobank Mandaue North road branch Account number: 236-7236-519-380 or via Palawan Exress to: Hendry Fritz Co (0906-962199) ten send picture of payment confirmation (deposit/transaction slip) to [email protected]