Basketball requires constant movement with short periods of sprinting, jumping, and changing direction. Therefore, your training should mimic the sport’s demands. Even though you need a base of aerobic endurance, this does not mean that you should just jog or bike at a slow and steady pace for an extended period of time. NEBH athletic trainers recommend basketball players train using bouts of high-intensity, short-duration intervals followed by longer periods of lower intensity work.
Consider a running program that consists of a 5-minute warm up followed by several rounds of 10-30 seconds of faster-paced running, then slower jogs for 1-2 minutes of recovery.
For strength training, try creating a circuit of 2-3 exercises, and do 3-4 sets of each. Allow yourself a brief 1 minute rest only at the end of each set of your group of exercise. This will allow your body to use its anaerobic energy systems for those quick fast breaks, while staying fresh out on the court until the end of the game.
Three main takeaways:
To help prevent injury, make sure you practice these general safety tips:
Hand & Wrist
Leg & Knee
Foot & Ankle
High school basketball players are injured at a rate of 1.94 per 1,000 athlete exposures. Of the injuries observed:
The most common injuries were:
The most diagnosed injuries were:
Remember to always check with your doctor before beginning an exercise program. If you have any type of persistent pain, be sure to see a doctor.
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