Drills and Tips

What every hooper should do before taking their first shot

Stationary ball handling drills have got somewhat of a bad rap over the years. This is mainly because the drills do not have the athlete moving which doesn’t translate well in game scenarios since dribble moves are for the most part designed to get you passed the defense. It’s never good to see a player doing dribble moves during a game and going absolutely nowhere with a bunch of herky jerky movements while the defense just watches them. This is why some people refuse to incorporate stationary drills into their training workouts. However, I believe stationary ball handling drills do serve a tremendous purpose in basketball training and could be the most important aspect of my workouts when I am working with athletes. I believe every hooper should start with stationary ball handling before their workout and even before a game for four reasons.

1. Stationary ball handling is a great warm up drill. It gets the athlete breaking a good sweat and really activates important muscle groups the athlete will use throughout a basketball game.

2. Stationary drills allow the athlete to gain confidence in their handle. Not only does stationary ball handling allow the athlete to get more reps in but it also allows the athlete to do more complex combos which can really boost the athletes confidence in their ability to handle the rock.

3. Stationary drills can help the athlete’s jump shot. It sounds crazy…I know but stationary ball handling drills are very effective for improving an athlete’s jump shot and especially so off the dribble. Stationary drills help the athlete gain control when the ball is in their hands. By gaining better control with the ball this allows the athlete to get the ball into their shooting pocket quicker and cleaner. This is certainly the case when the athlete is shooting off the dribble. By having better ball control the athlete is able to handle the ball cleaner off the bounce and get the ball into their shooting pocket more efficiently to take the jumper. By having a cleaner hand on the ball the athlete’s percentage to make the shot goes up dramatically and by having a quicker release the athlete is able to get off shots faster and increase the distance between the athlete and the defense when they release the shot giving them a cleaner look at the rim and in turn also increases the athlete’s percentage of making the jumper.

4. Most importantly, stationary drills allow the athlete to be comfortable with the ball. This is the main priority I have when I am working with an athlete trying to improve their handle. I not only want them to be confident about handling the ball but I want them to be comfortable handling the ball. This means when they ball is in their hands they are comfortable knowing they can get into any desired position on the floor, they are composed under any type of pressure, and knowing they have complete control when they are handling the pill.

Want to increase your vertical jump? Focus on these 4 factors!

1. Core Strength. Core strength is a major factor in basically every athletic movement and plays a vital role in your vertical leaping ability. If your core is weak….you are weak and unstabalized. Its important to have a strong core not only to help generate more power in your vertical jump but it is also a very important component in preventing injuries.

2. Hip Strength. Research indicates that your glutes (posterior or backside of hips) alone play about 40% of your vertical jump. Thats a big number towards your vertical in one muscle group and it shows how important it is to have strength and power in your glutes if you want to be an effective leaper. Strength in your hip flexors (anterior or front side of hips) not play a major role in your vertical leaping ability but also are key in injury prevention. Having weak hip flexors (mainly the psoas and illiacus) forces your body to compensate in other regions such as your quadricep (thigh muscle) and also in your back by flexing your lumbar spine instead of your anterior hips resulting in low back pain. A simple way to test this is to stand up in an athletic stance, pull one knee toward your chest, and hold your knee above your hips for 15-20 seconds. If you cant do this you have weak anterior hip flexion and your body is compensating in other regions to make up for this weakness, Both posterior and anterior muscle groups are involved during a vertical leap so it is important to train both flexion (anterior component) and extension (posterior component) of your hips if you want to maximize your vertical leaping ability.

3. Ankle Flexibility. Of course building strength and power in the hips is important in increasing your vertical jump but increasing ankle flexibility has also been shown to improve vertical jumping ability. Poor ankle flexibility not only results in the likelihood of having more ankle sprains but also affects squatting mechanics, movement efficiency, and increased force at the knees putting the athlete at risk to knee injuries. As discussed above, the hips are very important in vertical jumping ability. Having that in mind, if your ankle flexibility doesn’t allow you to go into full ankle dorsiflexion during your squat (heels remaining on ground while toes are facing forward during a proper squat) you cant effectively load your hips and therefore will not generate as much power in your vertical leap limiting your leaping height. It is important to build strength and power but mechanics allow you to produce force at the most optimal and efficient level.

4. Arm Swing The arm swing is a key component in vertical jumping ability. Overlooking the arm swing can be very detrimental to your vertical jumping ability. Recent research suggests that the arm swing increases vertical jump height by 28%. The arm swing in its downward motion improves vertical jumping ability because it increases the transfer of power down into your hips resulting in a greater force output. Furthermore, whenever performing a max jump the upward motion of the arm swing involves the muscles of the upper body (primarily the shoulder, chest, and upper arms). These muscles are shown to have greater activation in a max jump attempt and result in a pulling upward effect which increases vertical leaping height. With that being said, when training to improve vertical jumping ability it is not only important to train the lower body but is also important to train the upper body as it to plays a vital role in increasing your vertical jump.

References. Robbins, David CSCS, NASM-CPT, “A Comparison Of Muscular Activation During The Back Squat And Deadlift to the Countermovement Jump” (2011).

Hara, M., Shibayama, A., et al. The Effect of Arm Swing on Lower Extremities in Vertical Jumping. Journal of Biomechnics. 2006. 39(13), 2503-2511
1. Stationary ball handling is a great warm up drill. It gets the athlete breaking a good sweat and really activates important muscle groups the athlete will use throughout a basketball game.

2. Stationary drills allow the athlete to gain confidence in their handle. Not only does stationary ball handling allow the athlete to get more reps in but it also allows the athlete to do more complex combos which can really boost the athletes confidence in their ability to handle the rock.

3. Stationary drills can help the athlete’s jump shot. It sounds crazy…I know but stationary ball handling drills are very effective for improving an athlete’s jump shot and especially so off the dribble. Stationary drills help the athlete gain control when the ball is in their hands. By gaining better control with the ball this allows the athlete to get the ball into their shooting pocket quicker and cleaner. This is certainly the case when the athlete is shooting off the dribble. By having better ball control the athlete is able to handle the ball cleaner off the bounce and get the ball into their shooting pocket more efficiently to take the jumper. By having a cleaner hand on the ball the athlete’s percentage to make the shot goes up dramatically and by having a quicker release the athlete is able to get off shots faster and increase the distance between the athlete and the defense when they release the shot giving them a cleaner look at the rim and in turn also increases the athlete’s percentage of making the jumper.

4. Most importantly, stationary drills allow the athlete to be comfortable with the ball. This is the main priority I have when I am working with an athlete trying to improve their handle. I not only want them to be confident about handling the ball but I want them to be comfortable handling the ball. This means when they ball is in their hands they are comfortable knowing they can get into any desired position on the floor, they are composed under any type of pressure, and knowing they have complete control when they are handling the pill.

Steve Nash Shooting Drill

The goal of this drill is to mix in a variety of different shots and work on your conditioning. Don’t Stop moving and try to complete the drill in 20 minutes!

• 10 makes from each block

• 10 makes from baseline stepping our further

• 10 makes using backboard

• 10 elbow makes

• 10 floater/runner makes
• 10 hesitation dribble makes
• 10 pull-up makes
• 10 spin move makes
• 10 post up fadeaway makes
• 10 running hook makes
• 10 3 point makes
• 10 off pick and roll makes
• 10 step back makes
• 10 3 point makes

Fundamental drills Vs. Dynamic drills

Fundamental drills are the foundation of a basketball players game. Without a strong foundation the dynamic drills are pointless because with no foundation their is no base to an athletes game. A strong foundation consist of: dribbling, footwork, passing, shooting and basketball IQ. Training young athletes the foundation should be the main goal in developing the individual. Dynamic drills are great for athletes with a solid foundation and are ready to simulate game moves at game speed in a variety of ways. So wherever you are at in your training make sure to always incorporate the fundamental or as I like to call them “foundation” drills.

Free throw line dribble move and finish series

This drill works on making dribble moves full speed simulating a play in transition and on finishing at the rim. This is a great drill for ball handling, body control, setting up your defender, and finishing in a variety of ways. You need a Cone or Chair at the Free Throw line and two more cones just inside and above the block. (It should make a triangle with the cones or chairs)

Start behind 3 point line and attack the cone at the Free Throw line. Make a dribble move at the cone (single move for beginners: crossover, between the legs, behind the back. Double move for advanced: double cross, between the legs crossover, between the legs behind the back, etc.). After you make your move you should be approaching one of the cones by the block. You want to make a move to avoid the cone and finish at the rim. Treat the cones like defenders. Make hard moves you would do in a game. Your move to avoid the second cone could be a euro-step, spin move, hop step, jump-stop, sidestep, etc. Just make sure to attack the first cone fast, make a hard move at the FT line, avoid the second cone at the block, and finish the play!

Struggling to improve speed?

Try to incorporate more sprint intervals into your training. Long distance running isn’t near as effective as short to intermediate sprints for improving speed. Sprints should be no longer than 25 seconds and are most effective around 10 – 15 seconds when the goal is to improve your speed. Try and up your tempo but manage to get a decent amount of rest before performing another sprint. For example, a 10 second sprint would require around 60 seconds of rest but if you want to challenge your conditioning you can up your tempo to only resting 35-45 seconds. A great sprint workout to improve speed would be 10X100yd sprint with approximately 60-90 seconds of rest in between reps. Training this way is highly effective and will also improve your body composition.

Want to become a better shooter?

If you want to become a better shooter don’t overlook the details. The great shooter never overlook the details that is how why they are great.. There comes a point where it is hard to improve at a skill when you are very good at it and that is when the details are even more important. The little things make a big difference over time and they make a big difference when a lot of little things are added up together. So when you are training be detailed, be specific, and be meticulous with every shot you take because every single rep matters. Focus on following through with a high elbow, having strong wrist, locating the rim quickly and completely locking in, and focus on having great footwork because when these habits are developed correctly over time your shooting efficiency is guaranteed to improve. The simplest thing you can do each day to improve your shooting mechanics is start each workout with some form shooting drills 3-5 feet from the basket and some free throws to emphasize your form and also see the ball go in at the beginning of the workout.

The M drill - agility

This is one of my favorite agility drills and focuses on the defensive movements players will perform throughout the game.

• Start off on the left block in an athletic stance (feet slightly wider than shoulder width and knees bent and ready to move in any direction necessary). From the left block sprint up to the left elbow and perform a closeout (hands high, butt low, having short choppy steps, and ready to move in any direction.) From the left elbow perform a diagonal defensive slide down to the right block (staying low, hands out wide, head up, and big slides). From right block sprint up to the right elbow and perform a closeout. From right elbow perform a diagonal defensive slide down to the left block.

• That is one rep. Perform 4 sets of 3 reps with 20 seconds rest in between reps and 90 seconds rest in between sets for a simple but great agility workout.

Don't overlook the fundamentals. The fundamentals form the greats.

Kobe Bryant. “I do the moves over and over,” Bryant said. “Especially in my younger days, I didn’t really focus on trying to get my feet faster. I focused on the moves. Whether it was a fadeaway, or whether it was a crossover, I did the move over and over and over. Then, I got faster at doing moves. My feet got faster at doing the moves. When you have repetition with what it is you’re trying to do, you inevitably get better and faster at that. The most important thing in basketball isn’t speed anyway. It’s not speed. It’s skill.”

“The easy thing is to get on the basketball court and do all these silly and fancy moves,” Bryant said as he dribbled behind his back and performed a few cross overs. “But the most important things are basic fundamentals.”

Michael Jordan. “The minute you get away from fundamentals – whether its proper technique, work ethic or mental preparation – the bottom can fall out of your game, your schoolwork, your job, whatever you’re doing.”

“When I was young, I had to learn the fundamentals of basketball. You can have all the physical ability in the world, but you still have to know the fundamentals.”

The importance of flexability

Flexibility is often an aspect of an athletes development that is highly overlooked. When it comes to injury prevention flexibility is very crucial! I know it is very unlikely to have full ROM (Range Of Motion) everywhere but it is important to be intentional in becoming more flexible. When an athlete lacks ROM in a particular area that area has an imbalance. Not only does that area have an imbalance but it very likely trickles into other areas of the athletes body. This is due to the fact the body is a chain and it all works together functioning as a unit. So when an athlete lacks flexibility in his or her ankles that could actually affect the stability of their knee. Also, when the athlete lacks imbalances such as bad hip flexibility, the athlete will be able to move more efficiently and hence generate more power.

“I believe that yoga is one of the reasons that I was able to play as long and as healthy as I did, Yoga is somewhat hard to quantify in terms of benefits because you see them in all the injuries you don’t get.” -Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

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