Post by JP HOOPS on Aug 22, 2012 11:40:30 GMT -5
3 Drills for an Explosive First Step
By Alan Stein, CCS, CSCS, StrongerTeam.com
When you have the ball, you control the game. The defense is at your mercy. You know exactly where you want to go and when you want to go there. This alone gives you a decided advantage over the defense. But adding an explosive first step to your arsenal can give you an even bigger advantage. Quickness is one of the top three traits for a basketball player. The quicker you are with the ball, the more of a threat you are as an offensive player. In order to be quicker with the ball you need to utilize game speed ball handling drills and quickness/reaction drills in your training program.
These drills, from StrongerTeam.com, add an element of reaction. The ability to read and react to visual and audible cues is important in the game of basketball.
The following three drills will improve your quickness, agility and reaction time. Perform two to three of these drills twice a week during the offseason. The time each drill is performed and the rest time between sets can transform each drill from a quickness drill to a conditioning drill. Because there’s a time and place for conditioning, make sure to stick to the prescribed times to keep these drills improving your quickness so you can achieve the most benefit for your first-step and scoring ability.
Ball Drop
Benefits: Footwork, hand quickness, eye-hand coordination
Reps: 30 seconds
Sets: 4-6
Make sure you're in a defensive stance.
Rest: 60-90 seconds
Instructions:
Stand arms length away from partner in defensive stance
Partner holds tennis ball in each hand
Sprint to ball after partner’s throw
Catch ball before second bounce
Toss back to partner and sprint back to starting position
React and sprint to next throw from partner
Partner should vary distance, direction and speed of throws
Coaching Point: Your partner should vary the hand he uses on throws and constantly change-up the pattern. For example, throw left hand, left hand, left hand and then right hand because it’s much more unpredictable then throwing left hand, right hand, left hand. This forces you to react faster and improve your first-step.
Block to Block
Benefits: Lateral quickness and agility
Reps: 12-15 seconds
Sets: 4-6
Rest: 60-90 seconds
Instructions:
Stand in lane in athletic position between the blocks
Partners kneels at top of key behind three point line with two tennis balls
Partner rolls one ball to either block
Defensive slide to block, tap ball back to partner, slide back to starting position
React to next roll and repeat
Coaching Point: Don’t ever cross your feet and make sure to stay low with your chest up and your hands up and active. You have to stay low to the ground so you can reach the ball and tap it back to your partner. Your hands should be in front and active like they are in a game so you can catch a pass or grab a rebound. If your hands are in by your sides you can’t do these things in a game and you can’t perform this drill. And most importantly, work hard. Your intensity of effort during this drill is crucial.
Star Drill
Benefits: Reaction and short burst quickness
Reps: 15 seconds
Sets: 4-6
Rest: 60-90 seconds
Instructions:
Place five cones around three point line
Perform athletic movement such as backboard taps, or defensive slides from block to block
When partner calls number of cone, sprint to cone, challenge an imaginary shot, and back pedal back to starting spot
Continue performing original movement
React to partner’s next call and sprint to and from cone
Repeat
Coaching Point: Adjust the drill by sprinting to the cone as if you are closing out on a shooter. Chop your feet as you get close to the cone, get low and keep a hand up to put a hand in the imaginary shooters face. Then sprint back to the start. You can also change the movement pattern used such as sprinting to the cone and then backpedaling back to the start. Each different movement helps work another part of your game.
Alan Stein is the owner of Stronger Team and the Head Strength and Conditioning coach for the nationally renowned, Nike Elite DeMatha Catholic High School boys basketball program. He spent 7 years serving a similar position with the Montrose Christian basketball program. Alan brings a wealth of valuable experience to his training arsenal after years of extensive work with elite high school, college, and NBA players.
His passion, enthusiasm, and innovative training techniques make him one of the nation's leading experts on productive training for basketball players. Alan is a performance consultant for Nike Basketball as well as the head conditioning coach for the annual McDonald's All American game, the Jordan Brand All American Classic, and the Nike Summer Skills Academies. Alan is a camp coach at the prestigious NBA Players Association's Top 100 Camp as well as the Chris Paul CP3 Elite Backcourt Camp. Alan has filmed over a dozen DVDs on improving performance and is a sought after lecturer at basketball camps and clinics across the world. He has been featured in Winning Hoops, Time Out, Dime, SI.com, SLAMonline.com, American Basketball Quarterly, Stack, Men's Health, HOOP, and FIBA Assist Magazine.
By Alan Stein, CCS, CSCS, StrongerTeam.com
When you have the ball, you control the game. The defense is at your mercy. You know exactly where you want to go and when you want to go there. This alone gives you a decided advantage over the defense. But adding an explosive first step to your arsenal can give you an even bigger advantage. Quickness is one of the top three traits for a basketball player. The quicker you are with the ball, the more of a threat you are as an offensive player. In order to be quicker with the ball you need to utilize game speed ball handling drills and quickness/reaction drills in your training program.
These drills, from StrongerTeam.com, add an element of reaction. The ability to read and react to visual and audible cues is important in the game of basketball.
The following three drills will improve your quickness, agility and reaction time. Perform two to three of these drills twice a week during the offseason. The time each drill is performed and the rest time between sets can transform each drill from a quickness drill to a conditioning drill. Because there’s a time and place for conditioning, make sure to stick to the prescribed times to keep these drills improving your quickness so you can achieve the most benefit for your first-step and scoring ability.
Ball Drop
Benefits: Footwork, hand quickness, eye-hand coordination
Reps: 30 seconds
Sets: 4-6
Make sure you're in a defensive stance.
Rest: 60-90 seconds
Instructions:
Stand arms length away from partner in defensive stance
Partner holds tennis ball in each hand
Sprint to ball after partner’s throw
Catch ball before second bounce
Toss back to partner and sprint back to starting position
React and sprint to next throw from partner
Partner should vary distance, direction and speed of throws
Coaching Point: Your partner should vary the hand he uses on throws and constantly change-up the pattern. For example, throw left hand, left hand, left hand and then right hand because it’s much more unpredictable then throwing left hand, right hand, left hand. This forces you to react faster and improve your first-step.
Block to Block
Benefits: Lateral quickness and agility
Reps: 12-15 seconds
Sets: 4-6
Rest: 60-90 seconds
Instructions:
Stand in lane in athletic position between the blocks
Partners kneels at top of key behind three point line with two tennis balls
Partner rolls one ball to either block
Defensive slide to block, tap ball back to partner, slide back to starting position
React to next roll and repeat
Coaching Point: Don’t ever cross your feet and make sure to stay low with your chest up and your hands up and active. You have to stay low to the ground so you can reach the ball and tap it back to your partner. Your hands should be in front and active like they are in a game so you can catch a pass or grab a rebound. If your hands are in by your sides you can’t do these things in a game and you can’t perform this drill. And most importantly, work hard. Your intensity of effort during this drill is crucial.
Star Drill
Benefits: Reaction and short burst quickness
Reps: 15 seconds
Sets: 4-6
Rest: 60-90 seconds
Instructions:
Place five cones around three point line
Perform athletic movement such as backboard taps, or defensive slides from block to block
When partner calls number of cone, sprint to cone, challenge an imaginary shot, and back pedal back to starting spot
Continue performing original movement
React to partner’s next call and sprint to and from cone
Repeat
Coaching Point: Adjust the drill by sprinting to the cone as if you are closing out on a shooter. Chop your feet as you get close to the cone, get low and keep a hand up to put a hand in the imaginary shooters face. Then sprint back to the start. You can also change the movement pattern used such as sprinting to the cone and then backpedaling back to the start. Each different movement helps work another part of your game.
Alan Stein is the owner of Stronger Team and the Head Strength and Conditioning coach for the nationally renowned, Nike Elite DeMatha Catholic High School boys basketball program. He spent 7 years serving a similar position with the Montrose Christian basketball program. Alan brings a wealth of valuable experience to his training arsenal after years of extensive work with elite high school, college, and NBA players.
His passion, enthusiasm, and innovative training techniques make him one of the nation's leading experts on productive training for basketball players. Alan is a performance consultant for Nike Basketball as well as the head conditioning coach for the annual McDonald's All American game, the Jordan Brand All American Classic, and the Nike Summer Skills Academies. Alan is a camp coach at the prestigious NBA Players Association's Top 100 Camp as well as the Chris Paul CP3 Elite Backcourt Camp. Alan has filmed over a dozen DVDs on improving performance and is a sought after lecturer at basketball camps and clinics across the world. He has been featured in Winning Hoops, Time Out, Dime, SI.com, SLAMonline.com, American Basketball Quarterly, Stack, Men's Health, HOOP, and FIBA Assist Magazine.