Pro athletes featured in the NBA picks are subjected to different bursts of exercising activities season-long. This includes early and late preseason and the in- and off-season. The essence of this is to focus on building on previous training vital to developing various body parts. And a crucial part of the program is weightlifting.
Basketball deals with sprinting, jumping, ball handling, and shooting. So, it isn’t out of place to be puzzled as a starter about the implication of strength training sessions. But the truth is that you’ll need to develop agility alongside your cardio workouts to be an exceptional player. Hence in this article, we’ll discuss some exercises specific to weight training.
1. Foundation Strength and Muscle
Here, a player is coached based on whether or not they’re new to weight training. Mainly, this occurs during the nascent days of preseason. To build foundation strength, a functional schedule is carved out to work up all the major muscles of the bodyꟷ, especially those of the limbs.
For newbies, they’ll require to start with lifting smaller weights. But as they proceed in training, they gradually increase the loads. The core muscles preliminary strength training focuses on include the glutes, arms, legs, chest, shoulders, abs, and back.
2. Strength Development
Muscle and strength are built upon in this stage. But players must be mindful not to add a lot of bulk mass. Assuming there has been a fair pull with foundational training, the emphasis here will be more challenging lifts. This will help stimulate the nervous system and cause considerable muscle fiber increase (hypertrophy).
Note that muscle hypertrophy doesn’t necessarily translate to strength. But it’s an excellent basis for bolstering stamina.
3. Conversion to Power
According to NBA standards, power is a mixture of strength and swiftness. Having developed reasonable fitness, you must practice moving a load at high speed. This will require you to go harder with the weights at greater intensity.
Plyometric training is one way to convert your endurance to needed power. Use rebounding exercises to build your lower body. While plyometrics can be easy, you must get it right and practice rigorously.
4. Maintenance of Strength and Power
After intensive weeks of alternating strength and power workouts, taking breaks is essential. Periodically put the gym off schedule to help your recovery. However, you can still engage in light activities.
Without a doubt, there’ll be a record loss of maximal strength after a competitive season. But this wouldn’t be so much to worry about inasmuch as you still retain your muscular power.
Across the training levels of athletes, the following are the practiced weightlifting activities.
- Bench press
- Dumbbell rows
- Push presses
- Trap bar deadlift
- Squats
- Push-ups
- Vertical chest pass
- Pullups
- Chin-ups, etc.
Dos and Don’ts of Basketball Weightlifting
Training in a way that is basketball-specific requires unique approaches. Eventually, what determines if your effort will count is the effectiveness of your training. These are the principles guiding the NBA workouts.
- Be a little more focused on strength but don’t go overboard. Contrary to the popular myth that building muscles will make you slow. Instead, they help propel you with the right amount of force.
- Use explosive and plyometrics correctly. After you have your strength settled, consider improving your force production rate. It’s not enough to be agile, you also need to generate an appropriate output quickly. Plyo and explosive workouts will assist with that.
- Don’t overdo your plyometric and explosive training. These activities are subdivisions of your entire workout program, so you must dedicate only enough time to them.
- Prioritize rest and recovery. If you’re in bad form, the outcome of that is poor results. Rest is a crucial part of strength and agility training. Adopt an effective exercising plan which will include a few days off.
- Get your movements right. While lifting, there are specific moves to make. Hire a trainer or watch videos on them and incorporate them into your sessions.
