All great athletes need the proper skillset, diet and exercise to be able to play at a competitive level. Harnessing your talent and practicing the fundamentals make you gain muscle memory to execute specific actions that are considered skills that develop as you play. In basketball, just like in any other sport, players need to continuously develop their mental and physical attributes to be able to play well and win games.
Different forms of training are programmed to achieve this. One, in particular, that is usually not given enough credit is conditioning training. You get your tune-up games for skill and gameplay application, muscle and weight maintenance training and conditioning for strengthening and rehabilitation.
In basketball conditioning, targeted areas in the arms, legs, core and hamstrings are needed to develop and be conditioned as these are the main parts of the body utilized while playing the game. Not to mention, one needs to condition the brain as well. Our brain is a muscle, and the mental ability to execute greatness while under pressure is something that we need to include in our conditioning program as athletes in the game of basketball.
Here are notable factors that Basketball Conditioning covers when it is being done.
Having to play 4 quarters of a game that last up to 12 minutes each can tire you quickly. Conditioning programs help keep up endurance to let players maintain a high level of scoring percentages through their skills and execution of designated moves needed in the game. When your athlete is tired, skills can no longer keep up. Thus, proper training focused on endurance in jumping, shooting hoops with the basketball, running and transitioning positions when defending man to man is suggested.
Rehabilitation For Continuous Muscle Therapy And Healing
It is no one’s fault if a player gets injured. Even the greatest of all get injured, it is part of the game. We all know that when a player is injured, skillset percentage is again lessened as their body and muscles are not the same as they used to be. Because of this, conditioning training develops rehabilitation programs that athletes go through. Shoulder dislocations, ankle sprains, knee injuries and wrist fractures are usually what is experienced in the world of basketball. After undergoing this program, players typically equip themselves with additional gear for added protection while on the court and visit their scheduled therapy sessions to do muscle conditioning training to regain their muscle development and healing.
Strengthening Both For The Muscle And Mind
Conditioning training focuses on programs that improve muscle functions and strength, capacity for mental toughness and willingness to endure in the game. The winning spirit should be present in any player or athlete. But if your desire to win is not accompanied by the proper strengthening of every muscle in your body to execute shots in the basketball ring and defend your post from the opposing team, you have a problem. Whether your game is indoor or outdoor, all your motivation and desire will be in vain. Strengthening both the muscle and mind is what conditioning programs are for in basketball or any other sport. Coupled with training, this guide on how to shoot a basketball can be useful.
Lastly, Cardio So You Can Run, Run, Run!
For the most obvious reasons, basketball is a game of running, sprinting or jogging. This needs to be observed whether having the ball away or home as the clock is ticking every quarter. Unlike playing in arcades, where you are not as physically active, playing basketball in actuality requires all players to run or sprint to beat the shot clock and score additional points. Having to do cardio as your conditioning training helps athletes or players get used to not using too much of their oxygen while their hearts pump double the required amount in our bodies. That explains why basketball players seem not to mind having to be as sweaty and tired from running and sprinting the whole game. Apart from the adrenalin they feel, their cardio training has already conditioned them to keep up with this requirement.
The Final Word
Now that you know the benefits of basketball conditioning training, we hope that you will consider doing it as well and include it in your routine. Stay healthy and happy training!
