This blog builds on my last one in which I wrote about a program of rope skipping and bodyweight exercises your players can use to improve footwork, conditioning, confidence, rhythm and timing. That program took 13-26 minutes to complete. The one I’m about to discuss requires close to 60 minutes. It provides a great workout and works on developing players’ individual offensive skills.
All drills should be done at game speed and the player needs to work as hard as possible. All shots taken also must be done at game speed as well. When players need a break, have them go to the free throw line and take 10 free throws. This allows the players to simulate catching their breath before free throws…just like in a game.
A player gets more benefit from going as hard as he/she can for an hour, rather than playing for 2 to 2 ½ hours with very little intensity. Obviously the player is expected to use good form and technique while working on each of the drills.
The program looks like this:
1) Warm up — 5 Minutes — Dribble 1 or 2 balls while doing the warm-up drills.
a. Jog up the court and back
b. Run up and back emphasizing High Knees.
c. Run up and back doing “butt kickers.”
d. Skip up and back
e. Power skip up and back
f. Carioca up the court and back
g. Do lunges to the timeline and back
h. Do reverse lunges — 8 to 10 on each side
i. Do side lunges — 8 to 10 on each side
j. Do push ups for 30 seconds
k. Do crunches for 30 seconds.
2) Stationary Ball Handling Drills — 5 minutes
a. Maravich drills
b. Use your imagination.
c. There are tons of stationary ball handling drills to work on – do a google search
d. Go as fast as you can after getting the motor skill down.
3) Stationary Dribbling Drills — 5 minutes — 1- and 2-ball drills
a. V-dribble – side to side
b. V-dribble front to back
c. Dribble around right leg then the left leg
d. Figure-8 dribble
e. Cross over dribble
f. Between the legs
g. Behind the back
4) Dribbling on the move — 5 minutes — 2 balls
a. Simultaneous
b. Alternate
c. Right hand high — left hand low
d. Left hand high — right hand low
e. Cross over
f. Between the legs
g. Behind the back
h. Reverse dribble — “Earl the Pearl”
i. Start and stop — “hesitate and go”
j. Start slow and build speed as the motor skill is developed
5) Dribbling on the move — 5 minutes — 1 ball
a. Do all the dribble moves using one ball up and down the court
b. The player should use his/her imagination, and think about where the defender would be
c. Go at game speed; change direction; change speed (pace); keep head high and the ball low; see the rim on the other end of the court
6) Form shooting — 5 minutes
a. One-hand form shooting
7) Flip Outs — 5 minutes — Same as shooting off a pass
a. Catch, square and shoot
b. Catch, square and shot fake — drive to lay up — right and left
c. Catch, square and shot fake — 1 dribble - jump shot — right and left
d. Catch, square and shot fake — 2 dribbles – jump shot — right and left
e. If the player goes hard they should be able to get 10 shots with each move totaling 70 shots
f. A perimeter player works facing the basket and the post player works with the back to the basket. However, all players should learn to play facing the basket first!
8) Shooting off the dribble — 5 minutes — going both right and left
a. Starting from different spots on the floor — use the dribble — make a dribble move and get the shot off — vary the types of shots and vary the spots from where the shot is taken
b. Go hard for the 5-minute period
9) Mikan and Reverse Mikan drill — 5 minutes
a. Go for 30 seconds — shoot 2 or 3 free throws and go again until the 5 minutes has elapsed. A good player gets 20 makes in 30 seconds
10) Footwork Drills — 5 Minutes
a. Do defensive footwork – step and slide
b. Work on both the front and reverse pivot
c. Work on the drop step both right and left foot
d. Dot drills or line jumps or ladder drills
In closing, players simply need a ball, a jump rope, a chair, a dream…and a whole bunch of dedication, desire and self-discipline to become a better player.
