The Best Exercises to Improve Your Basketball Game

Out of all the major sports played in the U.S. and globally, basketball may be the one dominated by the best athletes. Lebron James may be the best athlete on the planet and Giannis Antetekoumpo is so athletic he’s known as “The Greek Freak”. Physical ability isn’t the only component of a great basketball player, but it is a major factor. Here are the best exercises for improving every aspect of your game.

The best exercises to improve your:

Dribbling
Shooting
Defense

Dribbling

Controlling the basketball doesn't require inordinate strength but it does demand incredible agility and hand dexterity. The best ball-handlers exhibit extreme hand-eye coordination while achieving other feats of athletic brilliance at the same time. Your training should teach you to do the same.

Agility Ladder Drills

Using an agility ladder is a great way to build quick foot-movement and stamina. Before improving your dribbling, you have to make sure your feet are fast enough to keep up.

Ladder Sprint

1. Start at the beginning of the ladder
2. As quickly as possible, place both feet between the next set of rungs
3. Repeat, sprinting through the rungs with both feet in each square until the end

Lateral Shuffle

1. Start to the right of the first rung with both feet outside of the ladder
2. Move your left foot into the first square followed by your right
3. Then move your left foot outwards, to the left of the ladder, followed by your right again
4. Move your right foot into the next square ahead of the one you started at and repeat until you reach the end
• Tip: Make sure your feet never cross throughout the exercise

Backward Shuffle

1. Start at the end of the ladder, with your heels on the final rung
2. Backpedal two steps to place your feet in the final square
3. Take two more steps backward into the next square
4. Step forward two steps into the square in front of you
5. Repeat from step two until you reach the start of the ladder
• Tip: This exercise is also great for defense as it helps players engage and disengage from ball-handlers

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Hand Exercises

Increasing hand dexterity helps you control the ball for more precise dribbling. It can also help when threading the needle on tight-window passes.

Medicine Ball Exercises

Medicine balls can be used for exercises that require strength and hand-eye coordination. Lightweight medicine balls can be used with a rebounder or bounced off hard surfaces for reaction time and stamina exercises. Heavier balls improve leg and upper body strength through a number of exercises. Medicine ball squats and medicine ball raises challenge the body to build muscle strength.

Shooting

Before we talk about what muscles you need to exercise for a better shot, we need to know where power comes from when you shoot.

These are the joints doing most of the work when you let a shot fly. So to increase how easy it is to shoot from long range and to get more arc on your shots, exercise muscles around the elbow, knee, and wrist.

TheraBand FlexBar Wrist Pronation

1. Grasp the end of a TheraBand FlexBar with one hand and lay the back of that palm flat on a table with your elbow resting on the table
2. Place your other hand on the elbow of the exercised hand for stability
3. Rotate your exercising hand inward, bringing your palm from a face-up to a face-down position
4. Once your palm is facing the table, hold for three seconds and then release

Thera-Band FlexBar Elbow Flexion

1. Place a FlexBar on the inside of your arm, above the elbow joint
2. Use the opposite hand to bring your forearm towards your bicep, flexing the elbow
• Tip: Change the mobilization of your elbow by changing the proximity of the Flexbar to your elbow joint

CLX Front Squat - Russian Squat

1. Place each foot through the loop of a TheraBand CLX Resistance Band
2. Put each of your arms through the loops of a CLX Band and cross them over your chest
3. With your feet shoulder-width apart, squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor
• Tip: Keep your back straight and your elbows bent at all times
4. Return to the standing position

Defense

Improving your defensive game through exercising is all about core and lower body strength. A good defender needs to be able to stop players from backing them down and successfully contest shots.

Thera-Band Trunk Extension

1. While sitting with your legs fully extended, wrap a TheraBand around the middles of your feet
2. Hold both ends of the TheraBand in your hands, keeping your hands near your chest
3. While keeping your back straight, lean backward, stretching the band
4. Slowly return to the starting position

CLX Shoulder Push Up

1. Get into a push-up position
2. Place one hand in the loop of a TheraBand CLX Resistance Band, wrap the band over your upper back, and place your other hand in a loop
3. Lower your torso by bending your elbows until your chest is an inch above the ground
• Tip: Keep your back straight for best results

Cardio

At the end of the day, if you can’t keep up late in the game, no amount of strength or defensive prowess is going to save you. Being well-conditioned is a key factor in playing elite defense from start to finish. Perform cardio exercises three to five days a week and push yourself hard, but never to the point of exhaustion. Focus on increasing your intensity, duration, or both in minor increments every time you exercise.

Getting stronger and quicker isn’t the only mark of a good ballplayer. Returning from setbacks is also important. For exercises that can help you rehab from injuries, read more about treating common basketball injuries.

References
University of Colorado Hospital. (2003, August). Training for Cardiovascular Fitness. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2L8hI47
Biomechanics of the Jump Shot . (2013, April 22). Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2GXAA2h
Mahon, M. (2015, February 5). 5 Exercises to Improve Power. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2ZMx0j5

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