Basketball is more than just shooting hoops. It’s a physically demanding sport that requires speed, endurance, and strength.
If you’ve just joined a basketball team for the first time, it can be extremely daunting to try to keep up with everyone else on the court.
To help ease your nerves, here are some tips on how to prepare for basketball season as a new player.
Nutrition
If you want to be your best and perform at your optimal level, you have to fuel your body with the right foods.
Basketball is a very physically demanding sport and therefore requires a higher amount of calories than the typical person.
If you’re having trouble eating enough food to meet your caloric needs, try eating more healthy snacks between meals or adding a power shake to your daily routine. A good vegan protein smoothie recipe can help you stay full without taking too much time out of your day.
Lay-Ups
A lay-up is one of the easiest and most common types of shots in basketball. You can use this simple shot in almost any situation, which is why it's a favorite among seasoned basketball players.
There are lots of different variations of the lay-up that you can find online. Once you’ve mastered the lay-up, you should find it easier to score quick points for your team.
Jumping Exercises
Jumping is an extremely important skill in basketball. Whether you’re playing on the court or outdoors, there will be times when you need to jump up and grab the ball.
If you can’t jump high enough to reach the ball, you’ll give the other team an easy win. This is why it helps to do jumping exercises whenever you can. Track how high you can get and try to go higher every day.
Full Body Strength Exercises
Once you're playing a full-court game, you'll have to run back and forth quite a lot. It’s important to make sure you’re prepared for the amount of energy you’ll need to exert, which is why full-body strength exercises are essential.
Some exercises you can do include burpees, mountain climbers, squat holds, push-ups, lunges, and planks. Make sure you do a few sets of each exercise and build up the amount you do over time.
Keep a good balance between cardio and resistance training.
Basketball Shifting Exercises
If you want to become an excellent basketball player, you need to become proficient at shifting your position on the court. Especially if you're a shooting guard or a small forward, you'll need to be able to pivot in different directions.
The easiest way to practice this is to stand in an open space and dribble a ball back and forth while shifting your position. Keep this up until you feel you’ve got the hang of it.
Self-Discipline
Basketball requires more than just skill and physical fitness: You need mental strength as well. Without discipline, you'll be less likely to do well throughout the season.
There are specific routines, such as the 75 Hard program, that you can use to improve your mind and body all at once. As long as you commit to what you're doing, you may see results by the time you're on the court.
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The way you train and prepare for basketball will greatly impact your results. If you go into training with a negative mindset, chances are you won’t get very far.
You need to be confident in your own abilities and know that you're capable of anything.
So grab a ball, put on your sneakers, and get ready to become the player you’ve always wanted to be.
