After receiving honorable mention as a 2012 NCAA All American, Cal-Poly forward Kristina Santiago is preparing to embark on her professional career. As a small forward, Santiago has to be a well-rounded athlete who’s strong enough to post up bigger players and quick enough to drive to the hoop.
During the summer, Santiago participated in a training program designed to improve both of these skill attributes. It combined weight lifting, speed training, circuit training, plyometrics and Baptiste yoga. The overall goals of the program were to:

• Increase strength and power
• Improve acceleration, quickness and foot speed
• Build endurance
• Improve body composition
• Increase flexibility and range of motion

Below is a sample three-day weight training program similar to Santiago’s off-season regimen. Fill the off-days with on-court drills, pick-up games and yoga.

Day 1

• Squats – 1×8, 2×6, 3×4
• Pull-Ups – 4×8
• DB Reverse Lunges – 3×16
• 
Alternating Med Ball Push-Ups – 3×16
• RDL – 3×10
• Lateral Raises – 4×10
• Core exercise of your choice

Day 2

• Hang Cleans – 3×5
• Step-Ups – 3×16
• Box Jumps – 1×10
• DB Bench Press – 5×5
• Lateral Lunge – 3×16
• Single-Arm DB Row – 4×8 each arm
• Glute Ham Raise – 4×6
• DB Shrugs – 3×8 with two-second hold
• Core exercise of choice

Day 3

• Push Press – 4×6
• DB Walking Lunges – 3×16
 (see DB Reverse Lunges, above)
• Dips – 3×8-10
• Good Mornings – 4×8
• Bent-Over Reverse Fly – 3×10
• Skater Jumps – 4×16
• Core exercise of choice

Below is a video showing many of these exercises in action, together with other drills that our women’s basketball players regularly perform.[youtube video=”HspJurdQmxM” /] If you’d like to exchange ideas or view photos, videos and posts on this subject and more, please follow TopSpeed Sports Performance on Twitter and Facebook.