Serving as a basketball strength and conditioning coach has afforded me the opportunity to observe many basketball weightlifting programs, many of which lack creativity. Many basketball players think talent alone is the key—and they avoid getting in the trenches to get better. It is still not understood why some basketball athletes don’t train hard. Maybe this video will help you see my point.

Ask yourself: how do you measure progress within your program, especially when your normal routine is not working—when the exercises you have researched and copied have run out, when the old school strength and conditioning books don’t work any more, or when you’re tired of being dominated on the court?

I view the absence of progress in basketball weightlifting programs from two perspectives: the trainer and the trainee. It’s almost like writer’s block. When there is no more information to convey, it can either produce the illusion of effectiveness or discouragement leading to frustration and staleness within the program.

If you’re willing to step outside your comfort zone, you’ll quickly discover many new exercises to take your training to the next level. Check out the video from the Washington Bible College basketball team at the top of this article to see what I’m talking about.

This article and video are based on my experience as a high school basketball coach, college strength coach and strength and conditioning consultant to various basketball camps.

You can check out STACK’s Basketball Guide for your daily dose of basketball exercises and drills to keep your training moving forward.