Build Your Women's Basketball Training Program
Basketball season may be months away, but many players have begun working on their shooting and dribbling skills. Although these are both great areas to work on, the fall season is an excellent time to increase your overall athleticism. Developing your leg and core strength now will benefit your performance on the court when boxing out on rebounds, jumping to block shots and maintaining body control to get critical “and one” calls.
An effective women’s basketball training program involves different moves you can mix and match. Changing your routine regularly helps you to stay fresh for months. Make next season count by getting stronger, more powerful and more explosive this off-season.
Here is a custom-designed women’s basketball training program for élite high school and college athletes. This simple two-day program can lead to incredible gains in lower body strength and explosion.
Day One
Heavy Lower-Body moves (3 sets of 3 to 5 reps)
Perform Deadlifts, Squats, Leg Presses and Box Squats with heavy weight for low reps, and take relatively long rest periods (three minutes). The goal is to increase strength.
Single-Leg moves (3 sets of 10 reps, each leg)
Single-leg training is important because basketball players rarely push off both legs together. These moves also improve core strength, stability and balance. Good single-leg exercises include Lunges, Bulgarian Split Squats, Step-Ups, Single-Leg Squats and Reverse Lunges.
Posterior Chain moves (3 sets of 10 reps)
The posterior chain includes the muscles of the lower back, glutes, hamstrings and calves. Basketball players need to train these areas for enhanced leg explosion and lower body health. Recommended posterior chain exercises are Glute Bridges, Dumbbell Swings, Physioball Leg Curls and Reverse Hyperextensions.
Lower Ab Contraction moves (3 sets of 15-20 reps)
When jumping, it’s important to be able to pull the knees up using the hips and lower abs. To build strength here, lower ab contraction exercises are very effective. Knee Raises, Pikes, Leg Raises, Mountain Climbers and Weighted Leg Raises are all good choices.
Day Two
Explosive Lower-Body moves (5 sets of 1 to 3 reps)
Training your lower body for explosion enhances your ability to move quickly, sprint, jump and make sudden cuts. These moves are performed at high speed, so use lighter weight and maintain clean and correct form. Good exercises here are Box Jumps, Power Cleans, Hang Cleans, Speed Squats and Speed Deadlifts.
Single-Leg moves (3 sets of 10, each leg)
Choose one of the exercises from the Day One program (not the same one from the previous day).
Posterior Chain moves (3 sets of 10 reps)
Choose one of the exercises from the Day One program (not the same one from the previous day).
Stability moves
One of the most useful attributes for all athletes is core stability. Planks have lots of unique and challenging variations. Hold your Plank as long as possible for three sets before moving on to more advanced stability moves
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Build Your Women's Basketball Training Program
Basketball season may be months away, but many players have begun working on their shooting and dribbling skills. Although these are both great areas to work on, the fall season is an excellent time to increase your overall athleticism. Developing your leg and core strength now will benefit your performance on the court when boxing out on rebounds, jumping to block shots and maintaining body control to get critical “and one” calls.
An effective women’s basketball training program involves different moves you can mix and match. Changing your routine regularly helps you to stay fresh for months. Make next season count by getting stronger, more powerful and more explosive this off-season.
Here is a custom-designed women’s basketball training program for élite high school and college athletes. This simple two-day program can lead to incredible gains in lower body strength and explosion.
Day One
Heavy Lower-Body moves (3 sets of 3 to 5 reps)
Perform Deadlifts, Squats, Leg Presses and Box Squats with heavy weight for low reps, and take relatively long rest periods (three minutes). The goal is to increase strength.
Single-Leg moves (3 sets of 10 reps, each leg)
Single-leg training is important because basketball players rarely push off both legs together. These moves also improve core strength, stability and balance. Good single-leg exercises include Lunges, Bulgarian Split Squats, Step-Ups, Single-Leg Squats and Reverse Lunges.
Posterior Chain moves (3 sets of 10 reps)
The posterior chain includes the muscles of the lower back, glutes, hamstrings and calves. Basketball players need to train these areas for enhanced leg explosion and lower body health. Recommended posterior chain exercises are Glute Bridges, Dumbbell Swings, Physioball Leg Curls and Reverse Hyperextensions.
Lower Ab Contraction moves (3 sets of 15-20 reps)
When jumping, it’s important to be able to pull the knees up using the hips and lower abs. To build strength here, lower ab contraction exercises are very effective. Knee Raises, Pikes, Leg Raises, Mountain Climbers and Weighted Leg Raises are all good choices.
Day Two
Explosive Lower-Body moves (5 sets of 1 to 3 reps)
Training your lower body for explosion enhances your ability to move quickly, sprint, jump and make sudden cuts. These moves are performed at high speed, so use lighter weight and maintain clean and correct form. Good exercises here are Box Jumps, Power Cleans, Hang Cleans, Speed Squats and Speed Deadlifts.
Single-Leg moves (3 sets of 10, each leg)
Choose one of the exercises from the Day One program (not the same one from the previous day).
Posterior Chain moves (3 sets of 10 reps)
Choose one of the exercises from the Day One program (not the same one from the previous day).
Stability moves
One of the most useful attributes for all athletes is core stability. Planks have lots of unique and challenging variations. Hold your Plank as long as possible for three sets before moving on to more advanced stability moves