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Basketball Fitness with Doug Galligan
Monthly basketball-specific training tips
Article 3: Building a Twelve Month Strength Training Cycle
Until very recently (within the past twenty years or so) the concept of weight lifting to increase basketball performance was almost unheard of. Unfortunately, many of the old misconceptions about strength training that prevented basketball players and endurance athletes from including weight lifting in their conditioning programs continue to be deeply rooted within the basketball coaching culture. So, let’s begin by taking a look at a few of the most common myths about weight lifting and demonstrate why they are nothing more than urban legend.
1. Strength Training will make me big and bulky: There are millions of very skinny, “wanna be” bodybuilders who only wish that this were true. Most of these folks find out the hard way that genetics is the primary determinant of ones potential to gain muscle mass. Since most basketball players tend to be some what ectomorphic (long and lean), generally the amount of potential muscle size gain is fairly limited. Furthermore, it is very difficult to build muscle mass concurrently with high volumes of intense cardio training, which is exactly what is required to compete in basketball. Also, after undertaking a strength training program, most individuals will lose fat mass as well. This fat loss typically offsets much of the muscular weight that is gained, in terms of total poundage. In addition, even though it is likely that the weight trained athlete will gain a few pounds of muscular body weight, they will still end up with a much greater power to body-weight ratio than they had before strength training. In other words, it would be similar to taking a compact car with a small 4-cylinder engine and replacing its engine with a larger 8-cylinder engine. Even though the 8-cylinder engine would cause the car to be heavier, it would still be much quicker (0 – 60 mph) and faster (top speed) than the car with the 4-cylinder engine due to the increase in the power to weight ratio. Another factor that must be taken into consideration is thermodynamics. Essentially, your body requires a given amount of energy (calories) to maintain your biological functions and support physical activity. In the absence of additional calories from your diet or a decrease in the amount of physical activity it is not possible to gain additional, unwanted weight.
2. Basketball players who train with weights should use really light weight and high repetitions: This misconception most likely stems from the fact that sports that require a great deal of endurance usually focus their training on increasing VO2 max and lactate threshold. Although several studies have shown weight training to have a positive impact on these two measures, VO2 max and lactate threshold can be trained more effectively by running. Not to mention that basketball is not strictly an endurance sport. It certainly requires a greater degree of explosive power and speed than pure endurance to be an affective basketball player. Although strength training and endurance training shouldn’t be considered entirely exclusive, they are two distinct qualities that need to be trained separately from one another to achieve maximum benefit. Even though it is possible to derive some benefits from lightweight, high rep training you can be assured that you will achieve mediocre results, at best from this type of training, unless you are in a recovery / maintenance phase of your training. Strength and power are trained optimally by performing work that lasts no longer than about 90 seconds and ideally a set will last about 30 – 60 seconds. Fortunately, the value of training with high intensity isn’t just a theory. Higher intensity training has benefited athletes across the spectrum, from power-lifters to marathon runners. Unfortunately, many coaches outside of contact sports still have not embraced strength training. According to the great strength training pioneer, and father of periodized training, Dr. Tudor Bompa: “athlete’s who avoid strength training for fear that it will compromise their performance fail to realize that resistance training leads to physiological adaptations, both acute and long term that will improve performance.”
3. Strength Training Limits Flexibility: While performing strength training movements properly, through their full range of motion, they should actually increase flexibility. European research has shown that full range resistance exercise is one of the most effective methods for developing flexibility. Weightlifters who participated in the study proved to be second only to gymnasts in overall flexibility.
Why Strength Train?
Obviously, athletes and coaches generally make the decision to begin a strength training program in the hope that it will deliver improved performance in their given sport. But, increased performance is not an automatic outcome. Improved performance is a product of effective, efficient, logical program design. In other words, just because you take the time and effort to lift weights doesn’t necessarily mean that it will help you improve your basketball game. Your strength training routine must be built around the sport or activities that you are training for. Just as a bodybuilder must focus the majority of their training on muscular growth, a powerlifter needs to focus on absolute strength. Likewise, a basketball should focus on enhancing the skills that will improve their game on the court, such as explosive strength and quickness. In addition to these specific benefits, however, there are many other ancillary benefits that you will incur as a result of strength training.
Common Benefits
1. A key physiological benefit of strength training is the decreased frequency of injury. Weight training strengthens not only muscles, but the connective tissues as well. In addition it is common to experience increased bone density. These adaptations mean less injury and improved ability to recover from the injuries that do occur.
2. Improves running economy. A recent study in New England examined the effects of 10 weeks of weight lifting on a group of runners. At the end of the ten week period the average runner had realized a 4% increase in their running economy, which is essentially the measure of how much oxygen the body requires to move a runner at a given pace. To illustrate what that meant to the runners in the study, a 4% improvement in economy would translate to a decrease of about 1 1/2 minutes from a 41 minute 10k runner’s time!
Needless to say, improved running economy would definitely come in handy on the basketball court as well.
3. Improves stability. Weight training, especially core training can help athletes to run more efficiently by keeping the body in better alignment and improving posture. Ultimately, this can improve the mechanics of the running stride.
4. Improves explosive strength (speed, vertical jump).
5. Helps trainers to resist fatigue.
6. Improves your strength to body-weight ratio
7. Decreased stress levels
8. Reduces body fat percentage
9. Improved blood lipid profile.
10. Reduced risk for many diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis.
Building your Strength Program:
O.K., if you are still with me, hopefully I have convinced you that strength training may be worth investing some of your valuable time in. But, always keep in mind that strength training is not a catch all training method. It is simply another tool to put into your training tool box. Now, let’s take a look at the nuts and bolts of a periodized strength training program for a basketball player. We will divide the program into five separate stages: (1) Introduction / Physical Adaptation, (2) Preseason / Strength Building, (3) In Season / Maintenance, (4) Post Season / Recovery. Dividing the program into these separate phases will allow you to properly prioritize your training around your competitive season. Ideally, you will focus on building your strength in the pre-season (unless you are new to strength training). Once basketball season begins your strength training will move to a maintenance phase which will allow you to focus more of your time and energy toward more basketball specific skills. After the season has ended it is time to take seven – ten days off from training, followed by a few weeks of light training. This will allow for sufficient time to recuperate from the season and to refocus your goals for the next season. Below is a map for your strength training year. Keep in mind that this isn’t etched in stone, it is just a guideline.
Essential Program Fundamentals
1. There is not a Holy Grail system. The perfect system does not exist. As with most things in life there always seems to be trade offs and compromises that must be made.
2. Use good form & controlled movements. Uncontrolled, fast, jerky motions reinforce poor movement patterns and increase your risk of injury. Always focus on maintaining excellent form. Never increase poundage at the expense of form and control.
3. Put strength training in its proper place. As a competitive athlete it is essential that you devote the minimum time needed to accomplish your strength training goals. After all, the object is to become better at your sport of choice. Unless your chosen sport is Olympic lifting, Powerlifting, or Bodybuilding, long hours of weight training take away from the precious time needed to develop more sport specific skills.
4. More is not better. Again there is a given amount of strength work that will help you to optimize your game. Going above and beyond amount not only takes away time that you could be working on other skills, it challenges your bodies ability to recover from training, which can lead to over-training, slower progress, or possibly injury.
5. Select exercises that give you the most bang for your buck. As an athlete it just doesn’t make much sense to spend your time training a bunch of single joint movements like the arm curl, hip abduction, forearm curls, or tricep kickbacks. Compound movements such as the deadlift, power clean, clean and press, lunge, shoulder press, and pull-p are much more “economical” choices when training for sports performance.
6. Include core training in two weekly strength sessions.
One Year Strength Training Program Guidelines
Phase 1 – Introduction: Adaptation
-Duration: 4 weeks
-# Of movements: 6 – 10
-# Of sets each: 1
-Repetition Range: ~ 15
-Sessions per week: 2 – 3
Sample Phase 1 Routine
-Leg Press 1 set of 12 - 15 reps
-Calf Press 1 set of 12 - 15 reps
-Chest Press 1 set of 12 - 15 reps
-Cable Row 1 set of 12 - 15 reps
-Shoulder Press 1 set of 12 - 15
-Lat Pull-downs 1 set of 12 - 15 reps
-Back Extensions 1 set of 12 - 15 reps
-Crunch 1 set of 15 reps
Phase 2 – Preseason: Strength
-Duration: Approximately 4 - 6 weeks
-# Of movements 6 – 10
-# Of sets per movement: 2 – 3
-Repetition Range: 3 – 7
-Sessions per week: 3 – 4
Phase 3 - In season: Maintenance
-# Of movements: 6 – 10
-# Of sets each: 1 – 2
-Repetition Range: 12 - 15
-Sessions per week: 2 – 3
Phase 4 – Post Season: Recovery & Maintenance
1 – 2 weeks of rest at the end of the competitive season followed by:
-Duration: Approximately 4 weeks
-# Of movements: 6 – 12
-# Of sets per movement: 2 – 3
-Repetition Range: 10 – 12
-Sessions per week: 3 – 4
Phase 5 - Mixed or Hybrid Training
-Duration: Approximately 4 weeks
-# Of movements 6 – 12
-# Of sets per movements: 1 – 3
-Repetition Range: 5 – 15
-Sessions per week: 3 - 4
Due to the fact that everyone has unique situations such as time and equipment available, previous injuries, health history, etc. I decided against giving specific recommendations for the program. Given the wide array of situations that coaches find themselves working with, I think that they should ultimately make the decisions regarding the details of the strength program. However, if you are interested more detailed information in terms of exercise selection, order of exercise, rest between sets, tempo of movements, etc., feel free to contact me at: d.galligan@insightbb.com.
I hope that this article will provide you with a simple blueprint for beginning the development of your strength training program and encourage you to continue expanding your knowledge of sports specific training methods.
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