Basketball is a physically demanding game and requires you to have tremendous cardiovascular endurance. Strength and stability are important to maintaining control over your movements.
Similar to the reason balance is important in basketball, stability and strength allow you to not just master certain shots, but make the right moves during crucial plays. You need to have control of your body and ensure it can withstand the rigors of the game.
Improving stability and endurance:
Doing stability exercises is a great way to get started with your warm-up during workouts. The single-leg stance is one method of ensuring your hip, ankle and knee stability are the strongest.
Here’s how it works:
- Stand on one leg
- Hold a medium-sized medicine ball close to your chest
- Bend forward at the hips region, and bring the unsupported leg back. Also, extend your arms right in front of you at the same time you’re holding the medicine ball
- Reverse the movement and ensure you come back to a standing position
- Complete around 10-12 repetitions at 2-3 per side
- Make sure you also engage the upper back and press the shoulder blades down and the back through the exercise.
Always ensure you have the proper form when it comes to basketball training. Your endurance levels are a big factor that will allow you to push that little bit extra during a game, so you must make sure you’re at peak performance.