How to gain muscle for basketball

USA Basketball - Healthy Weight Gain Tips for Basketball Players

It's a weight-loss world. People of all ages are constantly trying to shed pounds, to tighten their frames and to make the scale spit out a smaller number. It's a billion-dollar industry.

So it's a bit awkward that so many young basketball players actually need to gain weight.

If you're a teenage basketball player who's too skinny, you're hardly alone. Teenagers--both boys and girls--often feel like they're too underweight to play basketball to their highest ability. That's especially true for those who are tall and are forced to play physically in the paint.

"With adolescents, there's so much energy expended in growing taller, there's not a lot left over to grow out," said Becci Twombley. "That's a big issue."

Twombley is the nutritionist for the UCLA athletic department, and it's her job to make sure the Bruins' athletes are doing everything they can to add good weight to their often lanky frames.

From the time they enter high school until they're around 21 years old, some basketball players can eat whatever they want, as much as they want, and not gain a pound. While it's an uphill battle for a body that's still finishing its final growth spurt, there are things you can do to try to pack good weight onto your frame.

Eating Habits

First thing's first: eat a good breakfast. Before diving into a diet reconstruction, Twombley insists that without starting the day with breakfast, you don't stand a chance of putting on good weight.

"A lot of people get up and leave the house without breakfast," Twombley said. "Make sure you eat a big breakfast, not just a banana on the way out. Have oatmeal with sliced bananas, maybe some walnuts, a yogurt, a piece of fruit."

From there, set up your eating schedule so that you're consuming calories every three hours, instead of just three meals a day. Breaking up your eating into six meals gives you the opportunity to eat more calories. And calories are the key to any good weight gain.

"Don't eat so much at one sitting that you're not going to be hungry in three hours, because if you're overeating at one meal, you're going to be able to go six hours without eating," Twombley said. "The reality is, you can fit more calories in if you're eating every 3-4 hours during the day."

Twombley also insists that eating good food is as important as eating often. She stresses the need for young players to add in high-calorie food that's healthy. This includes:

• Trail mix, which is a great grab-and-go snack with a lot of varieties available.
• Granola
• Cereals like Raisin Bran
• Dried fruit
• Avocados are a great food for those looking to gain good weight, due to its "good fat" content as well as Omega 3s. Avocadoes can be added to sandwiches, burritos, salads and other normal meals.

"A lot of my guys like to eat junk food," Twombley said. "They like to eat Doritos or chicken wings or chicken fingers with ranch dressing. Even though those are calories, they aren't functional calories so they don't actually do anything for them. If they eat them, they'll burn off really quickly because they have these great metabolisms and they're working so hard. But they're not getting the results they want to get."

So how many calories does an underweight player need? It depends on several factors, including age, maturity level and existing muscle mass. At UCLA, Twombley notices that most of the men's basketball players in need of weight gain can eat between 4,000 and 5,000 calories a day.

Female basketball players looking to add weight don't need as many calories as the guys because of less muscle mass. But at UCLA, they can still average between 3,000 and 4,000 calories a day.

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Strength Training

While proper nutrition is key, it's also important to build muscle mass through strength training.

Alan Stein, the strength coach at basketball power DeMatha, says that the main component to weight gain is nutrition. He also said that from a strength training standpoint, he doesn't do anything special for players who specifically need to gain weight because "95 percent of all high school basketball players need to gain muscle mass and get stronger."

He does offer these three tips for players wanting to build muscle mass:

• Lift like a bird, look like a bird. You need to progressively add resistance in order to get stronger and gain muscle weight. Don't be afraid to push weight! You should aim for a weight that is challenging to get 10-12 reps. Those last few reps should be really difficult. If you are still lifting the same weight 60 days later, you haven't gotten any stronger.
• Get more bang for your buck. Don't bother with lateral raises and curls. Perform multi-joint exercises that work several muscle groups at once. Chest presses, shoulder presses, pull-ups, and rows for your upper body; and squats, deadlifts, lunges and step-ups for your lower body.
• You are not an Olympic lifter or bodybuilder, so don't train like one. Strength training for basketball is a means to an end, not an end itself. You need to train for the demands of the game, not for show and not for skill. Doing three sets of concentration curls will do nothing to help you on the court. Your body functions as a unit on the court, so it should do the same in the weight room.

What You Can Expect

So you've got a plan in place, either through research or hiring a dietician or following some new guidelines.

When will you start seeing results?

Twombley breaks it down in three different groups, though it varies often by body types, and maturity levels:

• For males under the age of 18, a gain of ½ pound a week is ambitious and may be a challenge.
• For males over the age of 18 who have reached their peak height, you can gain a pound a week or more until you're around 20 years old.
• For females, it's hard to gain much more than ½ pound or a pound a week.

It's important to realize, though, that there's no magic formula. Sometimes, your body won't respond like you want it to. At least not yet.

"Sometimes we'll get guys that come in at 18 or 19 that are still thin, but by 20 are filled out," Twombley said. "They're training just as hard, they're eating just as well. It's just that their bodies are now catching up."

Through the right nutritional habits coupled with strength training, you can maximize your potential to gain good weight. Beyond that, though, it's up to your body to respond favorably to your changes.

How to Build a Basketball Body

In today’s game of basketball, the level of athleticism is unmatched in history. Yes, many player are naturally gifted, but if you want to be elite, you must commit to your own basketball training program. You will be a step behind your competition, literally and figuratively, if you aren’t actively trying to improve your strength, quickness and vertical jump.

As a former collegiate and professional basketball player, I have seen my fair share of basketball workouts, some better than others. My goal is to help you develop a program that will not only help you match your competition, but get a step ahead.

As a basketball player, you want a workout that is specifically designed for your sport. Compare an NBA player’s body to an NFL player’s body. You will see a big difference. That’s because they train differently and have different goals. You don’t want a bodybuilder workout in which you are trying to deadlift 500 pounds. Your basketball workout plan should build the fast-twitch muscles you need to jump and sprint.

Below is a sample basketball workout plan. Adjust the sets and reps up or down for age or skill level differences.

• Bench Press – 3×10
• Incline Dumbbell Press – 2×10
• Tricep Dips – 2×12
• Tricep Pushdowns – 2×10
• Burpee Push-Ups – 2×10

• Squats – 3×12,10,8
• Dumbbell Lunge – 3×2
• Bounding – 3×10
• Depth Jumps – 2×12
• Jump Rope – 5×30-45 seconds
• Plank – 2×60 seconds
• Crunches – 2×30

• Pull-Ups – 3×8
• Dumbbell Shoulder Press – 3×12
• Cable Seated Row – 3×10
• Dumbbell Front Shoulder Raise – 2×10
• Dumbbell Lateral Shoulder Raise – 2×10
• Bicep Curls – 3×10
• Hammer Curls – 3×10

• Knee Tucks – 2×20
• Lunge Jumps – 3×12
• Box Jumps – 3×8
• Band Resisted Backboard Touches – 3×10
• Speed Dribble with Harness – 3×15 seconds
• Band Resisted Lay-Ups – 3×8

Perform each exercise as explosively as possible. Practice good form and always lift with a spotter.

READ MORE: 

• A Basketball Off-Season Workout Plan for Adding Size and Strength
• How to Dunk a Basketball (Including a Training Plan to Help You Jump Higher)
• The Best Conditioning Drills for Basketball Players
• Here’s How to Warm Up for a Basketball Workout

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In today’s game of basketball, the level of athleticism is unmatched in history. Yes, many player are naturally gifted, but if you want to be elite, you must commit to your own basketball training program. You will be a step behind your competition, literally and figuratively, if you aren’t actively trying to improve your strength, quickness and vertical jump.

As a former collegiate and professional basketball player, I have seen my fair share of basketball workouts, some better than others. My goal is to help you develop a program that will not only help you match your competition, but get a step ahead.

As a basketball player, you want a workout that is specifically designed for your sport. Compare an NBA player’s body to an NFL player’s body. You will see a big difference. That’s because they train differently and have different goals. You don’t want a bodybuilder workout in which you are trying to deadlift 500 pounds. Your basketball workout plan should build the fast-twitch muscles you need to jump and sprint.

Below is a sample basketball workout plan. Adjust the sets and reps up or down for age or skill level differences.

• Bench Press – 3×10
• Incline Dumbbell Press – 2×10
• Tricep Dips – 2×12
• Tricep Pushdowns – 2×10
• Burpee Push-Ups – 2×10

• Squats – 3×12,10,8
• Dumbbell Lunge – 3×2
• Bounding – 3×10
• Depth Jumps – 2×12
• Jump Rope – 5×30-45 seconds
• Plank – 2×60 seconds
• Crunches – 2×30

• Pull-Ups – 3×8
• Dumbbell Shoulder Press – 3×12
• Cable Seated Row – 3×10
• Dumbbell Front Shoulder Raise – 2×10
• Dumbbell Lateral Shoulder Raise – 2×10
• Bicep Curls – 3×10
• Hammer Curls – 3×10

• Knee Tucks – 2×20
• Lunge Jumps – 3×12
• Box Jumps – 3×8
• Band Resisted Backboard Touches – 3×10
• Speed Dribble with Harness – 3×15 seconds
• Band Resisted Lay-Ups – 3×8

Perform each exercise as explosively as possible. Practice good form and always lift with a spotter.

READ MORE: 

• A Basketball Off-Season Workout Plan for Adding Size and Strength
• How to Dunk a Basketball (Including a Training Plan to Help You Jump Higher)
• The Best Conditioning Drills for Basketball Players
• Here’s How to Warm Up for a Basketball Workout

Share This Story!

Muscle Building Tips

Being small, tall, calories burn in your body at lightning speed, everything you eat is processed at a high speed, which does not allow you to gain muscle mass - do you know these problems?

Asthenics should not worry! You're not sick, you're just one of those people who has a hard time gaining weight. It's not easy, but it's possible. Each portion of energy received from food should help the active growth of muscle mass. You are required to harmoniously distribute the time of training and diet. Nutrition should be balanced, and training should be competent, then the ultimate goal - gaining muscle mass - is quite achievable. Stick to these simple guidelines, and your goal will not become a mirage, both in your own eyes and in the eyes of others.

How quickly muscle mass is gained if you are asthenic

Decide what goal you pursue when going to the gym or fitness center? Of course, anyone has a desire to build muscle mass and get a beautiful relief! Skinny guys under 50 kg tend to gain sixty kg, those who weigh up to 60 kg want to reach the 85 kg weight category, etc. But how to achieve this?

Nutrition for Mass Gain

Until you feel like you've had a “full” meal, you won't be able to consume the required amount of healthy food in the required amount. You can not eat only low-calorie vegetables rich in fiber, choose foods high in calories. Most bodybuilders recommend consuming 40 kilocalories per kilogram of weight to develop muscle strength. You should stick to a diet in which the protein will be slightly above the norm, since the goal is precisely to build muscle mass, and not maintain it: building material will be required for new muscles.

It is wrong to follow a mono-diet, for example, to eat only vegetables with oatmeal, egg white with fruit. Such a diet is not suitable for gaining muscle, on the contrary, it can lead to a deficiency of vitamins, micro- and macroelements, which will slow down muscle growth. You should opt for more high-calorie dishes: mashed vegetables, legumes, meat, whole eggs and dried fruits.

Important! Eat more high-calorie foods that will help you quickly restore and increase calories burned . The diet should include a full intake of a variety of foods. Read more in the article "How to eat during training."

Let's take a closer look at calories. To gain muscle mass, it is recommended to start with 30 kilocalories per kilogram of your body weight for a week, and then gradually increase. For example, a man weighing 100 kg first needs to absorb 3,000 calories per day, and after two or three weeks, increase the rate, and, as soon as possible, switch to a norm of 40 Kcal per kilogram of weight. The key is to gradually increase your calorie intake.

Remember that this diet should avoid foods with " empty calories " , simple carbohydrates (sugar, baked goods) and excess fat (fatty fish with omega acids - good, deep fried, bread with a thick layer of butter is bad).

It is also necessary to increase the intensity and duration of training along with an increase in the calorie content of the diet , otherwise the mass can be increased only due to body fat.

Important! The correct proportions of Proteins / Fats / Carbohydrates in the daily diet for those who keep a stable weight (when losing weight and gaining weight, the proportion of proteins can be slightly increased): when you put them to work: doing strength training, lifting weights to maximize the tension of your muscles . Pull-ups, deadlifts, weighted squats, and bench presses are best for stimulating multiple muscle groups at the same time.