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How to stretch for basketball
Stretching Tips: Keys to a Proper Warm Up
We all know stretching is important, but do you know the proper way to stretch and warm-up before hitting the court?
The idea of stretching may not be top of mind for most youth athletes. However, stretching and properly warming up is extremely important to avoid injury and help you perform at your best.
For basketball players, especially, a combination of both dynamic and static stretches is highly recommended. Do you know the difference?
Dynamic stretches are controlled movements that prepare your body mentally and physically for performance while increasing blood flow and oxygen to your body. Static stretches are those in which you hold a single position without movement for a period of time, typically 20-30 seconds.
While both are important, they should be used in combination at different times. Dynamic stretches should be used as part of your warm-up routine before you start playing while static stretches are most effective after workouts as part of your cool-down routine.
Our union members take the time to warm up properly, and we think you should too!
Check out our NBPA Stretching Tips led by NBPA Sports Medicine Director, Dan O’Brien.
This form of stretching helps with an increased range of motion, speed, and agility. Dynamic warm-up exercises get your body prepared for basketball by performing movements that will enhance better body awareness. Remember - these should be performed right before you hit the court!
Perform each exercise for :30 seconds
Hamstring Scoops
Start with hands and palms up. Point toes up with heels planted in the ground, reach down and up making a scooping motion with each step. Make sure to keep your back flat. This exercise helps stretch your hamstrings and calves.
Knee Hugs
Pull up from the knee and ankle, hugging the knee and coming up on your toes. Alternate each leg. This exercise stretches your glutes and helps activate the calves when coming up on your toes.
Quad Pull
Pull your leg up behind you (same hand, same leg) reaching up with the opposite hand and holding for 1-2 seconds. Take a step and switch legs. This exercise stretches the quads.
Straight Leg Kick
Hold hands out in front and kick one leg up in the air. Repeat alternating legs with each step. This exercise stretches the hamstrings and calves while also activating the hip flexors.
Forward Lunge With Rotation
Extend arms out in front, lunge forward and twist to side with knee up. This exercise stretches and activates the hip flexors while also helping with knee stability and improving knee pain.
Side Lunge
Lift knee up, lunge to the side, come back to center. Repeat. Keep chest up, back flat. This exercise helps activate the glutes and increase knee stability while also stretching the groin and abductors.
Walking RDL
RDL is short for Romanian Deadlift. Reach forward with both arms, extending 1 leg out behind and keeping back straight. Take a few steps forward and repeat. This exercise helps with hamstring strength and flexibility as well as glute strength and activation.
Side Shuffle
Perform running motion laterally while raising your opposite hand with your opposite knee. This exercise helps you move laterally while getting the hip flexors warmed up and increasing “proprioception” or awareness of the position and movement of the body.
Lateral Bounds
Stand on your right foot with your knee up. Using only the right leg, jump to the left side landing on the left foot. This will help with glute activation and ankle & knee stability.
Static stretching can be done by moving a muscle to the end of its range of motion and holding for a specific period of time - typically 20-30 seconds. This is an effective way to increase flexibility. Remember - these should only be done after a workout during the cool-down phase because static stretching may limit your body’s ability to react quickly.
Perform each exercise for :30 seconds
LOWER BODY:
Standing Hamstring Stretch
Bend forward, hinging at the hips, letting arms hang in front towards your toes. This exercise will stretch your hamstrings.
Standing Quad Stretch
While standing, bend your knee back by grasping your ankle with one hand. This exercise will stretch your quads
Butterfly
Bring your feet together and let your knees fall to the floor. This exercise will stretch your groin.
Calf Stretch
Start in a pushup position, drop your heel to floors. This exercise will stretch your calves.
UPPER BODY:
Cross Arm Stretch
Reach one arm across the other and hold
Low Back Stretch
Put right leg behind left, reach across and up with right hand and hold.
Forward Step & Reach
Starting in push up position, bring right foot up to right hand, lift right hand and look up
To learn more about how to properly prepare your body and your mind for basketball, download the Famer App and join the NBPA Training Ground!
Stretches for Basketball | The Best Basketball Stretches
by Brad Walker | First Published October 31, 2010 | Updated April 12, 2019
An appropriate mix of skill, stamina and strength is essential for the game of basketball. If you desire to be in perfect shape to play basketball then regular basketball stretches will help. Basketball training helps take your game to the next level.
Muscles used in Basketball
All the muscles in the body play an important role in a game of basketball. Running, jumping and pivoting involve muscles throughout the trunk, legs and feet. The quadriceps and hamstring muscles play a crucial role in these activities, as well as the abdominals, calf and gluteus muscles.
Passing, throwing and shooting in basketball involves the upper body muscles, such as the rotator cuff muscles, coracobrachialis, latissimus dorsi, biceps brachii, brachioradialis and triceps brachii.
Most Common Basketball Injuries
Like many athletic injuries, those occurring in basketball may be classified as chronic (overuse) injuries or acute (traumatic) injuries. Chronic injuries occur when a particular area is put under continual stress and becomes fatigued and damaged in the process, causing pain, loss of movement, and in many cases, swelling. Common chronic injuries in basketball include:
- Rotator cuff tendinitis;
- Patellar tendinitis, also known as jumper’s knee; and
- Achilles tendinitis.
Acute injuries, unlike chronic or overuse injuries, result from a sudden forceful event. Some of the most common acute injuries in basketball include:
- Muscle strains or tears
- Jammed fingers;
- Groin strain;
- Knee injuries, including anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) sprain and meniscus tear; and
- Ankle sprains.
Injury Prevention Strategies
Conditioning and technique training are all essential in basketball, and may help to avoid some of the more common injuries, particularly those due to overuse, as well as common muscle and tendon strains and tears. The following are also useful in helping to prevent basketball injuries.
- Warm-up properly prior to training and especially competition.
- Allow time for a complete cool-down period after training and competition.
- Strength training and improved cardiovascular fitness will help to build resistance to injury.
- Good flexibility training will reduce injuries from tight and inflexible muscles.
- Practicing balance, agility and proprioception drills to improve knee and ankle stability.
- Be aware of the position of other players on the court, to avoid collisions.
- Proper, snug-fitting and supportive footwear can help avoid injuries.
- Use of ankle supports (braces, taping, strapping, etc.) can reduce the incidence of ankle sprains.
- A mouth guard helps protect the teeth and mouth.
- Safety glasses should be used by those wearing eyeglasses.
- Basketball courts, whether indoors or out must be free of obstructions and debris.
The 3 Best Basketball Stretches
Stretching is one of the most under-utilized techniques for improving athletic performance, preventing sports injury and properly rehabilitating sprain and strain injury. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that something as simple as stretching won’t be effective.
Below are 3 of the best stretches for basketball; obviously there are a lot more, but these are a great place to start. Please make special note of the instructions with each stretch, and if you currently have any chronic or recurring muscle or joint pain please take extra care when performing the stretches below, or consult with your physician or physical therapist before performing any of the following stretches.
Instructions: Slowly move into the stretch position until you feel a tension of about 7 out of 10. If you feel pain or discomfort you’ve pushed the stretch too far; back out of the stretch immediately. Hold the stretch position for 20 to 30 seconds while relaxing and breathing deeply. Come out of the stretch carefully and perform the stretch on the opposite side if necessary. Repeat 2 or 3 times.
Rotating Stomach and Side Stretch: Lie face down and bring your hands close to your shoulders. Keep your hips on the ground, look forward and rise up by straightening your arms. The slowly bend one arm and rotate that shoulder towards the ground.
Squatting Leg-out Groin and Adductor Stretch: Stand with your feet wide apart. Keep one leg straight and your toes pointing forward while bending the other leg and turning your toes out to the side. Lower your groin towards the ground and rest your hands on your bent knee or the ground.
Single Heel-drop Calf and Achilles Stretch: Stand on a raised object or step and place the ball of one foot on the edge of the step. Bend your knee slightly and let your heel drop towards the ground.
Watch the Basketball Stretches video
Click on the play button below if you prefer to follow along to a 10 minute video of the best stretches for basketball.
These basketball stretches are best done after your basketball training, as part of your cool down. They can also be done as a stand-alone stretching session to improve your basketball flexibility, but make sure you’re fully warmed up before starting the stretches.
Want more Basketball Stretches?
While the recommendations on this page are a good place to start, you'll get a lot more benefit when you add the right stretches to your training program. With the Ultimate Guide to Stretching & Flexibility you'll...
- Do away with stiff, tight muscles and joints;
- Improve your freedom of movement;
- Get rid of injuries, aches and pains;
- Improve your sporting performance; and
- Take your flexibility to the next level.
You'll get 135 clear photographs and 44 video demonstrations of unique stretches for every major muscle groups in your body. The DVD includes 3 customized sets of stretches (8 minutes each) for the Upper Body; the Lower Body; and the Neck, Back & Core. Plus, you'll also learn the 7 critical rules for safe stretching; the benefits of flexibility; and how to stretch properly.
Click here to improve your flexibility!
Research and References
- Walker, B. (2011). The Anatomy of Stretching, 2nd Edition (ISBN: 978-1583943717)
- Wikipedia contributors. (2019, April 24). Basketball, In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
- Emery, C. Rose, M. McAllister, J. Meeuwisse, W. (2007). A prevention strategy to reduce the incidence of injury in high school basketball: a cluster randomized controlled trial. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 17(1), 17-24.
- Lim, B. Lee, Y. Kim, J. An, K. Yoo, J. Kwon, Y. (2009). Effects of sports injury prevention training on the biomechanical risk factors of anterior cruciate ligament injury in high school female basketball players. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 37(9), 1728-1734.
- McGuine, T. Brooks, A. Hetzel, S. (2011). The effect of lace-up ankle braces on injury rates in high school basketball players. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 39(9), 1840-1848.
- Woolstenhulme, M. Griffiths, C. Woolstenhulme, E. Parcell, A. (2006). Ballistic stretching increases flexibility and acute vertical jump height when combined with basketball activity. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 20(4), 799-803.
- Kokkonen, J. Nelson, A. Eldredge, C. Winchester, J. (2007) Chronic Static Stretching Improves Exercise Performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 39(10), 1825-1831.
- Shellock, F, Prentice, W. (1985) Warming-up and stretching for improved physical performance and prevention of sports-related injuries. Sports Medicine, 2(4):267-78.
- Fradkin, A. Zazryn, T. Smoliga, J. (2010) Effects of warming-up on physical performance: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(1):140-8.
About the Author: Brad Walker is often referred to as the "Stretch Coach" and has even been called the Stretching Guru. Magazines such as Runners World, Bicycling, Triathlete, Swimming & Fitness, and Triathlon Sports have all featured his work. Amazon (author page) has listed his books on five Best-Seller lists. Google cites over 100,000 references to him and his work on the internet. And satisfied customers from 122 countries have sent 1,000's of verified customer reviews. If you want to know about stretching, flexibility or sports injury management, Brad Walker is the go-to-guy.
Disclaimer: The health and fitness information presented on this website is intended as an educational resource and is not intended as a substitute for proper medical advice. Please consult your physician or physical therapist before performing any of the exercises described on this website, particularly if you are pregnant, elderly or have any chronic or recurring muscle or joint pain.
Basketball, stretching exercises
Basketball is a sports team game with a ball. Basketball is played by two teams, each of which consists of five field players (each team has a total of 12 people, substitutions are not limited). The goal of each team is to throw the ball into the opponent's ring with their hands and prevent the other team from taking possession of the ball and throwing it into their own basket .
Stretching exercises "before" classes
Exercise 1: Shrug
Raise your shoulders towards your ears until you feel a slight tension in your neck and shoulders. Hold 5 seconds. Then relax your shoulders and lower them down. Say to yourself: "Shoulders up, shoulders down. "
Exercise 2: Shoulder blade contraction
Interlock your fingers behind your head and pull your shoulder blades together to create tension in your upper back (the chest should push up as you move). Hold the position for 4-5 seconds, then relax and gently pull your head forward. This will also relieve tension in the neck area.
Try to tense your neck and shoulders, then relax and start stretching the back of your neck. This will help you relax your neck muscles and turn your head without tension. Repeat 3-4 times.
Exercise 3: Lock your fingers over your head
Lock your fingers over your head and, turning your palms up, stretch your arms up and move slightly back. Feel the stretch in your arms, shoulders and shoulder girdle. Hold for 15 seconds. Don't hold your breath. This stretch can be done anywhere, anytime. It relaxes the shoulders wonderfully. Breathe deeply.
Exercise 4: Shoulder Stretch
Remember to breathe deeply and relax your lower jaw while doing the exercises.
To stretch the shoulder and middle of the shoulder girdle, gently pull your elbow to the opposite shoulder. Hold 10 seconds.
Exercise 5: Gently pull your elbow behind your head while leaning to the side. Gently pull your elbow behind your head while leaning to the side. Hold a light stretch for 10 seconds. Repeat for the other side. To maintain balance, the legs should be slightly bent at the knees. Don't hold your breath.
Exercise 6: Shoulder, Arm and Chest Stretch
This stretch is done by slowly turning the elbows inward. In this way, you stretch your shoulders, arms and chest. Hold for 10-15 seconds.
Exercise 7: Relaxing the Muscles of the Posterior Group
Start in a standing position, feet about shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, feet flat on the floor. Hold the pose for 30 seconds. In this position, you contract the quadriceps muscles and relax the back of the thigh muscles. The main function of the quadriceps is to straighten the legs at the knees. The muscles of the back group, in turn, bend the leg at the knee. Since these muscles provide opposite movements of the legs, the contraction of the quadriceps muscles is always accompanied by relaxation of the muscles of the back group.
Exercise 8: Calf Stretch
To stretch the calf muscles, find a solid support and, stepping back, rest your forearms on it, resting your head on your hands. Bend one leg and place the foot on the ground in front of you, straighten the remaining leg behind you. Slowly push your pelvis forward, trying to keep your lower back straight. The heel of the extended leg should be pressed to the floor, and the toes point straight ahead or slightly turned inward. Hold a light stretch for 10-15 seconds. Avoid jerks. Repeat the same for the other leg.
Stretching “BEFORE”
Exercise 9: Groin Stretch
Against slight resistance from the arms, try to bring the knees together until you feel enough tension in the groin muscles (fig. groin).
Hold the static tension for 4-5 seconds, then relax and start stretching the groin as described above (Fig. 2).
This will help you relax your tight groin muscles. This contract-relax-stretch technique is invaluable for athletes with groin problems.
Exercise 10: Crotch Stretch
Connect the soles of your feet and grasp your toes with your hands. Gently pull the torso forward, leaning from the hips until you feel a fairly strong stretch in the groin area. At the same time, you may feel tension in your lower back. Hold for 20 seconds.
Do not start from the head and upper body. Tilt from the hips. Try to rest your elbows on the outer thighs. So it will be easier for you to maintain balance and the necessary posture. When tilting, smoothly contract the abdominal muscles; this will help you develop flexibility in the front of your torso.
Exercise 11: Spinal twist
Get into a seated position with your legs extended. Bend your left leg and swing your foot over your right knee. Then bend your right arm at the elbow and rest it on the outer surface of the left thigh just above the knee. Use your elbow to keep your leg in a stable position with controlled pressure on your thigh.
Place your left palm on the floor behind you, exhale slowly and turn your head to look over your left shoulder; at the same time turn the upper body towards the left palm. As you rotate your torso, try to rotate your pelvis in the same direction (although your right elbow holding your left leg will keep your lower body from moving). In this way, you will be able to stretch the lower back and one side of the pelvic girdle. Hold for 10-15 seconds. Repeat for the other side.
Exercise 12: Hamstring Stretch
To stretch the hamstrings, straighten your right leg. In this case, the sole of the left foot should lightly touch the inner surface of the right thigh. Thus, you have adopted the position “one leg is straightened, the other is bent at the knee” (Fig. 1). Slowly bend from the hips to the foot of the outstretched leg (Fig. 2) until you feel a slight stretch.
Hold the position for 10-15 seconds. After the tension decreases, lean forward a little more. While doing this developing movement, exhale, then breathe rhythmically, holding the position for 10 seconds. Repeat the same exercise for the other leg.
During this stretch, try to keep the foot of the straight leg pointed straight up and the ankle and toes relaxed. The quadriceps muscle should be soft to the touch (relaxed). Starting the stretch, do not tilt your head forward and down.
Exercise 13: Quadriceps Stretch
Try to move the right thigh forward by contracting the hip flexors (quadriceps muscle) and at the same time push the right hand holding it with the right foot. This movement should stretch the hip flexors and relax the hip extensors. Hold a light stretch for 10 seconds. Make sure your body is in a straight line. Then do the movement on the left leg in the same way. (At the same time, you are doing a good stretch on the front of the shoulder.) At first, it will be difficult for some to stay in this position for a long time.
Therefore, work on the correct execution of the exercise, regardless of the degree of flexibility or how you look from the outside. With regular stretching, you will achieve positive results.
Exercise 14: Hamstring Stretch
Lie on your back and lift one leg up with a 90° hip flexion. Press your lower back to the floor. Hold for 15-20 seconds. Repeat for the other leg. If you need to increase the load, wrap your hands around the back of your thigh. You can put a towel or elastic bandage on the sole of the foot and gently pull the foot towards you. Stretch only as long as you feel comfortable. For greater comfort, you can put a small pillow under your head.
Exercise 15: Lower back and outer pelvis stretch
Bend your left knee at a 90° angle, then pull it up with your right hand and over your right as shown in the figure above. Turn your head and look at the palm of your left hand, extended perpendicular to the body (do not tear your head off the floor). Then, with the effort of the right hand located on top of the left thigh (just above the knee), pull the bent (left) leg towards the floor until you feel a slight stretch in the lower back and outer thigh. The feet and ankles should be relaxed and the shoulder blades pressed to the floor. Hold a light stretch for 15-20 seconds for each leg.
To increase the stretch in the buttock area, grab your right leg from below the knee. Slowly pull your right knee towards the opposite shoulder until you feel a moderate stretch. Shoulders should be pressed to the floor. Hold for 15-20 seconds. Repeat the same movement with the left leg.
Exercise 16: Back Relaxation
Pull the knee towards the chest, then pull the knee and the entire leg towards the opposite shoulder to stretch the outer part of the right thigh. Hold a light stretch for 10-20 seconds. Repeat the same movement with the other leg.
Material taken from the book: "Stretching for Everyone"
Sincerely, Artyom Sannikov
Website: Stretching-guru.ru
Stretching - All about Basketball
SLOPE
(to the right)
9017 Stretchable Muscles: 9017 Two-headed m. thighs,
gluteal m.,
m. straightening the spine,
adducting m. hips.
Legs apart.
Knees slightly bent, toes apart at an angle of 45°.
Slowly bend at the waist towards the knee.
Keep your back straight.
Bend until tension appears in the biceps femoris.
Hold for 15 seconds.
Repeat twice.
TILT
(Forward)
Stretched Muscles:
Biceps thigh m.,
gluteal m.,
spinal erector m.,
hip adductor m.
Legs apart.
Knees slightly bent, toes apart at an angle of 45°.
Slowly bend at the waist until your hands touch the floor, in front of you.
Keep your back straight.
Bend until tension appears in the biceps femoris.
Hold for 15 seconds.
Repeat twice.
TILT
(Left)
Stretched Muscles:
Biceps thigh m.,
gluteal m.,
spinal erector m.,
hip adductor m.
Legs apart.
Knees slightly bent, toes apart at an angle of 45°.
Slowly bend at the waist towards the knee.
Keep your back straight.
Bend until tension appears in the biceps femoris.
Hold for 15 seconds.
Repeat twice.
LUNGS
(Left, Right)
Stretchable Muscles:
Adductor thighs,
biceps thighs.
Legs apart.
Slightly move the body forward, slowly lunge to the left.
Keep your back straight, toes apart at a 45 degree angle.
Do not allow the left knee to move beyond the left foot, vertically.
The right foot looks up.
Hold for 15 seconds.
Change leg.
Repeat twice.
BEND FORWARD
(Cross-legged)
Stretchable Muscles:
Gluteus m.,
biceps thighs,
tensor fasciae latae,
m. spinal erectors.
Standing.
Cross your legs, right foot in front of left.
Knees slightly bent.
Bend slowly, sliding your hands to the ankle joint behind the standing leg.
Change legs and repeat the stretch.
Hold for 15 seconds.
Repeat twice.
STRETCH
GRINS
(Sitting)
Stretch Muscles:
Adductors. hips.
In a sitting position, soles of the feet together, knees apart.
Press your knees to the floor with your elbows.
Extend knees until tension appears in the groin.
Hold for 15 seconds.
Repeat twice.
KNEE TO CHEST PUSH
(Lying on back)
Stretch Muscles:
Gluteal m. ,
m. straightening the spine.
In the supine position.
Slightly bend the knee of the straight leg.
Slowly pull the other knee toward your chest until you feel a good stretch.
Change leg, repeat stretch.
Hold for 15 seconds.
Repeat twice.
BICEPS STRETCH
(Lying on back)
Muscles to be stretched:
Biceps thigh,
calf,
glute.
In the supine position.
Press the knee to the chest and slowly straighten the leg.
Pull the toes of the raised leg towards you, reducing the leg muscle for this.
Hold for 10 seconds.
Retract the toes, relaxing the calf muscle.
Hold again for 10 seconds.
Change leg.
Repeat twice.
CROSS STRETCH
(Lying)
Stretch Muscles:
Gluteus m.,
oblique abdominal m.,
m. abdominals,
tensor fascia lata,
>m. straightening the spine.
In the supine position, slowly move one leg over the other, try to maintain an angle of approximately 90, spread your arms apart.
Bring the leg to the arm.
Press your shoulders to the floor.
Hold for 15 seconds.
Change leg.
Repeat twice.
LATERAL STRETCH (Outer)
THIGH
(Lying)
Muscles to be stretched:
Piriformis m.,
gluteal m.,
fascia lata tensor.
In the supine position. Place the shin of the left leg on the knee of the right.
The left ankle must touch the right knee.
Keep your back, shoulders and head flat on the floor.
Grasping the left knee, slowly pull the leg towards you until you feel a stretch in the thigh muscles.
Hold for 15 seconds.
Change leg.
Repeat twice.
CROSS-STRETCH
(Seated)
Stretch Muscles:
M. straightening the spine,
gluteal m.,
m. abdominal.
Sitting. Place your right hand behind you and turn your head and shoulders to the right towards your hand.
Left leg extended.
Bend the right leg at the knee and throw it over the left, so that the foot of the right leg is near the knee of the left. Rest with the elbow of the left hand, on the outside of the right knee, while twisting the body to the right, until a tension is felt.
Hold for 15 seconds.
Change leg.
Repeat twice.
STRETCH
(Forward)
Stretchable Muscles:
Iliopsoas,
straight thigh.
While standing, lunge forward with your right foot.
The knee must be stable and not move from side to side.
Try to push the thigh of the right leg forward.
Hold for 15 seconds.
Change leg.
Repeat twice.
ANTERIOR THIGH STRETCH
(Standing)
Stretchable Muscles:
Quadriceps femoris,
tibialis anterior.