How to work on balance for basketball

Best Balance Exercises for Basketball (For Beginners) – Old Man Game Tips

Do you want to improve your balance? Good. This post will show you the best balance exercises for basketball that you can do.

Do you remember all of those layups that Steve Nash made while driving on 3 defenders? He would always twist his body like a contortionist!

Or plays of Kyrie Irving just straight-up dancing with defenders on the hardwood? Or LeBron James attacking and viciously dunking on opposing teams’ big men?

AdvertisementsYeah, all of these plays require balance. And a lot of it.

Advertisements

“But what can I do to improve my balance?” you may be asking.

Two of the best ways, in my opinion, are to increase your core strength and to strengthen your stability muscles.

By achieving these two things, you will improve your balance, which will allow you to do a myriad of things:

• It’ll help increase your chances of making unbalanced (and most likely contested) shots.
• It’ll help you stay stable when you’re attacking the basket or when you’re coming off a hard cut for a jumper, like Steph Curry.
• You’ll be more stable and in control when crossing someone over or when dribbling in high traffic.
• You’ll be stronger and more stable on defence, especially in the low post. If someone were to bump into you to create space, for instance, you won’t wobble and lose balance.
• You’ll have more balance and control when coming off of an old man step-back.

(Some of the following links are affiliate links. What this means is that if you use it/them to buy something, I will get a small commission, at no extra cost to you.)

So here are some of the best tools and exercises you can use and do to improve your balance:

Gear Required For The Balance Exercises:

Advertisements

• Resistance Band Set
• Bosu Ball
• Balance Board
• Kettlebell
• Sandbag
• Medicine/Slam Ball

Resistance bands are one of LeBron James’ favourite tools.

He uses them a lot to strengthen his core and stability muscles in his warm-ups.

The great thing about these is that you can make any primal movement more difficult by attaching it to a pole (or something similar) and strapping it around yourself.

Advertisements

By doing this, it’ll pull you in a certain direction and you’ll have to counter it (by stabilizing your body) to keep a good posture while doing the exercise.

The best exercises to do with the resistance band are:

1. Squats
2. Lunges
3. Standing Rows
4. Standing Chest Press
5. Side Steps

The Bosu ball is great for doing both bodyweight exercises and plyometric ones.

Advertisements

When it comes to bodyweight exercises, the Bosu ball will add difficulty to all movements because you’ll be doing it on an unbalanced platform.

You’ll have to constantly tighten your core and stability muscles to stay stable as you do these movements.

If you don’t, you’ll lose balance and tip or fall over. Nash used this to work out a lot when he was playing for the Phoenix Suns.

As for the plyometric exercises, the Bosu ball will provide a cushion so that it won’t be so stressful on your joints.

Advertisements

Additionally, it will make the movements tougher because it’s bouncy and unstable.

The best exercises to do on the Bosu ball are:

1. Push-ups
2. Squats
3. Romanian Deadlifts (Double and Single Legged)
4. Bunny Hops
5. Side Lunge Jump Offs
6. Single-Leg Crane Stance
7. High Knees

The balance board is similar to the Bosu ball, except it is more challenging. Also, you shouldn’t do plyometric movements on it.

The reason why it’s harder to use is that the main platform is one hard, solid piece of wood and the bottom is rounded. It’s more difficult to stand and balance on it (let alone do exercises).

You’ll constantly move in different directions due to the lack of stability.

But as you get stronger, your body will adapt and you’ll be able to balance yourself.

Advertisements

The best exercises to do on the balance board are:

1. Defensive stance for a certain amount of time
2. Push-ups
3. Squats
4. Bodyweight (or lightweight) Romanian Deadlifts
5. Overhead Press with a light dumbbell or medicine ball

With these tools, you can pretty much do any type of workout you please.

They’re that versatile!

But I’m only going to focus on the balance-building ones because that’s the topic of this blog post, and I really don’t want to go on a tangent like I am right now.

AdvertisementsAnywhoo, the best way to work your core and stabilizers with the medicine ball, kettlebell or sandbag is to do single-limb exercises.

Using these tools along with an inflatable exercise ball is a great way to strengthen core and stability muscles too.

You’ll constantly be unbalanced because you’re either on one limb or on an unstable platform (exercise ball). This will force you to use your smaller muscles to correct your posture and stabilize your body.

Another benefit of doing balance workouts is that they force you to focus on staying stable.

If your mind veers off and thinks about something else, like an annoying 2K player, then you’re probably going to lose balance and tip over.

So these exercises are great for strengthening the mind as well.

I apologize. I went on a tangent. But here are the best balance exercises to do with a medicine ball, kettlebell, or sandbag:

1. Split Squats
2. Single-Leg Romanian Deadlifts
3. Single Arm Kettlebell Swings
4. Kettlebell Halos
5. Waiter Carries
6. Single-Leg Overhead Press
7. Bench Press with Exercise Ball
8. Seated Overhead Presses w/ Exercise Ball

So these are the best exercises and equipment to use to improve your balance.

If you want to make it more challenging (or increase your exercise options), you can combine tools.

For example, you can do kettlebell deadlifts on a Bosu ball.

Or you can strap a band around your waist and do overhead presses with a medicine ball. Or you can wear a weighted vest and do push-ups on a balance board.

The options are endless! You just have to put some creativity into it.

Are these tools you would use to improve your balance? And what’s your favourite balance exercise? Let me know in the comments below.

***

P.S. If you’re struggling to improve in basketball, you may be training wrong. Advertisements

This is why you need to check out my Old Man Game Activity Guide and Planner. They’re mobile activity guides that will help you work on your fundamentals and conditioning for basketball.

Click here to learn more about them.

5 Basketball Drills to Immensely Improve Your Balance

A hidden key to being a successful basketball player is having good balance. But what if you don’t naturally have good coordination? 

Thankfully, balance is something that can be improved with lots of hard work and dedication. Here are 5 basketball drills that will radically improve your balance. 

After a few months of doing this workout consistently, you’ll be well on your way to becoming better on offense and defense.

Table of Contents

• 1. Single Leg Balance Drills
• 2. One Foot Balance Shooting
• 3. Agility Ladder Drills
• 4. 3 Balance Drills with Eyes Closed
• 5. Steph Curry’s Balance Drills

This is a mix of 8 drills, all of which are to be done one leg at a time. These exercises are for injury prevention and improved balance on the basketball court. Here is a brief description of each portion of the drill:

• Start out in a standing position on your left foot with your eyes closed. Hold the position for 10 seconds before switching to the right foot.

• Set up three cones into a triangle shape with one to your left, one on your right, and one directly in front of you. While standing on your left leg, take your right foot and touch it to each cone. Do the same with the other foot.

• Keep standing on one leg but bend down to touch each cone with your right hand. After touching all three cones, switch to your left hand. This one gives the glutes and hamstrings a good stretch.

• Now touch each cone with a basketball.

• Remove the cones and stand with your back facing the hoop. Stand on one foot and pretend to shoot a backward jump shot. Switch to the other foot.

• Lastly, alternate between three different types of leg hops to improve your footwork. Hop from front to back, side to side, and in a twisting motion.

Here’s a video of this drill in action:

2. One Foot Balance Shooting

This is one of the best shooting drills out there and can be done during warm-ups. It won’t improve your in-game footwork, but it will teach you how to control the momentum of your lower body before shooting jump shots. 

This drill will also help your ability to shoot on the run by giving you better balance.

• To start the drill, line up just behind the three-point line and spin the ball high in the air. Catch the ball and then quickly balance all of your body weight on your left foot. 

• After pausing for two to three seconds, place both feet on the floor and shoot a regular jump shot. Restart the drill again but switch to balancing on your right foot on the next rep.

Here’s a video of this drill in action:

3. Agility Ladder Drills

Basketball players need to have a high level of agility if they want to perform well on the basketball court. The following video shows 10 different agility drills with a ladder. 

Each of these drills will improve your sprinting and acceleration, both of which are important to any athlete. We’ll only cover the first 3 drills in the video since they are the most basic and the rest are simply variations of them.

• Gallop: After properly setting up the agility ladder, start off with the gallop. Begin with your feet facing directly toward the ladder. Quickly move both of your feet in and out of each ladder slot. Once you reach the end of the ladder, turn and do the same thing the other way.

• Lateral Shuffle: This drill is similar to the gallop but it’s done in a lateral motion. Instead of beginning with your feet facing forward, you’ll be turned to the side. Do side steps as fast as you can in and out each window of the ladder.

• Icky Shuffle: This one is lovingly named after former NFL star running back Icky Woods. You’ll start with your feet facing the ladder. Sidestep into the first ladder window with the left foot, then quickly move the right foot in as well. Once your right foot lands inside the window, quickly move the left foot outside the window. Continue this rhythm until you reach the end of the ladder. Lastly, repeat the drill on the way back but do it while going backward.

Here’s a video of this drill in action:

These three drills may be simple at first glance but they are incredibly difficult when done with the eyes closed. By closing the eyes, any kind of balance training is amplified.

Coach Alan Stein, who has worked with Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, and Steph Curry, demonstrates how to do these drills in the video below. Here’s a brief description of all 3:

• Balance on One Leg: Coaches should have their basketball players imagine that there’s a string that goes from their elbow to their knees. Have all players raise the ball up as high as possible, while simultaneously raising one knee above the waist. All players should hold this pose for as long as they can with their eyes closed. When finished, everyone should switch to putting the other leg into the air.

• Make a T: With the eyes closed and holding the ball, bend at the waist while extending one leg behind you. Your body should form an upper case T. Now take the ball and quickly wrap it around your leg for 10 reps. After the reps are complete, do the same routine around the other leg. This drill will greatly improve your dribbling and ball-handling skills.

• Lunge: Complete a lunge without letting your knee touch the ground. Again, remember to keep your eyes closed. Do a side bend and fully extend the basketball with one hand. Do the same motion with the other arm.

Here’s a video of this drill in action:

Steph Curry is one of the best all-around NBA players, so why not practice some of the balance drills that sports performance coach Brandon Payne takes him through on a daily basis? 

All 3 of these drills will improve your basketball skills on the court. Let’s go over each drill separately:

• Single-Leg Wraps: Stand on one foot while wrapping the ball behind your back and in between your legs. Feel free to switch up the speed on how quickly you move the ball. Your main focus should be on staying consistent with your breathing, keeping your core muscles tight, and keeping your leg stable. Payne recommends putting an emphasis on your big toe, pinky toe, and heel to improve your balance.

• Barefoot Single-Leg Crossovers: In the video, Curry does this move with a special foam pad. However, Payne said to complete the drill barefooted if you don’t have access to a pad. While standing on one foot, practice your crossover move with each hand. If you do this drill often enough, you’ll be blowing by your opponent during games for easy layups.

• Single-Leg Shooting: If you’re a right-handed shooter, stand on your left foot for this drill. Shoot some jump shots without letting your right foot touch the ground. Before each shot, touch the ball to your left foot while extending the right leg out. If you are new to this drill, start out close to the basket to prevent having problems with your shooting mechanics. Once you get comfortable with the drill, you can move as far back as the free-throw line like Curry. 

Here’s a video of this drill in action:

Mike Noblin

Mike has been involved with basketball for over 30 years as a player, coach, and bettor. He has a degree in Sports Psychology and enjoys following both the NBA and College Basketball on a nightly basis.

Psychology of exercise in basketball

replica Swiss watches

Exercise

• Constantly ask yourself “Why are we doing this exercise? How often do we do it? Are we achieving the desired result?
• Each exercise must have a title.
• Each exercise should be multi-targeted.
• Emphasize the importance of the correct execution of exercises - this is sure to bear fruit in the game.
• Exercises require concentration and imagination.
• Most don't like exercise, and you should be promoting the importance of working on yourself.
• All exercises must be competitive.

How to explain the exercises

1. Explain why this exercise is necessary.
2. Demonstrate the exercise (slowly).
3. Have the players ask questions, answer them.
4. Have the players complete the exercises at medium speed to begin with.
5. Make adjustments to their actions (if there are errors).
6. Players can then start the exercise at maximum speed.

How to make exercises competitive

1. Compete against the clock.
2. Compete with your opponent.
3. Compete with yourself.

• Exercise must be limited in time
• Create a list of exercises that best reflects your game concept and matches the goals you want to achieve.
• Vary exercises (this will protect your players from monotony).
• Be emotional and react to what happens during the exercise, this will allow your trainees to understand that you are watching them and you care.
• Ensure that players adhere to your drill standards.

What is the coach responsible for during the exercise

1. Training.
2. Motivation.
3. Discipline (not punishment, making adjustments, the impact should not be physical, but aimed at understanding)

• Each exercise must correspond to the system of play that the coach adheres to.
• Special attention must be paid to two aspects - passes and passes.
• The most important thing for players to do during exercises is concentration.
• Each exercise should go at the right time depending on its content.
• It is always necessary to start training with new exercises, as the players are not yet tired and will be able to quickly master the exercise.
• After an exercise in which there is a lot of physical activity, an easier and more fun exercise should be given.

What is needed for the exercises to bring results

1. Allow variety in the exercises, but at the same time emphasize the purpose of the exercise.
2. Avoid monotony.
3. Divide work among assistants.

• Combine as many different variations as possible into an exercise, even if the emphasis of the exercise is the same.
  • Use small groups of three to five players for practice.
• Be prepared for the fact that each player will have to do a different amount of work to assimilate the material.
• Be demanding! Make sure that the players follow all your instructions exactly.
• When the coach starts training, he must know for sure:

1. What does he want to teach
2. How to teach it
3. Why does he teach this

• Anticipate your expectations from the exercise, set the tone for the work needed to achieve the result, do not compromise with the standards.
• Try to keep a balance of criticism and praise (Approximately two to one)
• Explain to the players how the exercise affects the different aspects of the team's play (attack, defense, etc.). Let your players put into perspective what they are working on.
• Coaches are the same teachers. Work on the skill of the players involves a constant pedagogical process.
• Try not to end the training process at the moment when the players feel that they are "punished".
• End your workout with a fun, deloading exercise. It is very important that coaches and players finish classes on a positive note.

Updated on 03/19/2014 00:21

20 minute throw training by Steve Nash

Hello, dear visitors of the website basketball-training.org.ua . Recently, spring has finally come to Kharkiv (I hope that it will be serious and for a long time) and I opened the street basketball season at my own KhTZ stadium, on the site, which is commonly called “rubber band”.

And today, I had some time and due to requests from members of our large VK community, I decided to tell you more about a twenty-minute shooting practice from current Lakers player Steve Nash. Let's get started.

"If every basketball player worked like me in training, I'd be out of a job." With this famous quote from Steve, a video begins, which you can watch (and even download from Yandex Disk) at the end of the article, so for those who can’t wait to start shooting training according to the method of one of the best point guards of the outgoing era, welcome to the end of the article.

So, shooting training from Steve Nash is aimed at 2 key points: work on the accuracy of the throw itself from positions from which the probability of attack during the game will be the highest; and work on the stabilization of the throw in conditions of fatigue (shortness of breath, shortness of breath, fatigue).

After all, very often it happens like this: in training, warming up, you freely score “your” throws from the usual points, a convenient distance. And during the game, the ball basically does not climb into the ring. Of course, the accuracy of throws in the game is influenced by many factors, but one of the most important is your breathing: if it went astray, then you didn’t work out with your legs somewhere (jumped below), somewhere you just didn’t have time to “reach” the pass, so that convenient to catch the ball and attack the ring. In general, there are a lot of such trifles, and they oh so much affect the success of your attacks.

One more small remark before we finally get to the types of throws, their time limits and other details. As soon as this video was posted in our group https://vk.com/uroki_basketbola, opinions about its quality were divided. The main disadvantage of this program, according to several users, was the “ease of performing throws”. I note that this program will not teach you some super difficult throws. But it will help you consistently hit the most common shots that you will perform every time you go to the floor.

20 minutes - 13 types of throws

Time: 00.00 - 02.00

Throws from the boundary line of the three-second zone, under the “zero” degree to the ring. You pick up your own ball. 1 throw on each side. Every 10 shots scored, we take a small step back, thus increasing the distance of the throw. Two key points: always count how many shots you converted, and not how many managed to throw; try to score 50 shots in 2 minutes. This exercise will allow you to warm up your muscles and work on your wrist shot.

Time: 02:00 - 02:30

Throws from an average distance of 45 degrees. The execution is similar: 1 throw to the right, then 1 throw to the left, again to the right, etc. Try to complete 10 throws and score 8-9 of them using the shield.

Time: 02:30 - 03:15

The so-called “Elbow shot”. We attack the basket from the point where the free throw line goes into a semicircle. 1 throw from each side, do not use the shield, score with clean throws.

Time: 03:15 - 05:10

Throw in motion: parachute, aka “Runner”. Throw right, center, left. At the same time, we are constantly moving, we do not stop for a second. Throw, rebound, go 45 degrees along the line of a three-point throw and, dribbling towards the ring, perform a double step and hang the parachute.

Time: 05:10 - 06:40

Roll after “hesitation”. Throws are performed at 45-30 degrees from the ring: 1 powerful step towards the ring, after which you instantly jump up and throw around the ring.

Time: 06:40 - 08:25

Deviated throw after a turn. Starting position - on the line of the three-second zone at 0-10 degrees from the ring. We make 1 hit to the floor, turn around (either towards the end line, or in the opposite direction) and throw with a deviation. Important: first a reversal, then a deviation. Not at the same time.

Time: 08:25 - 09:55

Hook throw. We perform with the right and left hand. The throw is made from a distance of approximately 2-3 meters from the ring. We throw after a double step parallel to the ring.

Time: 09:55 - 11:40

Again “elbow” shots, but now the movement starts on the three-point line clearly in the center. We make a quick movement (explosive first step) towards the point where the free throw line turns into a semicircle, jump out and attack the ring.

Time: 11:40 - 13:25

We make a similar movement, but at the “elbow jumper” point we do not make a throw, but make a turn around our axis, and only then do the throw. We turn both in one direction and in the other. The ball is controlled by both the left and right hand when turning. It is important to pay attention to the positioning of the legs, maintaining the balance of the body after a turn: after all, if you lose your balance, it will be much more difficult to make an accurate throw.

Time: 13:25 - 15:30

Three-point shots. Five points, exactly those that participate in the competition of three-point shots.

Time: 15:30 - 17:00

Throws after step back. Again 5 points (similar to the previous exercise). We make 1 blow along with a step towards the ring, then the second step (or even 2 steps in the manner of jumping) perpendicular to the direction of movement (left or right). Stabilized the body and performed the throw. For all movements - a minimum of time.

Time: 17:00 - 19:05

Throws after imitation of pick-and-roll (two in our opinion). Imagine that your partner is moving up to the three-point line to set up a screen and help you get out of line. In the same way, 5 points, with each of them we perform throws after an imaginary barrier.

Time: 19:05 - 22:20

Three-point shots. The most common three-point shots are performed from 6 points: 2 at 0 degrees; 2 at 45 degrees; and 2 near the center.

Twenty minutes to develop a shot: improving the program

Now we have analyzed in detail the program that Steve Nash suggests. What would I change? Instead of time intervals, I suggest using the number of shots scored (namely, scored, not completed) shots. I have prepared a chart that you can print out and use in your morning throwing practice.

That concludes this article on a 20-minute shooting session from Los Angeles Lakers player Steve Nash.

Learn more

• 
  How to be tough in basketball
• 
  How to draw up basketball plays
• 
  How many quarters in a game of basketball
• 
  How much does a basketball cost
• 
  How to spin a basketball on your finger for beginners
• 
  How many players can be on a middle school basketball team
• 
  How does sec basketball schedule work
• 
  How to improve shot blocking in basketball
• 
  How to become a better defender in basketball
• 
  How many calories does 1 hour of basketball burn
• 
  How many players in an olympic basketball team