Serious basketball players not only practice their game, they stay in top physical shape so they can play hard and not get tired. Getting tired in a game will affect your hustle and make your form suffer. So which exercises are the most effective to build your basketball fitness? As is the case with any sport, the most effective training mimics the actual event. Good basketball training exercises will resemble the motions you make in a game.
Explosive movements will build the power and anaerobic endurance to allow you to move quickly and explosively for the entire game. Shuttle runs and running drills with cones closely mimic the speed needed for fast breaks and effective defense. You can also add dribbling to make the drill more realistic and build skills and fitness at the same time. Jump drills resemble the jumping needed for rebounds and jump shots. You can use a box for depth jumps or simply jump to reach a mark on the wall.
Medicine balls are a great way to add resistance to your drills. Using a medicine ball and a solid wall, you can perform passing and shooting drills that build power and endurance in your core and upper body.
