Basketball Off-Season Workouts

Ravens Basketball Off-Season Workouts

The off-season is the time of year when you need to work hard to improve as an individual basketball player. During the season you work as a team—more than likely you will not be spending a lot of time working on individual basketball skills.

The following workouts can be utilized to effectively improve ball-handling, shooting skills, shooting percentage, and shooting confidence. My recommendation is to perform these shooting workouts 4 times per week, IN ADDITION TO your off-season team game and practice times. Vary your daily choices but record your progress each day.

There are some things to remember before doing these workouts. If your basketball off-season workout amounts to a lot of walking around and lazy shooting, you will not see improvement. Follow the tips below and you will become a better player.

1. Simulate at game speed. Practicing at 70% will not improve your game.

2. Hit at least 70% of your shots in practice. If you’re missing, move back into range and make at least 5 in a row before you move out again.

3. If you feel your form changing because you are tired, do not keep shooting jump shots. Go and shoot 10 free throws and then return to your drill.

4. Create mental pressure with pushups or situps for misses, especially in game sims or pressure free throws.

5. You should be breathing hard at the end of drills or you are not working hard enough.

6. Really work hard at improving. Don’t keep shooting the same old shot at the same old speed.

7. Have a goal or focus for every workout.

Shooting Workout Options:

1. Use chairs to simulate screens or defenders.

2. Toss the ball off the backboard or by backspinning it to yourself to practice catching and shooting on the move.

3. Get a parent, sibling, friend, date, teammate, etc. to rebound for you. You will get an extra 100-150 shots an hour. Post Players

Drills without dribbling - 5 minutes

Ball Handling Drills with dribbling - 5 minutes

Drills using two balls - 5 minutes All types with both hands, especially baseball, outlet, chest, Passing wrist-roll kickout, and bounce. Jump Rope - 5 minutes at 3/4 speed for endurance.

Jump Rope - 15 seconds off right foot for quickness.

Jump Rope - 15 seconds off left foot for quickness.

Jump Rope - 15 seconds alternating feet.

Jump Rope - 15 seconds on both feet.

Do 3 repetitions of each with 30 seconds rest between the quick sets. Foot Quickness Run Steps - Up to build leg strength and down to build quickness - Six repetitions of 15-20 seconds each.

Run Hills - Jog down and sprint up - Six repetitions of 15-20 seconds each.

Intervals - Sprint straight-aways on a track and jog on curves. Alternate up to one mile. (Build to running 2-3 miles a day at 7 to 8 seconds.) To build additional quickness and leg strength run backwards or sideways, picking up your feet and putting them down quickly. Six and In - 4 repetitions on each side of the basket.

Superman Drill - 4 repetitions of 10.

Tap Drill - 4 repetitions of 10 with each hand. Rebounding Hook Drill - 4 repetitions of 10 with each hand.

Second Effort - 4 repetitions of 10 (Make last effort as many repetitions as possible.

Blocking Out - Work at pivoting and holding contact. Shooting Spin ball to yourself, catch ball with both feet off the floor, look over baseline shoulder and Drop Step at Low Post - Practice both ways - 4 sets of 10 shots each way and on each side of the lane.

Spin the ball to yourself, catch ball with both feet off the floor, look over baseline shoulder, pivot in the opposite direction, and shoot a jump shot - 4 sets of 10 shots on each side of the lane.

Duck Under - Spin the ball to yourself, catch with both feet off the floor, look over baseline shoulder, pivot in opposite direction, shot fake and duck under. - 4 sets of 10 shots on each side of the lane.

Step-in-Direction Hook - At the low post spin the ball to yourself, catch with both feet off the floor, look over baseline shoulder, take a long step in direction of the opposite elbow, and shoot a hook shot. - 4 sets of 10 shots on each side of the lane.

At the High Post practice stationary moves for a baby jump shot or a power lay-up. - 4 sets of 15 shots on each side of the lane. Work the shot fake into every 3rd set of shots, either on the move or at the very end.

Shoot 10 free throws between each set to rest - record in your notebook! Perimeter Players

Drills without dribbling - 5 minutes

Ball Handling Drills with dribbling - 5 minutes

Drills using two balls - 5 minutes All types with both hands especially baseball, outlet, Passing chest, wrist-roll entry, and bounce. Jump Rope - 5 minutes at 3/4 speed for endurance.

Jump Rope - 15 seconds off right foot for quickness.

Jump Rope - 15 seconds off left foot for quickness.

Jump Rope - 15 seconds alternating feet.

Jump Rope - 15 seconds on both feet.

Do 3 repetitions of each with 30 seconds rest between the quick sets. Foot Quickness Run Steps - Up to build leg strength and down to build quickness - Six repetitions of 15-20 seconds each.

Run Hills - Jog down and sprint up - Six repetitions of 15-20 seconds each.

Intervals - Sprint straight-aways on a track and jog on curves. Alternate up to one mile. (Build to running 2-3 miles a day at 7 to 8 seconds.) To build additional quickness and leg strength run backwards or sideways, picking up your feet and putting them down quickly. Shooting 50 Shots off the Dribble:

1. Simulate shooting off the break 2. Move on the move into the shot (especially crossover, stutter step, inside-out, inside-out crossover, and Earl the Pearl move. 3. Stationary Move - Use Rocker Step to put defender on heels. 4. 5 sets of 10 shots at a time with 10 free throws between sets, and record free throws in your notebook. 5. Repeat 3 times 30 Shots using shot and pass fakes

1. Pump fake to shot 2. Pump fake, dribble to shot. 3. Pass fake to shot 4. 5 sets of 10 shots at a time with 10 free throws in between and record free throws. 5. Repeat 3 times

Note: Take all shots at game speed! Basic Shooting Workout:

DRILL Min Shots DESCRIPTION

Jump Rope 5

Form Shooting 1 2 30 Nose under rim, nothing but net. One hand only. Focus on releasing up.

Stretch 3

Ball Handling 4 Dribbling; stationery and moving, 1-on-1 moves, etc.

Form Shooting 2 2 30 Same as above, except start from about 3 feet out. Make 2 in a row and back up one step. Continue going back as far as you can while shooting with one hand and keeping form

Free Throws 1 2 10

Footwork Drills 4 30 Back to basket at 15” on wing. Pivot into triple threat. Alternate sides w/ jump shots, fake and dribbles, fake and drives, and stepbacks.

Free Throws 2 2 10

3 Pointers 2 20 Shoot 3 pointers.

Jumpers w/o 4 30 Toss ball and catch it like pass. Immediately Dribble shoot jumper, working quick elevation and release.

Jumpers w/ Dribble 4 30 Catch ball, fake, and make 1-2 hard dribbles into jump shot. Use shot fakes, head fakes, ball fakes, and jab steps.

Bank Shots 2 20 Alternate sides shooting bank shots from 10- 15 feet. Free Throws 3 2 10

Individual Choice 3 30 Work your favorite shots and moves.

Game Simulations 4 20 Imagine specific game situations. Use exact same situation until you score 3 times. Then move on to a new situation. Do 10 pushups for 3 consecutive misses.

Free Throws 4 w/ 2 10 Do pushups 3x number of misses. Pressure

Pressure Game 3 30 Choose 1 of 3:

a. 10 on a string: You must hit 10 shots in row from the same spot. A miss doesn’t count if you catch your rebound before it hit’s the ground.

b. 21: Jump shots are worth 2 points, misses are -1. Consecutive misses double in value

(-2, -4, etc) See how quickly you can score 21.

c. Golf: Choose 9 spots on the floor to choose from. You need to hit shots from each spot. Par is 27.

3 Pointers 2 20

1 Dribble layups 1 10 Start with the ball outside 3-pt. range. Work from 3-pt. Range on getting to the rim with only 1 dribble.

Free Throws 5 2 10

Totals 54 350 Time and shots are approximate Perimeter Player Workout:

Jump Rope 5

2 30 Nose under rim, nothing but net. One hand Form Shooting 1 only. Focus on releasing up.

Stretch 3

4 Dribbling; stationery and moving, 1-on-1 Ball Handling moves, etc.

Free Throws 1 2 10

2 Ball Handling 2 Work w/ two basketballs on the move.

2 30 Same as above, except start from about 3 feet out. Make 2 in a row and back up one Form Shooting 2 step. Continue going back as far as you can while shooting with one hand and keeping form

Free Throws 2 2 10

4 30 Back to basket at 15” on wing. Pivot into triple threat. Alternate sides w/ jump shots, Footwork Drills fake and dribbles, fake and drives, and stepbacks.

3 Pointers w/o 2 20 Shoot 3 Pointers. Dribble

Dribble Penetration 2 20 Work on quick, 1st step dribble penetration.

Free Throws 3 2 10

2 20 Start at mid-court, drive hard into lane and Pull Up Jumpers pull up for a jump shot. 2 20 Start at mid-court on side, drive hard to wing Pull Up Bank Shots and pull up for a jump shot.

3 Pointers w/ 2 20 Shoot 3 pointers. Dribble

Step Back Jump 2 20 Start at mid-court on side, drive hard to wing Shots then step back for jumper.

3 Pointers 2 20

4 20 Imagine specific game situations. Use exact same situation until you score 3 times. Then Game Simulations move on to a new situation. Do 10 pushups for 3 consecutive misses.

3 30 Choose 1 of 3:

a. 10 on a string: You must hit 10 shots in row from the same spot. A miss doesn’t count if you catch your rebound before it hits the ground.

b. 21: Jump shots are worth 2 points, misses Pressure Game are -1. Consecutive misses double in value

Free Throws 5 2 10

Totals 54 370 Time and shots are approximate Post Player Workout:

Jump Rope 5

2 30 Nose under rim, nothing but net. One hand Form Shooting 1 only. Focus on releasing up.

Stretch 3

4 Dribbling; stationery and moving, 1-on-1 Ball Handling moves, etc.

Mikan Drill 1 20 Alternate left and right hand layups.

Free Throws 1 2 10

Mikan Drill 1 20 Alternate left and right hand layups.

Block-to-Block 2 30 Alternate bank shots from blocks.

Free Throws 2 2 10

Turnaround 2 20 Toss ball to self on block, turn and shoot. Jumpers from Right Alternate turning right and left. Block

Turnaround 2 20 Jumpers from Left Same as above, only on left block Block

Hooks Shots from 2 20 Pass to self on right block, turn and shoot Right Block hook.

Hooks Shots from 2 20 Pass to self on left block, turn and shoot Left Block hook.

Bank Shots 2 20 Alternate bank shots from 10 feet out. Free Throws 3 2 10

McHale’s 2 20 Fake and duck under, alternate blocks.

2 20 Step back, fake dribble and drive to lane. Garnett’s Alternate blocks.

Shaq’s 2 20 Drop-step, power dribble, and power up.

4 20 Imagine specific game situations. Use exact same situation until you score 3 times. Then Game Simulations move on to a new situation. Do 10 pushups for 3 consecutive misses.

3 30 Choose 1 of 3:

a. 10 on a string: You must hit 10 shots in row from the same spot. A miss doesn’t count if you catch your rebound before it hit’s the ground.

b. 21: Jump shots are worth 2 points, misses Pressure Game are -1. Consecutive misses double in value

Free Throws 5 2 10

Totals 54 410 Time and shots are approximate