Basketball players have been found to run about 4500–5000 m (2.8–3.1 mi) during a 48–minute game. While that might not sound like a lot for a top athlete, it’s quite an impressive feat considering that a player can have up to 1,000 changes of movement patterns about every two seconds. Due to the fact that the sport requires its participants to have specific skills that can be completed under dynamic conditions, it’s important to stay on top of your workout regimen as well as diet. Here are a few tips on how to combine exercise and nutrition to help you achieve all-star status.
High-Endurance & Agility Exercises
Due to the nature of the game and the footwork involved, it’s important to incorporate exercises into your workout routine that facilitate endurance skills as well as agility. Lateral lunges are great for mimicking the defensive shuffling motion and will help you improve your defensive game. This exercise also opens up the muscles of the groin and hips to improve flexibility and overall agility. The same goes for lateral bounds.
Jump rope exercises are great for power, shoulder stabilization and endurance, all of which play a crucial role in basketball. Also, you’ll want to focus on exercises that help you jump higher and exert more force, so any exercise that builds your lower body while enhancing your ability to hinge from the hips will benefit you greatly. For this, try a Romanian deadlift or a Goblet squat.
Follow the Nutrition Habits of Explosive Players
One of the biggest factors in determining your success in any sport is your diet. Professional, explosive athletes and basketball players have a few things in common when it comes to diet. First of all, top players eat protein at every meal, as it’s the most important macronutrient you can eat when trying to achieve a lean physique. It’s smart to aim at incorporating 0.75 to 1 gram of protein per pound of your desired body weight, and to consume protein within 30 minutes after a workout. Then, you’ll want to be sure to tailor your carbohydrate intake in relation to your workout demands. It’s generally recommended to consume at least a 2:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein after particularly grueling workouts.
The Perfect Mixture
Basketball is a complex sport, and to ensure you’re at the top of your game, you’ll need to find the perfect mixture of ideal workouts for your physical goals as well as a dietary routine that can feed your body the fuel it needs. It’s important to focus on mixtures that induce high strength, power and agility while maintaining a fairly lean body composition. Focus on endurance as an overall goal and keeping a level head about your abilities.
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