Showing posts with label basketball coaching basketball player high school basketball basketball recruiting basketball instruction video basketball videos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label basketball coaching basketball player high school basketball basketball recruiting basketball instruction video basketball videos. Show all posts
DURHAM, N.C. (February 24, 2020) – Howard University women’s basketball team fell on the road at North Carolina Central (NCCU), 71-89, thanks to hot shooting from the Eagles.
(Photo Credit – Rodney Pierce)
NCCU shot over 69-percent (18-of-26) after intermission, including 85-percent (11-of-13) in the third.
Four Bison reached double figures despite the Eagles’ hot shooting, led by third-year sharpshooter Jayla Thornton (Newark, N.J.) with a team-leading 18 points. Senior guard Ayonna Williams added 16 points and seven dimes in the loss.
NCCU led throughout the first period and nearly midway through the second until sophomore forward Krislyn Marsh (Duncanville, Texas) scored a fast break layup to put the Bison ahead, 28-27, at the 6:39 mark.
Howard took control in the second period, extending their lead as much as five on multiple occasion, but North Carolina Central would close the gap to one at the break, 38-37.
NCCU’s Kieche White drilled a trey ball moments after halftime to spark a 16-5 run and give the Eagles a double-digit lead at the 5:12 mark, 53-43.
HU fought back and sliced the deficit to single digits, but North Carolina Central regained the momentum, thanks to a 33-point third quarter that gave the Eagles a 12-point advantage after three, 58-70.
Williams cut the margin to nine, 67-76, with more than five minutes remaining, but NCCU took control and finished the contest on a 13-4 spurt, 71-89.
Marsh and fellow classmate Gia Thorpe (Pittsburgh) each had 11 points in a losing effort.
For NCCU (10-16, 7-6 MEAC), Paulina Afriyie notched a double-double (24 points and 15 boards) while White and Anissa Rivera netted 21 and 23 points, respectively, in the win.
Saturday (Feb. 29), HU concludes its long five-game road trip in Norfolk, Va., against Norfolk State. Tipoff is slated for 4 p.m. inside Echols Hall.
Two days later (March 2), Howard returns to The Mecca where the Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks await. The action starts 5:30 p.m. inside Burr Gymnasium.
The 21-year-old tied his career-high in the loss vs. the Lakers. He's averaging 30 PPG in the month of February.
Basketball Basics: Footwork
By: Jason Richards
It is certainly fun watching basketball. But for players, the game isn't just fun. It is challenging. There are lots of pressure that players undergo whenever they hit it to the court every game. They are of course committed to make the team win by accumulating more scores than the opponent. Aside from that, almost all players want to stand up to impress the viewing public. In the tradition of Michael Jordan, Shacquille O'Neal, Dennis Rodman and the likes, every basketball player dreams of being an icon in sports. That is why almost all basketball secrets have been revealed. There are also more coaches, trainers and centers that offer to help players develop proper attitude and skills in playing basketball. Almost all mental and physical aspects of basketball playing have also been discussed and openly assimilated by players. The footwork
A strong footwork is considered one of the basic skills and characteristics a basketball player must possess to be able to become a good player. That is because everything else depends on the strength of the feet when playing. Solid footwork is very necessary in executing basic basketball tasks and techniques like defense, rebounding, ball-handling, and many more. Basketball is a very physical game so without the solid foundation of the foot strength, you would easily end up being tripped at or knocked at the floor. Because you basically run, jump, bend and walk during the basketball game, your footwork must be well built and planned. Further, during, before and after games, you are advised to take some flexing, relaxing and warming activities to condition your feet to become stronger for each game. Footwork tips in basketball Because footwork is such an important aspect of playing basketball, here are some tips that will truly help you attain good footing while playing the arduous game of basketball. Attain good body balance during the game. It is recommended that you keep the base support of your feet wide. How do you do this? Simply keep each of your feet at least a shoulder apart from each other. Bend your knees a little and keep your head just above the midpoint between the area covered by the feet. This position is said to provide your body with good overall balance. While standing inside the basketball court, practice having this physical balanced position. Take a good pivoting point. A solid pivot is attained when the ball of the foot is planted firmly and solidly on the floor of the court. If you have a good pivoting position, you can easily turn and run to the left to right, or forward or backward. Good pivoting is essential for the best defensive strategies in the game. Take quick pivots by planting the balls of your feet on the ground. Then, attain proper body balance. This way, you are sure to be ready for quick and abrupt pivot turns. Footwork exercises Aside from the usual footwork drills, there are also several exercises that are simple enough and will surely help improve your footwork for both defensive and offensive tasks in playing basketball.
Here are some of them.
As a form of exercise, bend the knees, take proper balance standing position by spreading the feet at shoulder width. Then, step sideways. Eventually, make the little steps either to the left or to the right turn into short runs. The sideway movements will help you attain good and firm footwork sideways. Hop with just one leg forward from tone side of the basketball court until you reach half of the court. Bring down the foot and use the other one as you hop forward to the other end of the court. This exercise targets the muscles of the thighs and knees, making up for firmer and stronger footwork. Regular jogging and running exercises are proven to be effective in improving the footwork of basketball players. In the morning, or whenever there is time, jog around or run. It would also be advisable if you use a thread mill.
It would be impossible to play basketball if the strength of the feet isn't established. Because basketball is a very physical game, you should make sure your footwork is well practiced before the games. Visit The Basketball Coach to learn about basketball dribbling and basketball defense.
Coach Sigmon and Physical Therapist Jay Isear of the Charlotte Hornets, who work with both men and women professional basketball players, explain the different approaches they take in training the two genders.
For every activity there is a specific way you should train to get maximal, timely results. Coach Falsone details his cardio workout for the Houston Rockets and Comets.
Basketball Cardiovascular Conditioning
The following are guidelines for an off-season basketball cardiovascular program, which is designed to increase the endurance and efficiency of your cardiorespiratory system.
The program consists of two components:
Cardiovascular Training - (Aerobic Work)
Sprint (Interval) Training - (Anaerobic Work)
Stage One: Cardiovascular Training - (Aerobic Work)
Cardiovascular training is crucial in order to build a solid base of conditioning. This type of training should be executed 3-4 days per week and can involve activities such as running, biking, hiking and swimming.
If you choose to run, perform these activities on a track or grass surface to alleviate stress on the knees. It is important that you realize that you DO NOT have to distance run every day in order to get an effective workout.
Running is extremely effective, but it is also extremely stressful if done over long periods and distances. Cross-Training is an effective method to use in order to get results with little risk to your body. The stresses the body encounters doing a variety of activities is more beneficial to the athlete than the stresses encountered by doing the same old, tired routine. Also, the risk of injury is greater if you only take part in one activity.
Here are some examples of different forms of cardiovascular exercise along with suggested time limits:
Exercise Bike - 30-45 minutes. Jogging - 30 minutes.
Stairmaster - 30 minutes. Aerobics Class - 30 minutes.
Water Exercise - 30 minutes. Versa Climber - 30 minutes.
Again, these are only a few suggestions. Use your imagination to create cross-training programs that will keep you interested and motivated.
Basic Max Heart Rate Calculator
Your Target Heart Rate must be maintained in order to gain the full benefit of cardiovascular training. At this point in time it is necessary that your Training Heart Rate (THR) fall between 70-75 percent of your Maximum Heart Rate (MHR).
Anaerobic training involves the application of timed recovery periods following brief, but intense runs. This type of training is specific to the nature of basketball. In a game situation, play (work) is stopped when a timeout is called, or a penalty is assessed (rest interval). The goal of interval-training is to condition your body to become accustomed to not only the high-intensity running nature of the game but, also, the brief recovery periods.
While other players try to catch their breath during free throws, you are recovering. This results in the ability to sustain high-intensity output throughout an entire game. In order to make this possible, rest periods employed during anaerobic conditioning sessions will range from 1:1 to a 1:3 work/rest ratio. All rest periods have been predetermined for future training sessions.
Prior to sprint training, it is important that you warm up and stretch sufficiently. It is also necessary that you perform a sprint-specific warm up, in addition to your general warm-up and flexibility program. This will greatly assist you in preparing your muscles for high-intensity work, and help reduce the chance of an injury occurring.
Remember, stretching is not warming up. Sitting on your butt stretching has absolutely nothing to do with running. While stretching is important, understand that it is only part of the preparation protocol.
General Warm Up - Designed to increase body temperature and to gradually elevate heart rate, similar to slightly revving your car engine on a cold morning, a mile jog, bike, treadmill, fast walk and jump rope all qualify as a general warm up. Duration of warm up should be from 5-10 minutes.
Flexibility - Never stretch a cold muscle. Always performed following General Warm-up. Designed to increase the elasticity and circulation to muscles, and further prepares your body for exercise. When stretching, pay close attention to your quads, hamstrings and calves but don't neglect to perform upper body stretches as well. Sprinting is a total-body movement. Injury to any part of the body is a possibility if necessary steps of prevention are not taken.
Sprint-Specific Warm Up - Specific to the nature and movement patterns of running. Performed prior to sprint training, the sprint-specific routine will help to loosen tight muscle groups in an Active, and Dynamic, way (also known as Active Warm Up and/or Dynamic Warm Up).
During your sprint workout it is important that you practice proper running technique. Arm gait (cheek-to-cheek), hnee drive (forward), body alignment and head tilt must be carefully monitored and maintained. Concentrate all movement forward, not across your body.
You will begin the sprint-training program with "strides" (75 percent), and will gradually increase intensity as the week's progress. Over the course of the off-season, the intensity (speed/effort) of the runs should increase, while the volume (in this case, distance), should decrease. Once you begin sprinting, all sprints must be performed as close to maximum as possible (90-100 percent), in order to benefit your performance.
The Final Stage: Basketball-Specific Metabolic Training
I think it is important to mention that the majority of our early work involves endurance running, and the later work tapers from long duration type sprints: 800m, 400m and 200m, to shorter, more intense, sprints such as 100m, 50m, 20m and 10m. When we get to the final stages of the off-season we are doing strict basketball-specific work; most all of it is performed on the basketball court.
This final preparation work involves conditioning drills with the ball and metabolic conditioning. An example of metabolic type work would be repeats, or rather, back-to-back runs with rest periods, that are specific to the nature of the game (see routine below). I have even gone so far as to design a position-specific metabolic program for my players.
Some of our players like to do their in-season conditioning work outside, as do some of the players undergoing rehabilitation. However, we are trying to duplicate the short, intense sprints that are done on the basketball floor.
Metabolic Conditioning Example
Starting on baseline
Sprint to free throw line - sprint back
Immediately sprint to opposite baseline - sprint back
Immediately sprint to halfcourt - backpedal back
Rest 25 seconds
Lateral slide to free throw line (left arm lead) - slide back
Sprint to halfcourt - backpedal back
Lateral slide to free throw line (r. arm lead) - slide back
Rest 25 seconds
I would repeat this type of drill, changing the commands on each, for a total of six reps. After 6 of these cycles have been completed, I give the player a 2-minute rest period, during which, the player will shoot free throws. Following the 2-minunte rest, we do another set of six. Again followed by 2-minunte rest with free throw shooting.
All in all, the player ATTEMPTS to complete six sets of this program. However, I can do as little or as much as I need, depending on what I am trying to accomplish. A player trying to maintain conditioning may need as little as two sets of six. A player trying to return to the court after injury will of course require more.
Conclusion
If you follow these guidelines, you will gradually build up your aerobic and anaerobic levels to meet the demands of the basketball season, but remember, be safe. Don't push yourself too hard early on. If you get ahead of schedule, you may overstress your body, which could lead to injury. Take your time, and do it right. You'll get to where you need to be by the start of the season. Good Luck!
Power is a vital ingredient in the game of basketball. This article will clarify exactly what is needed to achieve true peak performance as a basketball player.
As all basketball players know, power is a vital ingredient in the game, and coaches constantly search for ways to improve power - most specifically the ability to jump higher and run faster.
Surprisingly, there is tremendous controversy on the most effective way to achieve this, The aim of this article is to clarify exactly what is needed to achieve true peak performance as a basketball player.
Two Schools Of Thought
Currently, there are two main schools of thought.
1. Boost Power By Mimicking Sports Skills
Proponents of the first believe athletic power is best-improved by performing strength training movements that 'mimic' sports skills. These movements are ballistic in nature (performed at a high velocity) and rely heavily on the involvement of momentum.
Examples include the power clean (and its closest derivatives), medicine ball training, and various 'plyometric' exercises. These movements are performed in the belief that the power exhibited during training will directly transfer to and enhance the specific sports skill in question.
2. Weight Training Is Useless For Sports Skills
The second school of thought holds that the weight room and the playing field (or court, track, etc) are completely separate entities and no movement performed in the weight room is capable of improving any specific sports skill (except, of course, for the specific sports skills of Olympic and Power lifting).
Proponents of this school of thought believe all strength training movements should be performed in a controlled manner (i.e. at a low velocity), eliminating as much momentum as possible.
They argue that power is best-improved by strengthening all of the body's musculature and by spending countless hours practicing the specific sports skill they are trying to improve - not trying to mimic the movements in the weight room.
I have no reservations advocating the latter theory. However, it is not my purpose to discredit or try to 'punch holes' in the training philosophies and beliefs of the first school of thought (despite the fact that, in my humble opinion, many of these practices are not just unproductive but extremely dangerous).
Instead, I want to focus on what I believe is a safer, more efficient, more productive and certainly more practical way to improve athletic power.
Improving Athletic Power
In order to find a way to improve athletic power, we first need to define it. Power is simply the rate at which work is performed. Work is defined as 'the product of force and distance' (work = force x distance). To express this definition in practical terms, we can use the following formula:
If you examine this formula, you can see there are several different ways to improve athletic power:
1. Increase Force
Increasing the force applied to a specific sport skill (while keeping distance and time constant) is one way to increase athletic power. In order to increase the application of force, you have to boost your strength levels because strength and force are directly related.
Strength can be defined as "the ability of skeletal muscle to produce force." Therefore, if you increase your strength, you increase your ability to produce force, which in turn, results in an increase in athletic power. For example, the more force a linebacker can put into the skill of tackling, the more powerful the tackle will be.
I believe the safest, most efficient, and most productive way to increase strength is through high intensity interval training (HIIT)- any strength training that is hard, brief and infrequent, utilizing deliberate and controlled repetitions.
In order to develop strength effectively, an athlete should subject the musculature of the body to constant tension (for 50-120 seconds) until the point of momentary muscular failure. This should be done in a manner that optimizes joint and muscle function and not to mimic a specific sports skill.
2. Increase Distance
Increasing the distance over which force is applied (while keeping force and time constant) is another way to improve athletic power. The most efficient way to do this is by increasing
, defined as the 'range of motion in a joint or group of joints'. An increase in range of motion can result in an increase in distance which, in turn, boosts athletic power.
One example is improving low back, hip and shoulder flexibility to allow for a greater range of motion in a golf swing. By increasing the distance over which the club head can be brought back prior to the swing, you increase your power (providing, of course, that force and time are kept constant).
The same can be said for 'cocking' your leg back to kick a soccer ball. Improving flexibility in order to increase the distance over which force can be applied can be achieved through a combination of sensible full range of motion strength training as well as a comprehensive flexibility and stretching program.
3. Decrease Time
Decreasing the time during which force is applied (while keeping force and distance constant) is yet another way to improve athletic power. In essence, decreasing the time it takes to perform a skill means increasing the 'speed' at which the skill is performed, which leads to an increase in athletic power.
The most effective and practical way to achieve this increase in speed is through countless hours of task-specific skill practice. You need to practice the specific skill exactly like it will be used in competition.
For example, the more a center practices the specific skill of snapping the football and then executing his particular blocking pattern during 'game-like' conditions, the more proficient he will become at performing it.
Increasing proficiency means it will take him less time and effort to perform the specific skill and this will lead to an increase in athletic power. I believe proper skill training is the most underappreciated aspect of trying to improve athletic power.
Competent coaching, videotape analysis and hours of practice are the best ways to increase skill proficiency.
Genes First
It should be obvious that any combination of the above (for example increasing force and decreasing time) will lead to an even more pronounced improvement in athletic power. But I should also point out that every athlete's potential to improve each of the components of athletic power is, for the most part, predetermined by their genetic make up.
For example, some athletes are inherently predisposed to obtaining higher levels of strength while others are more neurologically efficient. It is the athletes that are born with all of the right genetic determinants who have the potential for producing the athletic power seen in such U.S. sports legends as LeBron James, Barry Bonds and Lavar Arrington.
This is not to deny that every athlete can make relatively significant gains in strength, flexibility and skill proficiency, but to point out that not everyone has the genetic potential to become a world-class athlete.
Other Factors
Two other areas worthy of mention in relation to improving athletic power are excess body fat and overall conditioning, both of which are involved in more than one component of the power formula.
Excess Body Fat
Excess body fat (which is "dead weight" for an athlete) may inhibit both flexibility and skill proficiency, while maintaining an appropriate percentage body fat will maximize the potential for both.
As for conditioning - what use are strength and skill proficiency if they cannot be maintained throughout an entire competition? Preventing or delaying the onset of fatigue is crucial to performance.
All athletes should strive to be as strong and as skillful in the fourth quarter as they were in the first, and a high level of conditioning is key to this goal.
Summary
In summary, if an athlete is to improve power in a safe, efficient, productive and practical way, he or she needs to do the following on a consistent basis:
Increase strength (using the guidelines and principles of high intensity training);
Increase flexibility (using full range of motion exercises and a stretching program);
Increase skill proficiency (investing countless hours in practicing specific skill work);
Decrease excess body fat (adhering to a sensible nutritional plan);
Increase conditioning level (increasing both aerobic and anaerobic capacities).
This article was first published in 'Hard Training Newsletter.'
References
Asanovich, Mark, The 1999 Buccaneer's Strength and Conditioning Seminar (March 1999)
Brzycki, Matt, A Practical Approach to Strength Training (3rd Edition), Master's Press, (1995)
Schmidt, Richard, Motor Control and Learning (3rd Edition), Human Kinetics (1999)
Teen basketball star Demetra overcame depression and reclaimed her hoop dreams. She transformed her body, got back on the court, and stepped onto the fitness stage.
VITAL STATS
Name: Demetra Eftimiades Location: Rockville, MD
Growing up, Demetra Eftimiades was a star athlete. She ran track, kickboxed, played soccer, softball, volleyball, lacrosse, and dominated at her favorite sport—basketball. Despite her all-star lifestyle, Demetra's poor eating habits of pizza, pasta, and carb-heavy foods finally took a toll, and she began to suffer from body-image problems. She became depressed and stopped eating, rapidly losing 30 pounds.
Lying in bed one night, Demetra wondered why she had let her health decline so far. She made the decision then and there that she would take back control of her body. The next morning, she began a transformation that would get her into the best shape of her life.
This is Demetra's story.
HOW DID YOUR STRUGGLE WITH YOUR WEIGHT BEGIN?
I slowly gained weight throughout high school and into my first year of college. I played basketball for an NJCAA team, and although I had rigorous two-hour practices, I put on most of my weight my freshman year.
I was at a very low point at the time and suffered from issues with my body image, depression, and anxiety. Activities I'd once enjoyed, like exercise and sports, stopped being fun. I quit the basketball team.
Whenever I was sad about something, I would eat. But because of my weight gain, I had body-image problems that would make me sad, and I'd eat some more. I basically developed a terrible relationship with food.
I became more depressed after going through a breakup, and I developed the opposite problem: I stopped eating. With no appetite, I lost 30 pounds. I felt weak and looked emaciated.
BEFORE 156 LBS.Age: 19
Height: 5'2"
Weight: 156 lbs.
Body Fat: 28%
AFTER 111 LBS.
Age: 20
Height: 5'2" Weight: 111 lbs. Body Fat: 18%
WHAT FINALLY DROVE YOU TO MAKE A CHANGE?
I was tossing and turning because I couldn't sleep one night. I kept thinking about what I was doing to myself and how I was letting all the thoughts in my head control me. That's when I realized that enough was enough—I couldn't keep doing that to my body. I didn't like the fact that I had no energy during the day. I felt like a potato. The next morning, I said, "Today's the day."
The next morning, I went to the kitchen and threw away all my food. I went to the grocery store and started over—clean slate. I stayed away from the junk food aisles and shopped the meats and veggies on the perimeter. I knew that was where I needed to start. If I wanted to do anything without feeling lightheaded, I needed to get my nutrition in check.
WHEN DID YOU BEGIN WORKING FITNESS BACK INTO YOUR LIFE?
I started playing basketball again. I went to an open gym and played with a group of men there. That really pulled me out of my comfort zone and helped me build some confidence. Playing with all guys made me push myself.
Once I started working out again, I decided that I looked too skinny; I wanted to put on some muscle. I knew about Bodybuilding.com from when I had been an athlete, so that's where I started to look for workout plans. The first program I followed was Jamie Eason's LiveFit Trainer. She was one of the first bodybuilders I came across, and she was really pretty. I thought maybe I could look like that.
HOW DID HIRING A PERSONAL TRAINER HELP YOU BECOME MORE FIT?
I was coming to the end of Jamie's 12-week program and was looking for more fitness inspiration on Instagram. I came across my now-trainer's account. I asked her if she did personal training, and she said yes, so I started working with her on a plan customized for me. I told her about things I liked to do and what I felt needed the most work, and she was able to create a program for me. She also helped me lock down my nutrition.
My trainer helped me learn how to tailor my meal plan to my body. I had avoided carbs before, for example, but she showed me why carbs are an important part of my daily macros and told me which carbs to reintroduce back into my diet.
WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO ENTER A BODYBUILDING COMPETITION?
My sister surprised me by taking me to a fitness competition, and when I saw all the women up on stage, all I could think was that I belonged there. I fell in love with competing at first sight. I couldn't wait to start training and getting ready for my first competition.
My first competition was kind of a mess. My hair wasn't right, my tan was weird, and I was late—it was one thing after another. But it was a great experience for me because I learned from each and every one of those errors that I made. I know what to prepare for in my next competition.
WHAT DID YOU ENJOY ABOUT COMPETING?
I loved being around other people who really understood what I had gone through to get to the stage, because they'd all done it too. It was such a supportive environment. I didn't know what to expect. My bikini ended up breaking backstage, and some of the girls helped me sew it back together. That left a huge impression on me. Competitors were nice and actually took care of each other. You only spend 10 seconds showing off on stage, but it's such a rush. As soon as I finished, I wanted to sign up for another competition.
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