How to get in Basketball Shape?

[L3B120N J4M35]

Title. I really don't think the treadmill will work. What're some ways to get into basketball shape? Does eating certain types of food withdraw you from getting in shape?

[$LakerGold]

Eat healthy. Run 20 laps everyday.

But if you're not capable of it yet, then start with 5 laps, 6 laps the next day, 7 the next day. Chill, go back to 6, 7, 8, 9,...

You'll feel more happy when you reach your short-term goal, and it's better that way. Keep it simple at first.

Eat in moderation.

[$LakerGold]

I normally eat canned tuna, butter on top during cheat days.

[2swift4u]

the internet is full of good work out programms. just google it! Of course proper nutrition will help too. To make a long story short: less carbs, less sugar and you're good! It's really not that difficult but you have to be disciplined and work out consistently.

[Shade8780]

Eat healthy. That's most of the weight loss.

If you have a basketball court near you, run suicides, and don't jog. Sprinting is much better for it (HIIT) than doing a slow jog.

[L.Kizzle]

Play basketball.

What better way to get into basketball shape than playing the game itself.

[mr beast]

interval training, short dashes

just do a bunch of full court dribble drills at full speed, run liners, defensive slides

you should be exhausted after those drills.

in my opinion they help you build skill and help you build in game stamina

hit the weight room too to gain strength

[Thorpesaurous]

I have long held the best way to get into basketball shape is to play, as Kizzle said. It's a really weird game in what it asks, change of direction, a ton of sprinting, more jumping than really any other sport outside of maybe volleyball. So there is an element of playing sometime being too much.

I always trail ran. The uneven ground is good for balance, shifting directions, and other assorted movements that I always felt help. That and hills were my go to for general exercise.

And in the gym, I give this advice a lot, but the most overlooked excercise for the game specifically is forearm curls and extensions. Everyone does the calf raises, which are sort of the lower leg equivalent, because it's the answer for jumping quicker and changing direction, but the forearms will put more snap in your handle, have a HUGE impact on your range and the quickness of your release, and will help you on the defensive end with the brief moments of illegal hand checking. It's just that it's an excercise that looks rediculous and unless you're working out at a body building type level can generally be skipped for physical appearance type working out.


And I'm 37 and have had four knee surgeries and both achilles surgically reattached in the last year, so take that for what it's worth.

[Lebron23]

Play basketball.

What better way to get into basketball shape than playing the game itself.


This

[L3B120N J4M35]

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm not really talking about in-game because conditioning/workouts for basketball start in the middle of September and I want to be ahead of everyone and in shape.

[CelticBalla32]

Play basketball.

What better way to get into basketball shape than playing the game itself.

Bingo. Doing all that jogging and treadmill work certainly doesn't hurt, but even eating right and doing that isn't going to replicate the kind of cardio you put yourself through on the court. The constant high-intensity motion, hard cutting, random burst of all-out hustle, etc. just isn't the same as pacing yourself through a few miles around the block.

Play as much ball as possible, and don't coast. Go Avery Bradley on them fools in pickup ball, that's how you get in shape. And not only is that the best way to get in the condition you want, it is also the best way to work on your skills - in game situations.

[Random_Guy]

being real here, if you are not playing pro ball, imo working out and eating a lot is enough. obviously dont stuff yourself with junk food, but its not really necessary to go on a bodybuilding diet. Unless of course you want to look cut as ****.

[Burgz V2]

gotta eat a lot of green veggies. you should also learn to love lentils, chickpeas, beans, anything thing high in both fibre and protein.

I'm guessing you're in high school, if that's the case, if you eat like this say 5 out of 7 days a week you will have a significant benefit over your peers who are likely not gonna be eating the same foods (i know i didnt in high school)

[NBAplayoffs2001]

I eat a lot of food I shouldn't eat like bbq pizza and soda nearly everyday. But I do have two healthy meals a day, a healthy breakfast smoothie and usually chicken with egg for lunch. Dinner is where I usually just ignore my diet (a bad habit I know).

On healthy days, my diet usually consists of

Breakfast: smoothie
Lunch: Chicken, rice, egg, lettuce, some onions.
Snack before gym: healthy type of cereal
After the gym: usually a heavy pasta dinner or a subway sandwich with lettuce and onions.

On bad days usually after the gym I grab 2 slices of pizza: spinach and bbq along with fruit punch or something.

Physically, I notice I can do far more pushups than I used to in a row. Now I can pump out 60 to 70 pushups and usually start to feel tired around 52-55. Last year I often got tired around 20 and stopped at 25.

I usually set hard picks in the gym so I make sure my upper body is strong, I don't drive but I usually wait for my guy to sag off and hopefully get the ball for a mid range jumper. Usually only works with the regulars who know me lol.

[nzamcdza]

As stated the best way to get in basketball shape is to play basketball ....

BUT

The key is that you have to play with game intensity. Even if it is just 3 on 3 or recreation basketball if you treat it as if it was a major championship game by going 100%, always sprinting back on D, cutting hard on offense etc this is the best way to get in game shape.

[Burgz V2]

another good way to get in shape is to play 1 on 1 games full court. Did this a lot when I was practicing with a pro team overseas, was really good for my conditioning especially if the other player is in much better shape than you.

[NBAplayoffs2001]

One thing I noticed is having big biceps and having arm strength helps a lot on hard strips and blocks. I don't lift and just play ball. I plan to start lifting soon. Somehow my shoulders have gotten bigger and my biceps are way bigger than they used to be when I came to college. To get my vertical up, I just eat better and try to grab the rim (can't yet :(). I usually just grab the net and make it sound like I dunked it. My vertical has easily improved 5 inches with a more disciplined diet, heck I think even my defensive ability to deal with slashers has improved due to my diet.

I would recommend abs and bicep workouts a lot tbh if you have a strong lower body. My biggest weakness is dealing with people driving to the basket. Probably the one aspect of basketball in why I always get toasted in 1v1 games but usually do better than average in pick up 5v5 or 3v3 games.

[Rake2204]

As stated the best way to get in basketball shape is to play basketball ....

BUT

The key is that you have to play with game intensity. Even if it is just 3 on 3 or recreation basketball if you treat it as if it was a major championship game by going 100%, always sprinting back on D, cutting hard on offense etc this is the best way to get in game shape.I think it is important to echo the second portion of your post. It is very possible to play basketball and never really get into basketball shape.

Pick-up games abound where it is more than enough to run until we get tired then stop, maybe take a play off, maybe not crash the glass, maybe not run down the floor when a teammate has a wide-open fast break layup just in case he misses it, etc. One can still be effective when playing in this manner, but it'll also be very difficult to ever really get into legitimate basketball shape.

It is a struggle, and it is tough, but getting in basketball shape by playing basketball means pushing until we're tired, then continuing to push thereafter. There's really lazy basketball, then I think there's standard "try hard sometimes" basketball (where we'll push hard until we get winded then dial it back), and then there's real deal basketball - where we try to always push, as if we're trying to get to that next level.

Personally, what has helped me through the years has been some of the experiences I've had playing against some professional players in open gyms. I recall the little things they did - how hard they ran the floor, even if they're just filling a non-opportunistic lane in transition - and I try to remember those moments when I play. If I somehow feel like I've hit a limit, I recall how much higher that threshold can go, how much faster and more energetic I can play.

I also think of NBA players and what I know about their pace (many college players go the NBA and say their biggest adjustment is the quick pace). It helps me to know that however fast or hard I think I'm going, I could be pushing to go so much faster.