Myth: Lifting weights stiffens up players and robs them of their fluidness/suppleness

[Im Still Ballin]

A proper strength and conditioning program is one of the best things an athlete can do to increase their performance. Many pervasive myths about weightlifting persist in the world of basketball, especially among the minds of fans.

The idea that lifting weights slows you down or stiffens you up is just not true. We've known this since at least the '80s, yet for some reason, people keep repeating these antiquated notions. No, getting stronger, more explosive, and putting on muscle mass won't kill your jump shot. It won't limit your flexibility or mobility.

What it will do is improve performance by increasing several physical athletic qualities, including strength, power, endurance, and more. Many players became better shooters despite putting on muscle mass. Dirk, Karl Malone, LeBron James, Carlos Boozer, Kawhi Leonard, Joel Embiid, and Nikola Jokic are some such names.

https://vault.si.com/vault/1987/11/0...der-the-basket

Two seasons ago the Lakers' main force was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who at 39 seemed finally to show his age in L.A.'s 4-1 playoff loss to Houston. He had lost 18 pounds during the season, and yet his body-fat count had reached 11%. Abdul-Jabbar had always believed in conditioning, usually doing yoga exercises for 90 minutes five days a week during the off-season. Kareem frequents the tony Yoga College of India, Beverly Hills branch, under the direction of Bikram Choudhury, the so-called guru to the stars. In the summer of '86 Abdul-Jabbar lifted free weights for the first time, regained 21 pounds, reduced his body fat to 8% and was strong enough last June to handle McHale and Robert Parish.

Choudhury doesn't work in the NBA yet, but Rich Dalatri does—as the strength and conditioning coach of the New Jersey Nets, who were 24-58 last year and played like 97-pound weaklings most of the time. Dalatri was the strength coach at Mississippi before he was hired last June by the Nets. He has developed a six-point program for them that involves weightlifting; flexibility, agility, and jumping drills; anaerobic and aerobic conditioning; and restorative measures, including whirlpools and saunas. "In football," he says, "the emphasis is on maximum strength. In basketball, it's on functional strength. The whole game comes through your legs. We train the neuromuscular system to make the muscles fire more quickly and explosively. Football players know they have to do weightlifting. Basketball players are such great athletes that they have been able to get by just on natural ability...but now players are getting so big and strong—like Barkley and Oakley—that they realize they have to get stronger in order to compete."

"I don't know why it didn't happen before," says Nets center Mike Gminski. "I've always felt that the East Europeans and Soviets were so ahead of us as far as training athletes is concerned. The NBA owners invest so much in us, it seems stupid not to hire a strength coach and trainer to work with us."

Denver center Wayne Cooper backs that theory. "I'm in the best condition of my career," he says. Part of the reason is Dr. Marvin Clein, who was hired last spring by the Nuggets as training and conditioning coordinator. Clein set up voluntary programs for the Nuggets, and Cooper participated because his rebounding and shot-blocking averages dropped last season, partly, he felt, because he wasn't in the best condition.

Denver's program is similar to the Nets' and includes weight training and agility and speed drills. The Nuggets also brought in a diet specialist to advise the players. "I feel stronger, I have so much more life and explosiveness in my legs," says the 6'10" Cooper, whose weight has dropped from 256 pounds to 222 since April.

Clein says he will test players during the season to see if their conditioning has slipped, even though he has had some success already: He says he has seen a 50% increase in strength in some of the Nuggets; all the veterans were in his program.

A lot of basketball coaches used to be squeamish about weightlifting, fearing it would hurt a player's shooting touch. But the results of some strength tests conducted about a decade ago have greatly eliminated these fears. The tests revealed that some NBA players lost as much as one third of their power during a season. "That old taboo [about weight training] is out the window," says Ramsay. "I think everybody understands now that stronger is better."

Like with anything, if implemented incorrectly, yes: the weightroom can slow you down, stiffen you up, and lead to injury. Subpar periodization, exercise selection, and poor form represent a failure to execute strength and conditioning in ideal fashion. Only will muscle mass potentially limit joint flexibility/range of motion when pro bodybuilder-level LBM (lean body mass) is attained. Which no basketball player will ever have to worry about.

Proper implementation entails intelligent periodization, the right exercise selection to promote structural balance and ideal strength ratios, and the use of a full range of motion and mobility work to maintain flexibility.

[ArbitraryWater]

In general, added weight will slow you down.

Thats just a basic concept.

[Im Still Ballin]

In general, added weight will slow you down.

Thats just a basic concept.

It's a bit more complicated than that. Power-to-weight ratio. Body composition. Sprinters lift heavy weights; I believe Ben Johnson was doing 600-pound partial squats when he broke the 100m record. He was coached by Charlie Francis.

[Duffy Pratt]

In general, added weight will slow you down.

Thats just a basic concept.

Depends on what is causing the weight gain, and what type of speed you are talking about. Developing your legs can cause weight gain, and might also make your foot speed faster. Upper body work is unlikely to do that.

But otherwise, yeah. Also, weight training on its own does nothing to maintain flexibility, which is probably as important for a basketball player. My Bikram yoga class got visited by a couple of guys who were drafted as running backs in the NFL. They couldn’t straighten their arms over their heads, and the made it through half the class before one of them raced out to vomit, and the other just quit. There are different kinds of conditioning.

[Im Still Ballin]

Depends on what is causing the weight gain, and what type of speed you are talking about. Developing your legs can cause weight gain, and might also make your foot speed faster. Upper body work is unlikely to do that.

But otherwise, yeah. Also, weight training on its own does nothing to maintain flexibility, which is probably as important for a basketball player. My Bikram yoga class got visited by a couple of guys who were drafted as running backs in the NFL. They couldn’t straighten their arms over their heads, and the made it through half the class before one of them raced out to vomit, and the other just quit. There are different kinds of conditioning.

Weight training done with a full, deep range of motion helps to not only build but maintain flexibility. Just look at Olympic weightlifters. Calisthenics guys and gymnasts are other examples. They have incredible shoulder mobility and can do very heavy weighted dips and pullups. Some have even been known to lift 315+ pounds the first time they tried the bench press.

But separate flexibility/mobility work should still be done to supplement weight lifting IMO.

[Xiao Yao You]

It's a bit more complicated than that. Power-to-weight ratio. Body composition. Sprinters lift heavy weights; I believe Ben Johnson was doing 600-pound partial squats when he broke the 100m record. He was coached by Charlie Francis.

but who crafted his roids?

[Jasper]

In general, added weight will slow you down.

Thats just a basic concept.

so if a runner gains 50 or more percent muscle in his legs he will slow down ?????

Talk to a sprinter please

[dankok8]

I noticed that after lifting my jumpshot is off. But it's only temporary.

[tpols]

Depends on the player. Somebody like Giannis or Shaq benefit from having extra muscle due to their play style. While somebody like Reggie or Durant wouldn't at all.

Kinda like how when McGregor was at his best he was lightweight and when he roided up he sucked because he lost the speed and flexibility to pull crazy knockouts off.

[Im Still Ballin]

Depends on the player. Somebody like Giannis or Shaq benefit from having extra muscle due to their play style. While somebody like Reggie or Durant wouldn't at all.

Kinda like how when McGregor was at his best he was lightweight and when he roided up he sucked because he lost the speed and flexibility to pull crazy knockouts off.

Nah, proper strength and conditioning benefits all NBA players, regardless of position or play style. When done correctly, it makes you faster, more explosive, and improves flexibility.

[tpols]

Nah, proper strength and conditioning benefits all NBA players, regardless of position or play style. When done correctly, it makes you faster, more explosive, and improves flexibility.

Heavy lifting does not improve flexibility. Some body builders can barely wipe their own ass. If you're talking low weight high rep full ROM sure but when people talk "lifting" they're generally speaking about trying to max out the weight you can bench, squat and deadlift. Or how jacked you can get your bis and tris to be. A guy like Durant or Reggie benefit 0 from a routine meant to put on heavy muscle.

[Im Still Ballin]

Heavy lifting does not improve flexibility. Some body builders can barely wipe their own ass. If you're talking low weight high rep full ROM sure but when people talk "lifting" they're generally speaking about trying to max out the weight you can bench, squat and deadline. Or how jacked you can get your bis and tris to be. A guy like Durant or Reggie benefit 0 from a routine meant to put on heavy muscle.

Did you even read the OP? I'm sorry but you don't know what you're talking about regarding this subject. You're exactly the type of person I pointed out in the OP. Spreading myths about strength and conditioning for athletes.

[tpols]

Durant has millionaire teams of trainers and doctors. And they've never had him lift heavy. Because it makes no sense given his frame and playstyle to put on weight like that. Those guys know more than you (and are paid handsomely for it).

Basketball players don't look like Jay Cutler or Ronnie Coleman for a reason. It's a speed game which is why most players are tall and thin with wiry muscular builds.

[FKAri]

tpols the kinda guy who refuses to workout at all because he doesn't wanna look like Ronnie Coleman by the end of summer.

[Im Still Ballin]

tpols the kinda guy who refuses to workout at all because he doesn't wanna look like Ronnie Coleman by the end of summer.