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  1. #1
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    Thumbs up 26 years old and want to get into basketball

    Hey everyone, I enjoy watching basketball a lot and want to now actually start getting into it and playing and becoming good at it if it is possible.

    I am not in good shape at the moment. I am 5 feet 10 inches and am obese at 260 lbs. I am not in good cardiovascular shape at all and have bad endurance. I am not very strong either, I can only max out at 130 lbs on the bench press.


    Anyway, what should I be doing right now? I have only played basketball a few times in my life and I am not that good at it. So, I am pretty much a novice at the sport. I want to be able to become a good player and I want to be able to understand the intricacies of the sport.


    Any advice on what I should be doing to get from where I am at now to where I want to be?

  2. #2
    NBA Superstar eliteballer's Avatar
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    Default Re: 26 years old and want to get into basketball

    For health and basketball reasons you need to lose 60+ pounds. Start by going to the park(or using your own hoop) and just shooting around for 20-30 minutes everyday. Make sure you break a sweat...and get serious about cleaning up your diet. Cut out sugar, processed foods. Gradually if you have to. Drink lots of water, cut back on meat.

  3. #3
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    Default Re: 26 years old and want to get into basketball

    I'm not entirely sure how to tackle this one. I think the priority here is your weight (as opposed to becoming a better basketball player). However, the cool thing about basketball is you can often knock down two birds with one stone. That said, to really get the ball rolling so to speak, I'd recommend a fitness plan with origins outside of basketball itself, at least in the beginning of this process.

    My older brother checked in at the beginning of 2012 at 6'6'' 282 pounds. He held it well, but he was clearly out of shape. His plan was something called The Couch to 5K (http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml). Contrary to crash diets and other workout gimmicks, I think The Couch to 5K was effective and useful because it built healthy habits over an extended period of time and things started off very slowly. For instance, the first week starts with 5 minutes of walking, then jogging for one minute, then walking again.

    Through July, my brother had lost over 50 pounds, now standing at 6'6'' 230, and that number's still dropping. Like you, his endurance was insanely low when he began this process. Unlike you, he is a well-versed basketball player, but he still struggled mightily at the start, as he would become fatigued after just a trip or two down the court. Now, however, he has a 5K under his belt and he can run strong for a full 90-120 minute open gym. I think it's also worth noting he began checking his eating habits a little bit. For instance, he all but swore off cheeseburgers and soda and slowly began finding ways to include some fruits he liked more prominently into his diet (amongst other healthy alternatives he liked).

    Changing eating habits and ridding of foods we like sounds horrible, but the truth is, as a person begins working out and seeing results, the will to alter eating habits can oftentimes come naturally.

    Basically, my main point would be to start slowly, but start nonetheless. My brother was afraid of looking retarded, running in public for one minute before feeling as if he'd just run a marathon. But the truth is, that looks a lot less retarded than being very overweight and doing nothing about it. I say create a plan. I've had much more success achieving goals when I had things scheduled. It's one thing to feel like I should work out on a given day. It's quite another to know I have to work out.

  4. #4
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    Default Re: 26 years old and want to get into basketball

    In terms of basketball, like elite said, getting out to a court and just putting some shots up or working on your ballhandling is a good place to start (not to mention it can double as a solid workout).

    You made it sound as if you are very inexperienced at basketball, so I'd recommend starting with the core basics: layups, shot form, and ball handling.

    A nice, easy, solid, effective drill to get the blood flowing is the Mikan Drill: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmFOj0nhUN8. It's basically alternating shooting layups on either side of the basket (using the backboard, jumping off the correct foot - or both feet at the same time).

    I'd also recommend working through some routine ballhandling drills. I've played a lot of basketball over the years but these are drills I still put myself through on a regular basis just to keep things sharp. Among the drills I do:

    1. Pound the ball as hard as I can with my right hand (then left). I'll either do this as I walk one length of the floor, or I'll do it in place for around 20 dribbles. After I do both hands, I pound the ball from my right hand to left hand (crossing over) for 20 dribbles. As this is merely a warmup, I am generally upright during this portion.

    2. Walk down the floor, crossing the ball over back and forth with your dribble being below your waist. You'll need to bend your knees for this. Again, I'll try to make my crosses as sharp and strong as possible while keeping my eyes upward to maintain vision of the entire floor. As I approach the end of the court, I'll lower my dribble even further, until by the time I hit the baseline, my dribble will be inches off the ground.

    Other full court length, low dribble maneuvers I work on are: behind the back dribble, between-the-legs dribble (forward and backward), spin move dribbles, and in-and-out dribbles (sort of a fake crossover).

    In terms of shooting advice, there may be a couple of threads on this forum that could assist with correct form:

    http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=226333
    http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=259342

    Finally, don't be afraid of playing a real game of basketball with others. I'm not sure where your confidence is at, but know the best way to improve and learn the game is to play. At my courts I've had nights where every single person there was a real deal ballplayer. However, most of the time, there always seems to be a mix of players at different levels of the basketball learning process. I never have an issue with a guy who's out there trying to get better or get in shape. Even if he's getting dominated, I still respect the fact he's out there.

    Specifically, there's been a kid who's been playing at my court for years now. He was overweight from the start, and he struggled mightily all the time. But through the years, he was one of the most frequent visitors of the court and combined with some off-court weight lifting, his shape began to change, his ability began to improve and he actually began showing some signs of athleticism, now able to touch the rim and whatnot (he will be turning 18). If one puts in the work, it'll pay off in the long run, and you'll be thankful.
    Last edited by Rake2204; 08-06-2012 at 01:49 PM.

  5. #5
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    Thumbs up Re: 26 years old and want to get into basketball

    Rake2204, thanks for all of that man. I appreciate it very much!

    I am going to get started on an exercise program and clean up my diet.

    I was wondering are there any books you recommend on learning more about basketball; playing it, the intricacies of the sport itself, etc,etc?

  6. #6
    C's Fan since Dee code green's Avatar
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    Default Re: 26 years old and want to get into basketball

    Quote Originally Posted by Heilige
    Hey everyone, I enjoy watching basketball a lot and want to now actually start getting into it and playing and becoming good at it if it is possible.

    I am not in good shape at the moment. I am 5 feet 10 inches and am obese at 260 lbs. I am not in good cardiovascular shape at all and have bad endurance. I am not very strong either, I can only max out at 130 lbs on the bench press.


    Anyway, what should I be doing right now? I have only played basketball a few times in my life and I am not that good at it. So, I am pretty much a novice at the sport. I want to be able to become a good player and I want to be able to understand the intricacies of the sport.


    Any advice on what I should be doing to get from where I am at now to where I want to be?
    PM hotsizzle, he should be able to answer all your questions.

  7. #7
    Good High School Starter mjokc's Avatar
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    Default Re: 26 years old and want to get into basketball

    At 5'10 260 you are the exact type of defender that I hate. You are shorter than me (6'4), but about the same weight as me so you have a much lower / stronger base. This means that even if you aren't that skilled you can get a few post moves and play great post defense. This is without being in that good of shape at all. I agree with everyone else about just shooting around at your local park, work on post moves mostly at least while you are at your current weight. IMO don't worry about elite handling / shooting skills.

  8. #8
    Out here Pushxx's Avatar
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    Default Re: 26 years old and want to get into basketball

    Basketball has helped a lot of friends of mine lose fat and gain muscle. People in this thread have given good advice. You can do it, my man. Basketball is the best sport to play.

    Quote Originally Posted by mjokc
    At 5'10 260 you are the exact type of defender that I hate.
    No offense to the OP but who tries to back down someone who is 5'10 260 in pick-up basketball?

    As far as learning the game, OP, you are going to get beat a lot to learn. Learning basketball is about taking 1 step back to take 3 steps forward.

  9. #9
    Good college starter Burgz V2's Avatar
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    Default Re: 26 years old and want to get into basketball

    as duane casey would say, "you gotta pound the rock to get better!" Taken from an old proverb, a man once took the biggest rock he could find and would hit it with a hammer. He hit it a hundred times and made not a single scratch. On the 101st try, however, the rock suffered a huge crack straight down the middle.

    moral of the story: you might not see results, and you may feel like your smashing your head on a wall repeatedly to no avail, but you WILL get better if you pick up the right habits.

    aside from the fortune cookie nonsense here's what I can suggest you do.

    1) figure out the best way you can lose the weight AND STICK YOU IT. I'd say this is half the battle for you. If you can get past this, I believe you can do ANYTHING.

    2) be conscious of the reasons WHY you make mistakes at first. you watch basketball, i know, but don't always assume you know all the reasons you make mistakes; do NOT be afraid to ask a teammate or some random guy at pickup how to get better. A lot of guys hamper their development because they simply don't listen to teammates or anyone for that matter.

    3) once you know what you do wrong, stick to good habits and always put in work on your own time. Even if i don't play pickup regularly, i still find a hoop for at least half an hour 3x a week to just work on my form and repeating simple moves over and over. For you this is important because you need to be developing the muscle memory to advance your basketball, without it you won't feel like youre getting any better. I've personally never had this issue, i've been playing rep and houseleague since i was a kid. I always tell the kids i coach that you can't expect yourself to do things you've never tried and committed to memory before and i always tell them pick a different move every day at practice and do it 20x. Then do the mirror of the move 20x. Then do the counter 20x. Thats 60 shots right there, probably only takes 15 mins. In two weeks if you do that 3 times a week, you'll have learned to use 6 moves, and 6 counters. After a couple of months, it starts to have a snowball affect and you'll see a drastic improvement in your game trust me.



    Keep posting in here with your progress, I'm interested to see how you're improving!

  10. #10
    Good college starter Burgz V2's Avatar
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    Default Re: 26 years old and want to get into basketball

    OH i almost forgot. If you are unsure about shooting form or dribbling there are a couple classic exercises you can do.

    for shooting, just stand straight under the front of the rim, like if you extend your hand up all the way it would be level with the very front of the rim.

    then take the ball in one hand and just shoot. makes sure your elbow is tucked in and your feet are square. After 10 made or so, take two steps back. As soon as you feel your form breaking down, take a step back in and shoot as many as you need until you can take a step back. This step may take a couple of weeks, your range may be limited to begin with but if you stick with this drill it'll improve greatly.
    it's a very basic drill but all he great shooters do it and have advocated its benefits (Ray Allen, JJ Redick, even Dell Curry, they all have youtube videos with this drill!)

    for dribbling all i can say is 1) dribble hard and low and 2) learn the feel of the basketball. With kids that are learning i always tell them bring your basketball to school and try not to let it touch the ground all day (unless your in the gym or at the court). What this does is you get the feel of the basketball so that when you are handling it it becomes second nature and youre less inclined to look at the ball when you dribble. You don't have to bring a ball to work or nothing, but when you're at home watching tv or something, keep a ball in your hands and tell yourself "ok im gonna go get a glass of water, but i cant drop this ball" or something.
    My dribbling used to be terrible and this one guy on my team in HS who had some pretty sick handles told me to do this and I INSTANTLY saw an improvement; my problem wasn't at all how I dribble, it was more that my hands and fingertips were not used to "taking care" of the basketball.

  11. #11
    JOHN WALL ALLDAYERRDAY JohnWall2's Avatar
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    Default Re: 26 years old and want to get into basketball

    never too late to hoop mayne. i kno sum older nigs dat still ball. like 50 sumthin

  12. #12
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    Default Re: 26 years old and want to get into basketball

    Quote Originally Posted by Burgz V2
    Keep posting in here with your progress, I'm interested to see how you're improving!

    Thanks for all that, I appreciate it!

    I am a college student but I am home for the summer. Fall Semester starts back for me on August 15th, so I will be back at my college then.

    They have a gym there so I can start practicing and developing when I get there. I don't have a basketball at home.

    I was wondering do you think any of the players on the college basketball team would be willing to help me out? I feel a little embarrassed about practicing since I am not that good right now.

  13. #13
    Learning to shoot layups
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    Default Re: 26 years old and want to get into basketball

    Quote Originally Posted by Heilige
    Thanks for all that, I appreciate it!

    I am a college student but I am home for the summer. Fall Semester starts back for me on August 15th, so I will be back at my college then.

    They have a gym there so I can start practicing and developing when I get there. I don't have a basketball at home.

    I was wondering do you think any of the players on the college basketball team would be willing to help me out? I feel a little embarrassed about practicing since I am not that good right now.
    A lot of college players can be jerks. But there are always some down to earth ones. Defiantly no harm in asking. And if there like me they love dropping knowledge on people and seeing them get better

  14. #14
    Learning to shoot layups
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    Default Re: 26 years old and want to get into basketball

    Quote Originally Posted by Heilige
    Thanks for all that, I appreciate it!

    I am a college student but I am home for the summer. Fall Semester starts back for me on August 15th, so I will be back at my college then.

    They have a gym there so I can start practicing and developing when I get there. I don't have a basketball at home.

    I was wondering do you think any of the players on the college basketball team would be willing to help me out? I feel a little embarrassed about practicing since I am not that good right now.
    Some college bball players can be jerks. But on the contrary there are always some down to earth ones. Defiantly no harm in asking. And if there like me they love dropping knowledge on people and seeing them get better

  15. #15
    Good college starter Burgz V2's Avatar
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    Default Re: 26 years old and want to get into basketball

    Quote Originally Posted by Heilige
    Thanks for all that, I appreciate it!

    I am a college student but I am home for the summer. Fall Semester starts back for me on August 15th, so I will be back at my college then.

    They have a gym there so I can start practicing and developing when I get there. I don't have a basketball at home.

    I was wondering do you think any of the players on the college basketball team would be willing to help me out? I feel a little embarrassed about practicing since I am not that good right now.
    alot of college players are really condescending towards newer players. That being said don't be afraid to ask anyways, you'll only need a push in the right direction you wont need them to explain everything little thing to you. Once you start developing some skill you'll have a better idea of what you need to work on trust me. But i can't stress enough, small steps, it wont happen overnight so work on one or two things at a time and keep incorporating new things over time into your practice. Watch a lot of highlights on youtube, slow it down, see how the pros do it, then copy/paste repeat.

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