Coaches Insider

How to Create a Killer Crossover Without a Basketball

STACK — Thu, 13 Sep 2018 12:00:59 +0000

By: T. J. Allan

Perhaps no move in basketball is more devastating than the crossover. Players like Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Derrick Rose consistently embarrass defenders with this one simple move.

To build their crossover skills, most players focus on dribbling and eventually hit a wall. Their progress stalls. Adding two-basketball crossover drills to the mix might get them bit further.

Here are the three things we focus on at 4th Quarter Training to turn an average crossover into an ankle-breaking crossover.

• Dribbling. Increasing the speed and power behind the dribble, and repeating the crossover over and over again will, without question, improve the move.
• Upper Body. We work on upper-body movement, adding an almost-shoulder shake to the crossover. It adds deception and keeps the defender guessing.
• Footwork. In my experience, footwork is usually the weakest link in the chain, because players often forget how important it is. We'll focus on footwork in the workout below.

This workout can be done without a basketball. It has one simple goal—to create an explosive crossover step. If you're attacking your defender with a right-to-left crossover, if your right foot beats the defender's right foot, you've won. We like to call that a foot race, and it's what we work to improve by adding more power behind it, speeding it up and creating better force angles.

The workout may not look basketball-specific. In fact, it probably looks more like a strength and conditioning workout than an actual skill workout. It's actually a blend of the two. By removing as many distractions as possible (a basketball, a defender, a scoreboard and any wasted movement), you narrow your focus and your footwork becomes the main attraction. This results in faster improvement.

Perform this workout twice per week, and you'll develop one of the most explosive basketball crossovers in your conference.

Two key points for the drills below:

1. Your weight should be on the inside of your feet. This allows you to put force into the ground at the angles that will propel you past your defender the quickest. If your weight is on the outside of your foot, you'll have an energy leak and lose power. That's why it's so important to have proper ankle mobility and calf-complex stiffness.
2. Right before you explode past your defender, the foot you're pushing off should be outside your knee, and your knee should be outside your hip. This alignment creates an angle that produces the most power.

The Crossover Workout

Lateral Wall Drill

• Stand about 12 inches away from and perpendicular to a wall.
• Extend your inside arm against the wall
• Don't just lean against the wall; imagine trying to hold it up.
• With your inside foot lightly touching the ground, flex your hip and knee to almost 90 degrees by pushing through the inside of the foot farthest from the wall. You should be in a single-leg stance.
• Hold that position for 10 seconds—core tight, body tall and driving through the inside of the foot farthest from the wall.
• Repeat for the required number of sets and reps on each leg.

Sets/Reps: 3x5 each leg

Load and Lift

• Same drill as above, but before you flex your inside hip and knee, perform a loaded Single-Leg Squat with your outside leg and drive your inside knee to almost 90 degrees.
• Concentrate on pushing from the inside of the foot farthest from the wall.
• Hold that position for two seconds.
• Repeat for the required number of sets and reps on each leg.

Sets/Reps: 3x8 each leg

Band Shuffle and Stick

• Place a band or bungee around your waist and have a partner stand directly beside you.
• Get into an athletic position—hips back, knees over toes and chest up.
• Place your weight on the inside of your feet.
• When your partner says "go," perform one lateral shuffle, driving off the inside of the foot closest to your partner.
• Reset and continue for the required number of sets and reps on each leg.

Sets/Reps: 3x8 each leg

Perpendicular Med Ball Throws

• Stand perpendicular to a wall holding a light medicine ball (12 pounds or less) in a scoop position, like you're scooping water.
• Load your back hip by shifting your weight down and back. Again, it's extremely important to load the inside of your back foot.
• Drive through the ground by pushing with the inside of your back foot and snap the ball into the wall. At the end of the rep, you should be almost fully extended.
• Reset and continue for the required number of sets and reps on each leg.

Sets/Reps: 3x6 each leg

Skater Jumps

• Starting in an athletic position, perform lateral hops from one foot to the other.
• Before each jump, swing your inside leg (the one not touching the ground) behind your other leg.
• As you jump, push through the inside of your foot.
• Land softly and under control.
• Reset and repeat for the required number of sets and reps in each direction.

Sets/Reps: 3x10 each direction

Band-Resisted Crossover Step

• Set up a folding chair 6 to 8 inches in front of you, place a band or bungee around your waist, and have a partner stand slightly behind you and to your side.
• Assume an athletic position with your weight on the inside of your feet similar to how you would if you had a basketball and the chair was your defender.
• When your partner says "go," extend the leg closest to him toward your partner, like you would if you were crossing someone over. It should only move 6 to 8 inches depending on the length of your leg.
• The foot farthest from your partner should not move. Imagine that it's nailed to the floor.
• As soon as your outside foot touches the ground, drive off the inside of that foot and rapidly propel it past the first leg of the chair.
• Finish in a lunge position with the defender (chair) on your hip. If you are crossing over from right to left and the chair is your defender, picture the left leg of the chair, if facing you, as the
defender's foot. • Reset and repeat for the required number of sets and reps on each leg.

Sets/Reps: 3x12 each leg

Band-Assisted Crossover Step

• Same drill as above, except your partner stands in front of you lightly pulling you to the chair leg you are attacking.
• If you are crossing over from right to left, your partner stands behind the back leg of the chair your working leg is moving toward (the left leg of the chair if it's facing you).
• Reset and repeat for the required number of sets and repetitions on each leg.

Sets/Reps: 3x12 each leg

Crossover with Basketball (optional)

• Using the chair from the last drill, grab a basketball and perform 100 crossovers from the right side and 100 from the left.
• You should immediately notice that you're pushing a lot harder from the inside foot of your leg.
• Really focus on attacking the leg of the chair and exploding past it.

Sets/Reps: 1x100 each leg

How to Create a Killer Crossover Without a Basketball

STACK — Thu, 13 Sep 2018 12:00:30 +0000

By: T. J. Allan

Provided by: STACK

Perhaps no move in basketball is more devastating than the crossover. Players like Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Derrick Rose consistently embarrass defenders with this one simple move.

To build their crossover skills, most players focus on dribbling and eventually hit a wall. Their progress stalls. Adding two-basketball crossover drills to the mix might get them bit further.

Here are the three things we focus on at 4th Quarter Training to turn an average crossover into an ankle-breaking crossover.

Perform this workout twice per week, and you'll develop one of the most explosive basketball crossovers in your conference.

Two key points for the drills below:

The Crossover Workout

Lateral Wall Drill

Sets/Reps: 3x5 each leg

Load and Lift

Sets/Reps: 3x8 each leg

Band Shuffle and Stick

Sets/Reps: 3x8 each leg

Perpendicular Med Ball Throws

Sets/Reps: 3x6 each leg

Skater Jumps

Sets/Reps: 3x10 each direction

Band-Resisted Crossover Step

Sets/Reps: 3x12 each leg

Band-Assisted Crossover Step

Sets/Reps: 3x12 each leg

Crossover with Basketball (optional)

Sets/Reps: 1x100 each leg

4-Week Upper-Body Mass Workout

STACK — Thu, 23 Aug 2018 12:00:02 +0000

By: Bill DeLongis

Provided by: STACK

Upper-Body Mass Workout

Guidelines

• Perform the recommended weekly set and reps for each exercise.
• Perform grouped exercises (A and B) in superset fashion with no rest between exercises. Rest one minute between sets.
• Write down the result of each workout, so you have a benchmark you can try to exceed. If you cannot complete the reps listed with proper form, reduce the weight.
• Warm up before all workouts. Read this article on common warm-up mistakes.
• Each workout should last no longer than an hour, including your warm-up and eight to 10 minutes of core work.
• Perform the workout twice a week. Devote another two days to your lower body. Take 48 to 72 hours off between upper-body days and lower-body days.
• Before starting this workout, you will need to know your one-rep max on the Bench Press. Read this article to learn how to calculate your one-rep max.

Your week can look like this:

• Monday: Upper body
• Tuesday: Lower body
• Wednesday: Off
• Thursday: Upper body
• Friday: Lower body
• Weekend: Off

Max Effort Day (Upper Body, Day 1)

1. Bench Press

Week 1
• 2x5
• 1x3
• 3x5 @ 65%, 75%, 85%

Week 2
• 2x5
• 1x3
• 3x3 @ 70%, 80%, 90%

Week 3
• 2x5
• 1x3
• 1x5 @ 75%
• 1x3 @ 85%
• 1x1 @ 95%

Week 4
• 4x10 @ 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%

Coaching Points:

• The first three sets are warm-up sets. Your max will determine how many warm-up sets you need.
• Rest 2-3 minutes between sets to recover.
• The percentage listed is based on your one-rep max.
• For weight percentages, follow the order in parentheses. For example: 2x10 (80%, 90%) means do the first set of 10 reps at 80% of your max and the second set at 90%.
• If you reach the prescribed reps on the final set and feel like you can perform more, continue the set until failure. Be sure to use a spotter.

2A. Incline Barbell Bench Press (Weeks 1 & 3) / Standing Military Press (Weeks 2 & 4)

• 2x5 (warm-up sets)
• 3x5 @75-85%

2B. Pull-Ups

• 1x50

Coaching Points

• Do as many Pull-Ups as you can between sets until you reach 50 reps.
• If you complete more than 12 reps per set, add extra weight.

3. Row Variation (Seated Cable Row, 1-Arm Row, etc.)

• 4x4-8

4. Row Variation (Choose a row that targets the upper back, like the T-Bar Row or Meadows Row)

• 3x8-12

5A. Bicep Curl Variation

• 3x8-12

5B. Dips

• 3x8-12

Dynamic Effort Day (Upper Body, Day 2)

1. Speed Bench Press

• 1x5 @ 30% of 1 rep max
• 1x4 @ 40% of 1 rep max
• 8x3 @ 50-60% of 1 rep max

Coaching Points

• The percentages help determine the load, but they can be changed. Bar speed is important. If the bar isn't moving quickly, the weight is too heavy.
• If you have chains or bands, use them during this exercise.
• Rest 60 seconds between sets.
• This exercise helps you develop rate of force development (RFD), teaches you to accelerate the bar (so those max-effort lifts can be performed fast enough to avoid failure in the middle of a rep) and allows you to perfect your form.

2A. Push Press (Weeks 1 & 3)

• 1x5 (warm-up set)
• 3x3-6 (choose a weight 40-60% of your 1 rep max and work on bar speed)

2B. Varying Grips Bench Press (Weeks 2 & 4)

• 3x6/6/6

Coaching Points

• Pick a weight with which you can maintain bar speed and perform 6 Close Grip reps, 6 Normal Grip reps and 6 Wide Grip reps.
• Do not rest between sets.

2B. Chin-Ups x50 (Weeks 1-4)

• Do as many Chin-Ups as you can between sets of Push Presses until you reach 50 reps.
• If you complete more than 12 reps per set, add extra weight.

3. Plyo Push-Up

• 3x6-10

4A. Row Variation

• 3x10-15

4B. Band Pull-Aparts

• 3x15

5. 4-Way Shoulder

• 2-3x12

The Hidden Pitch Count That’s Causing Tommy John Surgery

STACK — Thu, 09 Aug 2018 12:00:30 +0000

By: Andy Haley

Provided by: STACK

The possibility of needing Tommy John surgery is a dark cloud that hangs over baseball players, especially pitchers and catchers. Some wonder when, not whether, they will have to undergo the surgery.

If you're not familiar with Tommy John surgery, read more here.

For high school baseball players, the rate of Tommy John injuries goes up 9 percent every year despite our awareness of the injury and efforts to prevent it. Mandatory pitch count limits and rest days required by baseball's governing bodies simply aren't working.

And even the best training and arm care programs aren't doing the job for many athletes.

Why? There's a cultural problem in baseball that can't be fixed by a single strategy.

To learn more, we talked to Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz and Dr. E. Lyle Cain, renown orthopaedic surgeon at the Andrews Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center.

There's More to it Than Pitch Counts

"There's this general philosophy that only the strong survive or only elite athletes get to the next level," says Smoltz.

This mindset leads baseball players and their parents to believe that playing more is always better. You might play on several teams during the same season, have skill instruction on your off-days and throw bullpen sessions.

Although you might not throw over a certain number of pitches in a single game, there's a good chance you are throwing throughout the week.

Everybody looks at game pitch counts, but the reality is any kind of maximum effort pitching, which includes pitching instruction, bullpen to some degree - part of the bullpen includes throwing in live batting situations and off-season throwing practice and instruction are all part of the same process," explains Dr. Cain.

Bottom line: Young pitchers are probably throwing far more than they realize.

The more you throw, the less time you give your arm to recover. The result is increased fatigue, inflammation and stress on your arm structures - in this case, the UCL ligament - which gradually leads to an injury.

For pitchers, the issue is even worse because of the emphasis on velocity.

"When you focus just on velocity, high-velocity pitchers by nature put more stress on the joints," says Cain. "So it doesn't matter whether you do it in an effective manner or an ineffective manner, power and velocity means more stress, and the guys that are doing that are throwing more innings, more pitches and longer throughout the year. It's a recipe for disaster really."

To make matters worse, baseball is often played all year long to some extent - even in cold weather states. There are teams for almost every season, along with showcases where you are told you have to attend or run the risk of being overlooked by coaches and scouts. Or you work diligently with a throwing coach in the weeks or months you have off from baseball.

Put simply, this is a huge problem, because you don't give yourself an off-season.

"Pitches are accumulative so you never give the elbow or shoulder the ability to rest," Cain says. "Overuse doesn't mean you have to play in a competitive game 12 months out of a year. It just means that you use the same muscles and joints over and over again without a period of rest.

"We've got to start listening to these statistics. We've gotta stop this madness of year-round baseball," adds Smoltz. "It's not healthy. It's not healthy for a big leaguer, let alone for a youngster who is trying to get to that level and trying to play baseball as long as he can."

So how do we fix this problem? Cain and Smoltz have a few practical recommendations:

1. Schedule an Off-Season

"I think that specifically in baseball we feel that it's important for baseball players, especially pitchers and catchers who do a lot of overhead throwing, to have at least three or four months of rest from throwing each year," says Dr. Cain. "You have to have an off-season. You can still condition. You can still stay in shape. You can still play other sports. But to throw a baseball more than eight months out of the year is probably not good for your arm. We think that's a lot of the reason kids are developing overuse injuries at a younger and younger age."

2. Play Multiple Sports

As Cain alludes to, playing multiple sports is a great way to protect your arm by giving it a break from the repetitiveness of baseball that leads to injury.

"I grew up in Michigan. I had seasons. I played basketball when it was basketball season, football and baseball. The only thing I didn't do was put ice skates on," Smoltz says.

As an added benefit, multi-sport athletes are generally superior athletes, because playing several sports develops a more complete athletic skillset. Yes, there may come a time when you need to specialize, but it's a smart decision to play more than one sport as long as you can—even if this is counter to the culture of baseball.

Tony Gentilcore, a Boston-based strength coach who has extensive experience working with baseball players, explains the dangers of specializing in one sport too soon in this article.

3. Focus on Location and Precision

The importance placed on velocity from a young age is so dangerous that Smoltz suggests banning radar guns.

"If [baseball] was played just purely in its season and we didn't have overuse, then there would still be a problem with high velocity," Smoltz adds.

It's better to develop sound fundamentals and precise pitches than to glorify velocity, especially at a young age. As your strength develops, your velocity will gradually improve and you will ultimately pitch at a speed that your body can handle.

4. Prepare Your Arm Before Your Season

One of the worst mistakes you can make is failing to prepare your arm for your season, or even a tournament. If your muscles and structures aren't prepared, they are even more susceptible to injury.

The solution is simple: Start a throwing program before your season.

"In youth baseball, it's important that kids build their arm strength up before the season actually starts and they're in competition," says Cain. "We recommend at most ages a 4- to 6-week throwing program to get their arms in shape before they start the season."

5. Limit Pressure on Young Baseball Players

Parents want their kids to get involved in everything available to have the greatest chance of succeeding. And they emphasize quick results instead of thinking about the long-term consequences.

Smoltz frequently experiences this situation. Parents brag about their son's ERA, and he's not even a teenager. He says, "That means absolutely nothing, and you're talking to the most competitive guy in the world. We're allowing our kids to become rockstars in some cases, and they go all the way to the Little League World Series and we're allowing our kids to experience a risk that is not worth that risk."

If a young baseball player is a stud and shows promise, he will not be at a disadvantage if he doesn't participate in every baseball-related activity. In fact, he will likely be better off when it matters, later in his career.

4 Lifts to Build Wrestling Strength

STACK — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 01:00:22 +0000

By: Jay Mendoza

Provided by: STACK

Building a foundation of wrestling strength doesn't require fancy equipment, but it does require persistent progression and compound movements. Isolation exercises like Curls and Triceps Extensions won't have much carryover to success on the mat.

Here are four simple lifts that will build strength for both beginners and more experienced wrestlers. As you improve, be sure to progress these movements by increasing weight or reps.

1. Trap (Hex) Bar Deadlift

No lift activates more muscles than the Deadlift. The Deadlift improves your grip for wrist control, 2-on-1's, and Russian Ties. It also challenges your core, hips and back unlike any other exercise. Good wrestlers have strong hips that can withstand takedowns and breakdowns. A solid back will re-establish a proper stance and help you resist when working from the bottom position.

• Stand in the middle of the trap bar with a shoulder-width stance.
• Position your hands so your ring finger is lined up in the middle of the handles.
• Keeping your back flat and your chest up, drive the ground away from you and stand up.
• Brace your core throughout the entire movement to keep your spine and low back safe.
• Always perform this as your main movement for the day, but limit Trap Bar Deadlifting to 2-3 times per week.

Sets/Reps: 5x5, resting 2-3 minutes between sets.

2. Walking Lunges

All matches start with wrestlers on their feet, so you need a strong neutral position. Walking Lunges develop superior leg strength that will translate into powerful single-leg and double-leg takedowns.

• Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand.
• Take a big step forward, and drop your rear knee until it is only a few inches off the ground and your front leg is bent at a 90-degree angle.
• Drive off your front heel and step right into the next lunge.
• Always keep your chest up during Lunges, as this will eliminate assistance from your back and put most of the load on your legs.
• I recommend stepping right into the next lunge (as opposed to stepping the feet together between reps to recover balance).

Sets/Reps: 3-4x8-12. Lunges can be performed as your secondary lower-body exercise 2-3 times per week.

3. Farmer's Walk

The Farmer's Walk is kicking the Deadlift up a notch. When performing the Farmer's Walk, you challenge your grip, traps and entire shoulder complex to hold on to the weight and remain stable. Your core is forced to stay tight, and your erectors are activated to maintain an upright posture. Your hips, legs and ankles work together to stay strong and keep yourself moving. Many lifts are performed stationary, but the Farmer's Walk requires you to move in an unfamiliar plane, which challenges your muscles differently. The Farmer's Walk is a great tool to work strength from all angles and improve neutral position. It can done holding onto dumbbells or the trap bar.

• Grip placement is the same as for the Trap Bar Deadlift, with the ring finger placed in the middle of the handle. Be sure to pick up the weights with good form.
• Your back should be flat, your chest up, and your legs used to drive.
• Establish an erect position with your core braced, your elbows locked out and your shoulder blades pinched back.
• Walk forward in short, quick steps.
• Stand tall and keep your eyes and chin up.

Sets/Duration: 3x30 seconds. Perform this as accessory work toward the latter part of your workout, no more than twice a week. Try to cover as much ground as possible in the time allotted.

4. Chest-Supported Row

Strong pulling muscles will help you dictate the match. A well-built back will help you maintain control and finish takedowns. It will also help you keep your opponent close when you are riding top position.

• Lie face down on a bench inclined at 45 degrees.
• Hold a dumbbell in each hand and let them hang at your sides.
• Without using momentum, pull your elbows back and pinch your shoulder blades at the top.
• Always keep your elbows tucked close to your sides.

Sets/Reps: 3-4x6-10. Do these as accessory work 2-4 times per week.

New Study Reveals the Best Area to Aim for When Making a Tackle

STACK — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 17:08:59 +0000

New Study Reveals the Best Area to Aim for When Making a Tackle

By: Brandon Hall

Provided by: STACK

The safest place to target a ball carrier when making a tackle?

According to a new study from Trinity College Dublin, it's the lower trunk.

Bioengineers used a combination of video analysis, 3-D motion analysis lab trials and model-based image-matching techniques to come to that conclusion.

The study, which centered around rugby players, found that tacklers aiming for the upper trunk or upper legs were at the greatest risk of head injury, while those aiming for the lower trunk were at the lowest risk. From ScienceDaily:

Prevention strategies should place emphasis on tackling lower-risk body regions such as the lower trunk, as nearly four out of five (77%) tackler HIAs are caused by tackles to the upper trunk (47%) and upper legs (30%). Specific tackler recommendations include:

• Make contact at the lower trunk.

• Take shorter, faster steps when approaching the ball carrier.

• Avoid planting feet.

• Keep head up and face the ball carrier.

• Do not look at the ground.

• Place head on the correct side of the ball carrier.

• Protecting the ball carrier.

The bioengineers also found that high-impact tackles to the upper trunk also put the ball carrier at greater risk of head injury, even if there's no direct contact to the head. The following diagram outlines the researchers findings:

While the study centered around elite rugby players, it could have major ramifications for American football players, as well.

Research from 2015 found that implementing helmet-less tackling drills on a regular basis helped a Division I football team both improve their tackling ability and reduce overall head impacts by 30%.

The Best Two-Ball Dribbling Drills

STACK — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 06:58:49 +0000

The Best Two-Ball Dribbling Drills

By: Kyle Scadlock

Provided by: STACK

Dribbling with two basketballs at a time is a useful way to improve your handle and expose potential weaknesses in your off-hand. Two-ball dribbling drills force you to work on ball control as well as develop more fluid dribbling patterns and rhythm with the ball.

Because you are using both hands at the same time, you need a higher level of coordination. And if your weak hand cannot keep up with your dominant hand or maintain the same control, two-ball drills will reveal ways in which you can improve your weak-hand dribbling.

Here are some of the best two-ball drills you can use to practice your ball handling:

Front Crossover and Hand-off

• Start on the baseline with both basketballs held at about waist level.

• Advance up the court at a walking pace.

• As you start to walk, cross one ball over to your opposite hand (with a dribble) and simultaneously transfer the other ball to the hand you used to dribble with an exchange at your waist.

• Repeat this pattern as you walk down the court. You will always be using the same ball to crossover and the same ball to exchange hands, back and forth as you go.

• Go twice down the full length of the court and back.

Two-Ball Juggling

• Start on the baseline with both basketballs held at about waist level.

• Advance up the court at a walking pace.

• Similar to the previous drill, start by crossing one ball over to your opposite hand and transfer the other ball between your hands with a hand-off at the waist.

• For two-ball juggling however, continue this movement in a circular pattern instead of a repeated back and forth.

• The basketballs will continuously go from being crossed over, to handed off, to crossed over, and back again as you move down the court.

• With this drill, once you feel like you have it down, try to get lower and dribble the balls faster around your knee/mid thigh level while keeping your eyes up.

• Go twice across the full length of the court and back.

Front V-Dribble

• Start on the baseline and dribble the basketballs simultaneously in front of your body around your knee level in a low, athletic stance.

• Dribble the balls from side to side in a V pattern in front of you while keeping each ball in the same hand (roll your hand over the top of the ball as you push it outside/inside).

• The basketballs should be traveling in the same direction and at the same pace as you remain in a low stance and walk or shuffle up the court.

• Go once across the full length of the court and back.

° Variation: Opposite - Instead of dribbling the balls in unison, in the same direction, dribble them in the opposite direction of each other. So both balls will be pushed inward, then both pushed outward.

Side V-Dribble

• In this drill you will dribble one ball on each side of your body in a fashion similar to the "Front V-Dribble."

• Start on the baseline and dribble the basketballs simultaneously around your knee level, outside of each of your legs in a low, athletic stance.

• Dribble the balls from front to back on the sides of your body.

• The balls will be traveling in unison as you advance up the court, so they will be dribbled from front to back at the same time and pace in the V pattern.

• Go once across the full length of the court and back.

° Variation: Opposite - Instead of dribbling the balls in unison, in the same direction, dribble them opposite each other. So one ball will be pushed forward as one is pushed back, this back and forth will be repeated continuously.

High-Low

• Start on the baseline and dribble the basketballs simultaneously in front of your body around your knee level in a low athletic stance.

• Dribble one ball lower, around your ankle level and take the other ball higher, around your shoulder/neck level.

• Dribble the low ball as quickly as you can while pounding the high ball as hard and fast as you can while maintaining control.

• Advance up the length of the court at a walking pace, then switch which height you use for each hand before coming back.

In-And-Out Dribbles

• Start on the baseline and dribble the basketballs simultaneously in front of your body around your knee level.

• At a jogging pace advance up the court while keeping the simultaneous dribbles going.

• With one hand perform an in-and-out move along with a quick step outward with the corresponding leg.

• Repeat this move every other dribble as you advance down the court.

• Switch the designated in-and-out hand once you have made it to the opposite baseline.

• Go once across the full length of the court and back.

Zig-Zags

• Start in the corner of the baseline and take two or three simultaneous dribbles toward the center of the court before making a move and then taking two or three more dribbles up the court toward the sideline.

• Zig-zag back and forth up the court at a running pace, while dribbling the basketballs at a height between your knee and waist.

• At each change of direction make one of the following moves:

° Crossover

° Between the legs

° Behind the back crossover

° Behind the back wrap around

• Perform each of these moves while zig-zagging down the length of the court and back, then move on to the next move.

• Finally, perform a speed dribble down and back twice, one while using a simultaneous dribble, one while using an alternating dribble.

• During the speed dribble, still zig-zag, but just change directions and continue to dribble instead of making a move.

The Best Two-Ball Dribbling Drills

STACK — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 06:55:48 +0000

The Best Two-Ball Dribbling Drills

By: Kyle Scadlock

Here are some of the best two-ball drills you can use to practice your ball handling:

Front Crossover and Hand-off

• Start on the baseline with both basketballs held at about waist level.

• Advance up the court at a walking pace.

• As you start to walk, cross one ball over to your opposite hand (with a dribble) and simultaneously transfer the other ball to the hand you used to dribble with an exchange at your waist.

• Repeat this pattern as you walk down the court. You will always be using the same ball to crossover and the same ball to exchange hands, back and forth as you go.

• Go twice down the full length of the court and back.

Two-Ball Juggling

• Start on the baseline with both basketballs held at about waist level.

• Advance up the court at a walking pace.

• Similar to the previous drill, start by crossing one ball over to your opposite hand and transfer the other ball between your hands with a hand-off at the waist.

• For two-ball juggling however, continue this movement in a circular pattern instead of a repeated back and forth.

• The basketballs will continuously go from being crossed over, to handed off, to crossed over, and back again as you move down the court.

• With this drill, once you feel like you have it down, try to get lower and dribble the balls faster around your knee/mid thigh level while keeping your eyes up.

• Go twice across the full length of the court and back.

Front V-Dribble

• Start on the baseline and dribble the basketballs simultaneously in front of your body around your knee level in a low, athletic stance.

• Dribble the balls from side to side in a V pattern in front of you while keeping each ball in the same hand (roll your hand over the top of the ball as you push it outside/inside).

• The basketballs should be traveling in the same direction and at the same pace as you remain in a low stance and walk or shuffle up the court.

• Go once across the full length of the court and back.

Side V-Dribble

• In this drill you will dribble one ball on each side of your body in a fashion similar to the "Front V-Dribble."

• Start on the baseline and dribble the basketballs simultaneously around your knee level, outside of each of your legs in a low, athletic stance.

• Dribble the balls from front to back on the sides of your body.

• The balls will be traveling in unison as you advance up the court, so they will be dribbled from front to back at the same time and pace in the V pattern.

• Go once across the full length of the court and back.

High-Low

• Start on the baseline and dribble the basketballs simultaneously in front of your body around your knee level in a low athletic stance.

• Dribble one ball lower, around your ankle level and take the other ball higher, around your shoulder/neck level.

• Dribble the low ball as quickly as you can while pounding the high ball as hard and fast as you can while maintaining control.

• Advance up the length of the court at a walking pace, then switch which height you use for each hand before coming back.

In-And-Out Dribbles

• Start on the baseline and dribble the basketballs simultaneously in front of your body around your knee level.

• At a jogging pace advance up the court while keeping the simultaneous dribbles going.

• With one hand perform an in-and-out move along with a quick step outward with the corresponding leg.

• Repeat this move every other dribble as you advance down the court.

• Switch the designated in-and-out hand once you have made it to the opposite baseline.

• Go once across the full length of the court and back.

Zig-Zags

• Zig-zag back and forth up the court at a running pace, while dribbling the basketballs at a height between your knee and waist.

• At each change of direction make one of the following moves:

° Crossover

° Between the legs

° Behind the back crossover

° Behind the back wrap around

• Perform each of these moves while zig-zagging down the length of the court and back, then move on to the next move.

• Finally, perform a speed dribble down and back twice, one while using a simultaneous dribble, one while using an alternating dribble.

• During the speed dribble, still zig-zag, but just change directions and continue to dribble instead of making a move.

Why Soccer Players Should Strength Train

STACK — Wed, 11 Jul 2018 08:49:01 +0000

Why Soccer Players Should Strength Train

By: Tyler Tredway

Provided by: STACK

The weight room can be an intimidating place. Especially if you're the youngest, smallest or weakest player on your soccer team.

High school soccer players often get the reputation of being petite and weak. And if I'm being 100 percent honest, my high school soccer team used our weight room hours to flip through soccer catalogs and find the coolest pair of boots. We figured we were soccer players - we needed to be small and quick on our feet, not a bunch of muscle heads, right?

In most high school soccer programs, weight training is a foreign concept. Many coaches grew up in a time where proper training wasn't taught, and strength and conditioning coaches weren't available, so naturally, they may not find it important to get their team inside the weight room. But this doesn't mean the modern high school soccer player doesn't want to train. In fact, when I brought a proven strength training plan to my high school soccer kids, they were all-in on the concept. They had no former training with the exception of a few Bicep Curls in their basement done with the intent of filling out their shirt sleeves. They were essentially a blank slate, and we had a chance for them to improve many areas where their games were lacking.

The players welcomed the new challenge and the results were tremendous. This group of players went on to record the best record and the most wins in school history. Although those achievements cannot be solely attributed to the strength training program, I believe it played a key role in their success.

Soccer is a grueling game. It entails 80 to 90 minutes of constant running, hard contact with no pads, constant cutting, elevating to win 50-50 balls, trying to kick a small ball as powerfully and accurately as possible, etc. Choosing to run countless miles in the offseason is a popular conditioning option for most soccer teams, but consistently winning one-on-one battles during the course of a soccer game takes a whole lot more than good endurance. That's why I believe strength training is crucial for every soccer athlete.

So let's say you've decided you want to take your training seriously and prepare for the upcoming soccer season. Your coach doesn't know much about training and your school doesn't have access to a strength and conditioning coach. How do you go about getting stronger? Here are a few tips to keep in mind.

1. No Weight Room? Use Your Body Weight

If you don't have access to a coach or weight room, start with basic bodyweight movements. Pull-Ups, Push-Ups, Planks, Squats, Lunges and Sprints will provide you with a strong foundation, and all can be progressed with slight tweaks to become more challenging. Pistol Squats, for example, are a big step up from your standard Bodyweight Squat. As long as you are moving with proper form, you are very unlikely to get injured with these type of bodyweight exercises, yet the strength you can gain can be astonishing. Simply mastering basic bodyweight exercises and making them a regular part of your routine will seriously elevate your game.

2. Get Down With GPP

GPP stands for general physical preparedness. This means your body is built and ready to withstand anything you throw at it, which is perfect for soccer players. GPP generally entails training your posterior chain (non-beach muscles) such as the hamstrings, calves, lower back, glutes and rear delts. Basically anything on the backside of your body between your neck and your ankles should be trained. There's a reason the muscles on the front of your body are often referred to as the "show" muscles while the muscles on the back of your body are referred to as the "go" muscles: Those pecs may look great in the mirror, but it's the muscles in your posterior chain that will really make the difference come game time. Some of my favorite ways to train the posterior chain include Glute Hamstring Raises, Sled Pushes, Sled Pulls, loaded carries and Planks.

3. Keep it Simple, Keep it Strong

There are thousands of exercises at your disposal, and just about as many different pieces of equipment you can utilize. But for young athletes, basic exercises such as Squats, Deadlifts, Presses, Rows and explosive movements will yield the greatest gains. You can scale all of these exercises to meet your training level and stay injury-free while you gain strength. When it comes to building your strength workouts, keep it simple by choosing one heavy compound movement, two to three accessory movements, one to two core movements, and a conditioning exercise. New athletes should aim to train for 40 minutes to one hour in the weight room, two to three times a week. Don't forget to fuel your body sufficiently with proper nutrition and rest, or else all that work in the weight room won't be worth much.

A Wrestling Warm-Up That Will Prepare Your Body for the Mat

STACK — Thu, 21 Jun 2018 14:32:12 +0000

A Wrestling Warm-Up That Will Prepare Your Body for the Mat

By: Nic Shea

Provided by: STACK

A wrestling warm-up should be different from a warm-up for cross country, basketball or weight training. A wrestling warm-up should be specific for the sport, focused on reducing injury, increasing flexibility and improving performance.

However, a cloud of confusion exists over static stretching, dynamic stretching and their relationship with flexibility, power and performance.

Traditionally, coaches start with static stretching or light aerobic work followed by static stretching. People like to hold onto traditions, and they tend to fall in love with "the way we've always done it!"

A second wave of confusion likely comes from studies reporting decrements in performance after performing static stretching. However, in 2011 a review of over 100 studies concluded that static stretching improves flexibility, with the caveat that static stretches should not be held for more than 60 seconds if part of a warm-up.

But often, this is where uninformed wrestling warm-ups end. Range of motion may be improved, but little is done to actually prepare the body for high performance on the mat.

This is where dynamic stretching comes into play.

Dynamic stretching includes sprint mechanics drills (e.g., Power Skips), active stretches (e.g., Reverse Lunges With Overhead Reach), calisthenics (e.g., Jumping Jacks), hurdle drills or any other exercise that takes the body through the ranges of motion used on the mat. This type of work has been shown to improve speed (2009), strength (2009), flexibility (2007) and increase muscle activity (2008).

Yes, you read that right. Wrestlers should work on sprint mechanics even though they don't actually sprint on the mat.

The position and shin angles of sprinters are similar to the position and shin angles of a leg attack. Great open leg attackers are able to extend their hips fast. This involves coordinating the glutes and hamstrings. A sprinter must coordinate his glutes and hamstrings for hip extension, otherwise he will be slow.

See where I'm going with this? There is much crossover from sprinting to wrestling, especially from the acceleration portion of a sprint.

In addition, before taking the mat, wrestlers should use a method called post-activation potentiation (PAP) to maximize their explosive power.

PAP is typically used during strength training workouts to maximize explosive power. A strength exercise such as a near maximal Squat is followed by a plyometric movement that uses a similar movement, such as a Squat Jump, to trick the nervous system into creating more power.

However, it can also be used to prepare for a wrestling match.

A study out of the University of Oregon found that horizontal jump performance improved after a dynamic warm-up combined with 5 sets of Power Snatch (68-77% of 1RM). The study didn't look at wrestling specifically, but few moves are more similar to the skills needed for wrestling than the Horizontal Jump.

How do you use PAP? It's simple.

After your dynamic warm-up, perform a lift that induces PAP, such as squatting as fast as possible for 3-5 sets of 1 rep at 95% 1RM. Rest for 5 minutes after the lift before you get on the mat. Now that you understand the concepts, here is my recommended wrestling warm-up for both novice and advanced wrestlers.

Warm-Up for Wrestlers

• Jog or Airdyne Bike - 3-4 minutes
• Light stretch (Hip flexors, hamstrings, calves, lats) - 2-3 minutes
• A-Skips - 2x15 seconds with 30 seconds rest
• Power Skips - 3x10 seconds with 45 seconds rest
• Wall-Acceleration Drill - 1x8 each leg, each exercise
• Block Starts - 5-6 with 1 minute rest
• Olympic lift (Power Clean, Snatch, etc) - 3x2 @ 60-90% max

Final word: if you've found a way to warm up for wrestling that improve your performance, use it and spread the word! Certainly some aspects of performance can elude scientists. You need to do what works best for you.