A typical summer or off-season workout for the basketball post player

Bob Knight once stated, "Our spring practice begins when the last game ends." This hall of fame basketball coach has a list of basketball shooting drills for 6 year olds to NBA professionals. It would pay you to read a few of his books and articles.

You often hear, "Basketball players are made in the summer, but basketball teams are made in the winter." No truer words have ever been spoken. Your players must be in top physical condition if you expect the best possible team during a season. In order to reach this plateau, most coaches require a year-around conditioning of their players. The best players will never get out of condition.

Like Knight, most successful coaches require their athletes to work as hard in the summer as they do during the regular basketball season; therefore, they set up off-season as well as in-season conditioning programs. Here is an off-season workout that has a proven record, particularly for low-post players.

Back in 1988, the Indiana High School Athletic Association had strict rules against out-of-season contact between player and coach.

Upon leaving the position of "travelling secretary" of the Evansville Thunder CBA team, we served an old friend, Rich Risemas as a volunteer assistant at F. J. Reitz Memorial High School of Evansville, Indiana. During our stint at the professional level, and with the help of Coach Roger Brown, we compiled drills and off-season workout for Thunder veterans.

Coach Risemas had a talented group of youngsters who participated in AAU and a Summer League play during their off-season. If you have been around these activities any length of time, you know that teamwork generally takes a vacation, too. You see a lot of one-on-one because the stars want to showboat their talents to big-name college coaches present at all tournaments.

We saw a need to help these high school youngsters understand the differences in AAU, Summer Leagues and high school competition. This gave birth to our "Summer Manual For the Basketball Gym Rat" which we distributed to all "Tiger" players that would return next fall. These players carried the manual with them on their AAU journeys and even shared it with teammates.

We don't claim this to be the reason for the Tiger's success during the 1988-1989 season when they came within 3 victories of becoming Indiana State Champions, but undoubtedly it played a small part. Memorial's record that season was 20 wins and 7 losses. They captured a strong Evansville Sectional, Regional Champs only to lose in a close fought battle in the final game of the Semi-State.

Before the AAU or summer leagues start, many coaches meet with their players individually, evaluate their play during the past season, and give him, or her, a written list of the things that player needs to concentrate on in his off-season workouts. At that time he issues a daily workout form especially designed for that particular player. He usually has one designed for perimeter players and one for post players.

High School Coaches, Ken Lindsay's "Summer Manual For the Basketball Gym Rat" is not guaranteed to win championships for you, but it will help your returning players hone their individual skills.

Daily workout for Post Players

Ball Handling	Drills without dribbling - 5 minutes Drills with dribbling - 5 minutes Drills using two balls - 5 minutes
Passing	All types with both hands especially baseball, outlet, flick and bounce.
Foot Quickness	Jump Rope - 5 minutes at 3/4 speed for endurance. Jump Rope - 15 seconds off right foot for quickness. Jump Rope - 15 seconds off left foot for quickness. Jump Rope - 15 seconds alternating feet. Jump Rope - 15 seconds on both feet. Do 3 repetitions of each with 30 seconds rest between the quick sets. Run Steps - Up to build leg strength and down to build quickness - Six repetitions of 15-20 seconds each. Run Hills - Jog down and sprint up - Six repetitions of 15-20 seconds each. Intervals - Sprint straight-aways on a track and jog on curves. Alternate up to one mile. (Build to running 2-3 miles a day at 7 to 8 seconds.) To build additional quickness and leg strength run backwards or sideways, picking up your feet and putting them down quickly.
Rebounding	Six and In - 4 repetitions on each side of the basket. Superman Drill - 4 repetitions of 10. Tap Drill - 4 repetitions of 10 with each hand. Hook Drill - 4 repetitions of 10 with each hand. Second Effort - 4 repetitions of 10 (Make last effort as many repetitions as possible. Blocking Out - Work at pivoting and holding contact.
Shooting	Spin ball to yourself, catch ball with both feet off the floor, look over baseline shoulder and Drop Step at Low Post - Practice both ways - 4 sets of 10 shots each way and on each side of the lane. Spin the ball to yourself, catch ball with both feet off the floor, look over baseline shoulder, pivot in the opposite direction, and shoot a jump shot - 4 sets of 10 shots on each side of the lane. Duck Under - Spin the ball to yourself, catch with both feet off the floor, look over baseline shoulder, pivot in opposite direction, shot fake and duck under. - 4 sets of 10 shots on each side of the lane. Step-in-Direction Hook - At the low post spin the ball to yourself, catch with both feet off the floor, look over baseline shoulder, take a long step in direction of the opposite elbow, and shoot a hook shot. - 4 sets of 10 shots on each side of the lane. At the High Post practice stationary moves for a baby jump shot or a power lay-up. - 4 sets of 15 shots on each side of the lane. Work the shot fake into every 3rd set of shots, either on the move or at the very end. Shoot 10 free throws between each set to rest - record in your notebook!

A typical summer or off-season workout for the basketball post player

Daily workout for Post Players

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