Agility: Agility is the ability to execute movement with both speed and accuracy. This is the top priority for basketball for the simple fact that it would be a completely different game without agility, as most of the moves within the game include the need for agility, like dribbling and trying to get around someone to shoot a goal. A good test for agility in basketball is the “lane agility drill” and it goes as follows: The Lane Agility Drill is a test of agility in the basketball player. The running course is set up around the basketball key. This test is part of the fitness testing battery for the SPARQ basketball and NBA Draft, and their protocol is listed here. Purpose: this is a test of speed, body control and the ability to change direction (agility). Equipment required: stopwatch or timing gates, measuring tape, 6 marker cones, a basketball court. Pre-test: Explain the test procedures to the subject. Perform screening of health risks and obtain informed consent. Prepare forms and record basic information such as age, height, body weight, gender, test conditions. Measure and mark out the course. Ensure that the subjects are adequately warmed-up. See more details of pre-test procedures. Test layout: Set up the cones as illustrated in the diagram. The test is based on the pro-sized foul lane (16’ wide x 19’ deep). If using a High School sized court (lane width is only 12 feet) or other non-standard court dimensions, the markers may need to set outside the lane markings. Basketball Agility Drill procedure: Start with one foot behind the start line, no rocking movement allowed. Hand timing starts from first movement from the set position. Run forwards to the baseline. At the cone, change movement to a side shuffle, and move sideways to the right across the baseline. At the next cone back pedal up the lane to the foul line, then side shuffle left back towards the start line. Here the subject touches the floor at a point even with the starting cone, then reverses direction to return back around the course to complete another revolution. First side shuffle right, forward sprint, side shuffle left then back pedal to complete the test. Remain facing forwards towards the baseline throughout the test. Two trials are allowed. Scoring: Record the best time to complete the test in seconds to the nearest two decimal places. A foul includes moving or knocking down a cone, cutting a corner of the drill, sprinting sideways instead of defensive-shuffling, crossing your feet, not touching the change-of-direction line, or falling down. The table below lists expected score ranges for players of different positions. Speed: Speed is the ability to execute movement as an increased pace. This is the second priority for basketball because it is needed for avoiding opponents. Basketball is a very “attack/defend” oriented game, which needs a certain amount of speed to be able to dodge these other attackers. Some drills for speed in basketball include: Full Court Sprints: Implementing full court sprints into your regimen three to four times a week will give you the most bang for your buck if you do them properly. Start on one baseline of the court and sprint as fast as you can to the opposite baseline. We highly recommend keeping a record of your time for each sprint to measure improvement. It’s crucial that your rest time between sets is at least four times longer than it takes you to complete the set. The goal here is to perform at your highest ability each set, not build endurance, so take your time and give it 100% each set. Banded Jab Drill: This drill will require a resistance band to be placed around both ankles, stand in an athletic basketball position with your knees bent and your legs shoulder width apart. Next, step forward using your right leg as quickly as possible and repeat 10 times. Using the same foot, step out diagonally 10 times. Repeat on your left leg. The band will increase the resistance between your legs utilizing the fast-twitch muscle fibers allowing for quicker performance when taking that explosive first step. Once completed, take the band off and perform the same drill, you will be able to feel how much quicker you’ve become. Defensive Slides: If you want to be quicker laterally, you need to train in lateral positions. Defensive slides down the court are an excellent place to start. Standing on the baseline facing sideways, bend your knees, extend your arms out and keep your feet wide apart. As you progress down the court focus on staying low, keeping your hips back and exploding off your back foot quickly. Down and back 10 times about 2-3 times a week will yield noticeable results that will carry over into game play. Muscle power: Muscle power is the ability to use extreme force with the power of your muscles. Muscle power is important within the game of basketball because to shoot certain goals, or to “dunk”, you need to use a varied amount of muscle power. Some drills to enhance muscle power include: 1. Lateral lunge Why you should do it: The lateral lunge mimics basketball’s standard defensive shuffling motion. More importantly, it opens up the muscles of the groin and hips. How to do it: From a standing position, step to the right, keeping toes pointed straight ahead and feet flat. Squat onto your right leg, keeping the left leg straight and the weight on the right leg’s midfoot to heel. Squatting as low as possible, keep the left leg straight and hold the position for seconds. Return to standing position and repeat for 10 reps, then switch sides. 2. Glute bridge Why you should do it: To improve the firing and muscle-recruitment patterns of the glutes, which are important for jumping and explosive movements. How to do it: Lie face-up on the floor, with knees bent 90 degrees and feet flat on the floor. Squeeze a rolled-up towel between your knees. Bridge hips toward the ceiling by firing (squeezing) your glutes. Only your shoulders and heels remain on the ground. Hold the top position, then lower the hips to the ground without touching. Repeat for 10 reps. 3. Physio ball leg curl Why you should do it: Like the glute bridge, this keeps the hips extended and forces the hamstrings to work, ultimately improving leaping ability and posterior strength. How to do it: Lie face-up with legs straight and heels on a physio ball. Squeeze glutes to raise the hips and pull your hips toward you. Don’t drop your hips as the ball comes toward you. Extend your legs, then repeat the leg curl for 10 reps. Make sure your hips never touch the ground. Balance: Balance is the ability to stay stable and upright. This is most definitely needed in basketball, because the ability to stay upright will help in dodging opponents, like in sidestepping, or any move that involves dodging. An exercise to help with balance is: Lunge Lateral/Back Shot Performing a Lateral Lunge to each side before shooting a jump shot teaches your body to stay centered, which it needs to be when you take your shot. Stand slightly behind the free throw line with your knees slightly bent and both hands gripping the basketball. Lunge laterally to the right and then to the left. Return to the starting position and immediately take a jump shot. Repeat until you've made 20 shots Coordination: Coordination is the organization of the different elements of a complex body or activity so as to enable them to work together effectively. This is especially needed for basketball for many of the same reasons as agility and balance, it is used for certain moves within basketball. An exercise for coordination is: Off the board Stand in front of the hoop with a ball in your right hand. Toss the ball at the backboard (to the right of the rim, so the rim doesn’t get in the way) in a similar fashion to shooting with one hand. As the ball approaches the backboard jump in the air so that you catch the ball at the top of your jump as it bounces off the backboard. While in the air catch the ball with your right hand only and again shoot the ball at the backboard before landing. You will then hit the ground and jump again so you can catch the ball again at the top of your jump. This job will drastically improve coordination, timing, as well as great improvements in conditioning. Focus on finding a good rhythm and completely controlling the basketball. Variation: Repeat the drill with your left hand only. Repeat the drill using the side of the backboard (so you are doing from the baseline), this demands more coordination, and forces you to be much more accurate and precise.