Are your ready to unleash your inner speedster beast and dominate the court with these proven basketball speed drills?

Great! Here is a overview list of some classic speed drills that can help improve your basketball skills:

1. Line drills: These drills involve running back and forth across the court, usually using lines or cones as markers. Examples include shuttle runs, suicides, and figure 8s.
2. Plyometric drills: These drills involve explosive, high-intensity movements such as jumping and bounding. They can help improve power, speed, and agility.
3. Resistance drills: These drills use resistance bands or other equipment to increase the difficulty of the movement and build strength and power.
4. Agility drills: These drills focus on quick, reactive movements and can help improve balance, coordination, and quickness. Examples include ladder drills and cone drills.
5. Sprint drills: These drills involve running short distances as fast as possible, with the goal of improving top-end speed and acceleration.
6. Change of direction drills: These drills focus on the ability to quickly change direction and can be helpful for developing quickness and agility.

It’s important to vary your basketball agility drills with speed and incorporate a mix of different types of movements to get the most benefit. Be sure to warm up properly before starting any speed drills, and start with lower intensity drills before progressing to more drills at a high level and increasing reaction time. . As always, it’s important to listen to your body and take breaks as needed to avoid injury.

Here are a list of classic and proven drills you can start with:

1. Shuttle runs: These drills involve running back and forth between two points, usually marked with cones or other markers. You can start by running a short distance and gradually increase the distance to full court sprints at top speed as you improve.

2. “Suicides”: These drills involve running from one baseline to the opposite baseline, touching each of the free throw lines along the way. They are called “suicides” because they are very intense and challenging. We like to add dribbling with different moves for each turn on this drill. I think it is indeed probably time to change the name of these drills for two reasons:

Players and coaches may know someone who has died by suicide and this is not really the best name for many who have pain and experience with this personally.

3. Figure 8s: These drills involve running a figure 8 pattern around a series of cones or markers. They can help improve agility and coordination. They are also the best way to strengthen lower body and ankles on turns while working on foot speed. I think these are massively underused and could significantly increase team wins by reducing ankle injuries.

4. Ladder drills: These drills involve running through an agility ladder, focusing on quick feet and precise footwork. You can try a variety of different patterns, such as running through the speed ladder drills with one foot at a time or side-shuffling through it as one of your lateral speed drills.

5. Cone drills: These drills involve running around and between cones, with the goal of improving quickness and agility. You can set up a variety of different patterns, such as running a zig-zag pattern or running around the cones in a circular pattern.

6. Sprint drills: These drills involve running short distances as fast as possible, with the goal of improving top-end speed and acceleration. You can try sprinting from one baseline to the opposite baseline, or running shorter distances such as 20-30 yards.

Remember to start with lower intensity drills and gradually increase the difficulty as you improve. Also, be sure to warm up properly before starting any speed drills, and take breaks as needed to avoid injury.

It’s time we stopped making believe 30 seconds of hard work is a near death experience. We turn sprinting into a very negative and punishing experience mentally, and can eventually turn young people off to the joy of running. Most of us whose knees or back would love to be able to go back in time to run “suicides”. The ability to run and go all out is a gift, not some horrible ordeal. – Chris Corbett

Sand training for basketball

Sand Dune Park Manhattan Beach, California

Sand training, also sometimes known as beach training, is a type of training that involves exercising in sand. It can be a great way to improve strength, speed, and endurance for basketball. In the 90s, I used Sand Dune Hill in Manahattan Beach,  California to work on strength and speed in my recovery from an ACL reconstruction. This hill is at a steep incline and my workouts often included chats and seeing the work of the Lakers, and also Raiders as well as legendary wide receiver Jerry Rice.

Here are a few benefits of sand training for basketball players:

1. Improved balance and coordination: Because the sand is unstable and shifts under your feet, sand training can help improve balance and coordination. This can be especially beneficial for basketball players, who need to be able to move quickly and change direction on the court.
2. Enhanced muscle activation: Exercising in sand requires more muscle activation than exercising on a solid surface, because the sand provides resistance. This can help improve muscle strength and power, which can be beneficial for basketball players.
3. Increased calorie burn: Sand training can be more physically demanding than other types of training, which means it can help you burn more calories. This can be beneficial for basketball players looking to improve their endurance and overall fitness levels.
4. Low impact: Because the sand absorbs some of the shock from each foot strike, sand training can be lower impact than other types of training. This can be helpful for basketball players looking to reduce the risk of injury.

To get started with sand training, you can try a variety of exercises such as running, sprinting, plyometrics, and strength training. Just be sure to start slowly and gradually increase the intensity as you become more comfortable. As with any type of training, it’s important to warm up properly and listen to your body to avoid injury.

Don’t live near the beach?   Use a sand volleyball court in your neighborhood for massive gains!  Here is a quick video of a drill we used to help MIT Basketball star Kade Killeen and Macalester College’s Ellie Corbett get quicker in the offseason!

Hill Training for Basketball

Hill training is a type of training that involves running up and down hills. It can be a great way to improve strength, speed, and endurance for basketball.

While playing college basketball at the University of Maine at Fort Kent, the team used to prepare for the season with an intense ritual that pushed us hard.  Adjacent to the campus was a ski slope and we would run up it and down it before running many “suicides” when arriving back at the gym.  Check out the beautiful campus shot and the slopes we ran toward the upper right hand side of this photo:

Benefits of hill training for basketball players:

1. 

   Ancient photo of me running the ski slopes for pre-season basketball training.

   Improved leg strength: Hill training requires more effort to run up a hill than on a flat surface, which can help improve leg strength. This can be beneficial for basketball players, who need strong legs to jump and move quickly on the court.

2. Enhanced power and speed: Hill training can help improve power and speed, as it requires explosive movements to push off the ground and propel your body upwards. This can be especially beneficial for basketball players looking to improve their vertical jump.
3. Increased calorie burn: Hill training can be
   

   Amost 40 years later, trying to tackle the same ski slope, unsuccessfully but joyously!

   more physically demanding than other types of training, which means it can help you burn more calories. This can be beneficial for basketball players looking to improve their endurance and overall fitness levels.

4. Low impact: Because the incline of the hill reduces the impact on your joints, hill training can be lower impact than other types of training. This can be helpful for basketball players looking to reduce the risk of injury.

To get started with hill training, you can try running up  a hill at a moderate intensity. Personally, I don’t recommend you run downhill as it beats up your knees which are already at risk playing hoops.  You can also incorporate other exercises such as sprints, plyometrics, and strength training. Just be sure to start slowly and gradually increase the intensity as you become more comfortable.

Hill Training Benefits: The view from the top looking into the St. John Valley and Canada.

Running up slowly up a hill can increase leg strength at the base period of you workout calendar.  As you get closer to the season, I would recommend you plan your ascent with a series of 5 to 30 yard sprints and jog or walk in between.   As with any type of training, it’s important to warm up properly and listen to your body to avoid injury.

Lastly, I highly recommend you find a place to run uphill where you can enjoy the view from the top!  Do the work, pause and reflect on the beauty of hard work!

My favorites have been the

• Stairs at Santa Monica Beach, California.
• Trails of Palos Verdes California overlooking Lunada Bay
• The amazing views of the St. John Valley, Maine
• The top of the Hedgehog Trail in Aroostook County, Maine
• The slow steady incline of Queens Boulevard headed from Woodside to Manhattan… and reaching the top and seeing the sun set on the Empire State Building.
• The top of the hill on Allerton Avenue in Circle C, Austin… because my daughter thought I put the sunset out there for her.

Speed Ladder Drills Training for Basketball

Ladder training, also known as agility ladder drills, is a type of agility training that involves running through an agility ladder while focusing on quick, precise footwork. It can be a great way to improve speed, agility, and coordination for the sport of basketball.

I will stress that I don’t believe ladder training is a magic wand and it is more about agility than pure speed.

Here are a few benefits of ladder training for basketball players: aiming to become a better athlete.

1. Improved footwork and coordination: Ladder drills require precise footwork and coordination, which can help improve athlete’s ability to implement these skills on the basketball court. This can be especially beneficial for ball-handlers and players who need to make quick cuts and changes of direction.
2. Enhanced quickness and agility: Ladder drills involve quick, reactive movements, which can help improve quickness and agility. This can be beneficial for basketball players who need to be able to move quickly and change direction on the court.
3. Increased calorie burn: Ladder drills can be physically demanding and can help you burn calories. This can be beneficial for basketball players looking to improve their endurance and overall fitness levels.
4. Low impact: Ladder drills are typically low impact and do not involve a lot of jumping, making them a good option for players looking to reduce the risk of injury.

To get started with ladder training, you can try running through the ladder with one foot at a time or side-shuffling through it. You can also incorporate other exercises such as sprints, plyometrics, and strength training. Just be sure to start slowly and gradually increase the intensity as you become more comfortable. As with any type of training, it’s important to warm up properly and listen to your body to avoid injury.

Lateral and Defense Speed Training for Basketball

Lateral and defense speed training are types of training that focus on improving quickness and agility while moving laterally, which is important for basketball players on defense. Here are a few benefits of lateral and defense speed training for basketball players:

1. Improved quickness and agility: Lateral and defense speed training involves quick, reactive movements, which can help improve quickness and agility. This can be beneficial for basketball players who need to be able to move quickly and change direction on the court, especially on defense.
2. Enhanced defensive skills: Lateral and defense speed training can help improve defensive skills such as footwork, positioning, and the ability to stay in front of an offensive player.
3. Increased calorie burn: Lateral and defense speed training can be physically demanding and can help you burn calories. This can be beneficial for basketball players looking to improve their endurance and overall fitness levels.
4. Low impact: Lateral and defense speed training are typically low impact and do not involve a lot of jumping, making them a good option for players looking to reduce the risk of injury.

To get started with lateral and defense speed training, you can try a variety of drills such as lateral shuffles, defensive slides, and cone drills. You can also incorporate other exercises such as sprints, plyometrics, and strength training. Just be sure to start slowly and gradually increase the intensity as you become more comfortable. As with any type of training, it’s important to warm up properly and listen to your body to avoid injury.

At Austin Youth Basketball we like to start with defensive slides elbow to elbow at the free throw line and count reps for 30 seconds progressing to 1 minute.

Jump rope training for basketball

Jump rope training is a type of training that involves you and a jump rope… pretty simple and can be the first step in increasing court speed and also vertical quickness.It can be a great way to improve coordination, footwork, and endurance for basketball. Here are a few benefits of jump rope training for basketball players:

1. Improved coordination and footwork: Jump rope training requires precise footwork and coordination, which can help improve these skills on the basketball court. This can be especially beneficial for ball-handlers and players who need to make quick cuts and changes of direction.
2. Enhanced endurance: Jump rope training is a cardiovascular exercise that can help improve endurance, which is important for basketball players who need to be able to sustain their energy level throughout a game.
3. Increased calorie burn: Jump rope training can be physically demanding and can help you burn calories. This can be beneficial for basketball players looking to improve their endurance and overall fitness levels.
4. Low impact: Jump rope training is typically low impact and does not involve a lot of jumping, making it a good option for players looking to reduce the risk of injury.

To get started with jump rope training, you can try a variety of jump rope exercises such as single unders, double unders, and high knees. You can also incorporate other exercises such as sprints, plyometrics, and strength training. Just be sure to start slowly and gradually increase the intensity as you become more comfortable. As with any type of training, it’s important to warm up properly and listen to your body to avoid injury.

We strongly recommend jump rope for as little as 5 minutes a day, 6 days a week to keep the fast twitch response going for the conversation between the brain and the feet.  Key is to not take any break between fails, go hard.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, speed is a crucial aspect of basketball and can be the difference between winning and losing. Incorporating these essential speed drills into your training routine will help you develop quickness, agility, and explosiveness on the court. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned player, these drills will challenge you and push you to improve. So, make a commitment to your training, put in the work, and watch your speed soar on the court. Good luck and have fun!