Basketball Conditioning:
Running the Floor

Good basketball conditioning is not preferred, it is essential. Basketball is a physically demanding game, offering little time to rest when the player is on the court. But the simple fact is, there is no excuse for losing a game because of poor conditioning.

Players need to be in shape before tryouts - in fact, that's a major factor you should have in mind when deciding who remains on the team throughout tryouts, and who gets sent home. You don't play basketball to get in shape; you get in shape to play basketball. And then you get in even better shape through the conditioning drills in your basketball practices.

Conditioning drills must be sport-specific. Basketball is a start-stop, explosive-energy game. Long distance running may create a stronger heart and more endurance, but the ability to run at a constant speed for two hours will not help anyone sprint up the floor, then back peddle quickly down court to get into defensive position.

Good conditioning drills will help your players perform specifically in the game of basketball. Probably the most widely used basketball conditioning drill is Suicides, and for good reason - the start-stop movement, constant change in direction, sprinting action of suicides is a great way to improve conditioning specific to the game. You could also use Horses, which are basically an extended version of suicides, and consequently more exhausting. Both suicides and horses are great drills to use throughout the pre-season and season, but particularly good at the beginning of the pre-season.

Another good basketball conditioning drill is the 30-30 - again, sprinting and slowing up, sprinting and slowing up, trying to imitate game situations.

To add in a team element, and to mix up your conditioning drills a bit to make them more interesting, use Sprint Relays. This is basically relay racing that is continuous, has players working in teams, and again has players sprinting and stopping, sprinting and stopping.

Sprinting is, of course, an important skill for basketball, as basketball is a game of quickness as opposed to endurance - the ability to sprint for fifteen seconds at a time is more valuable to a basketball player than the ability to jog for an hour.

But the ability to move quickly on defense is equally important and no less tiring - perhaps more tiring - than sprints, so you should incorporate drills like the Slide and Sprint to improve not only sprinting abilities but defensive slide amd movement as well. Good defensive play requires proper defensive stance and movement, which requires plenty of practice.

One more basketball conditioning drill that uses a combination of physical conditioning and basketball skill is The Circuit - a very tough drill, but very effective at building sport-specific condtioning as well as basketball skills when tired. Use this one especially at the beginning of the pre-season, when you want players to develop their conditioning the most.

These drills use movements that are common to the game of basketball. They emulate how the player moves on the court, and by practicing them over and over again, at faster and faster speeds, their muscles understand how to perform that movement easily, fluidly, quickly, with power and grace.

Consistent use of these conditioning drills - especially at the beginning of the pre-season - will greatly improve your players' cardio levels and quickness, as well as their endurance. Especially important when it counts - in the last quarter, often in the last few minutes of the game, when the team with the best conditioning will be able to overcome any other team.

Integrate these conditioning drills into your practice regimen and continually work to improve the conditioning of your players all year long.