Basketball Training:
The 8-8-18 Conditioning Workout

Basketball training workouts usually focus on speed and quickness, as they should since basketball is a game of speed. But there is an endurance aspect to the game as well, and the 8-8-18 effectively develops endurance along with quickness.

More than just one simple training drill, this workout incorporates Horses along with two other stages, and all three parts of the workout are timed, so while endurance may be the major focus, the time element ensures that athletes are also pushing hard for speed.

Basketball Training:
An Overview of the 8-8-18 Conditioning Workout

Basketball Training:
The 8-8-18 Conditioning Workout in Detail

Stage 1: Horses

• Players line up on the baseline.
  
  
• On the coach's whistle, players start sprinting
  
  
• When the players reach the foul line (extended), they stop, touch the line, then sprint back to the baseline, stop and touch the baseline.
  
  
• Immediately they sprint to the half, stopping and touching the half line, and then sprint back to the baseline, stopping and touching the baseline.
  
  
• Immediately they sprint to the far foul line, stopping and touching the foul line, and then sprint back to the baseline, stopping and touching the baseline.
  
  
• Immediately they sprint to the far baseline, stopping and touching the baseline, and then sprint back to the original baseline.
  
  
• Now they work their way back to the beginning, touching lines in reverse order to what they have already done...
  ...sprint to three-quarter court (far foul line), touch the line and sprint back to baseline
  ...sprint to half, touch the line and sprint back to baseline
  ...sprint to foul line, touch the line and sprint back to baseline
  
  

That is one horse.

Players have 8 minutes to complete 8 horses - that's 1 horse per minute. Be sure they pace themselves appropriately

Stage 2: Fartleks

• One lap of gym jogging + 1 lap of gym sprinting = 1 Fartlek
  
  
• Players have 6 minutes to complete 8 fartleks - that's about 45 seconds for each fartlek. Be sure they pace themselves appropriately
  

Stage 3: Laps

• Jog laps of the gym, making sure not to step inside the basketball court (players cannot cut corners)
  
  
• Players have 6 minutes to complete 18 laps - that's 3 laps a minute, or 20 seconds per lap. Be sure they pace themselves appropriately
  

The entire workout will take close to half an hour to complete, and it will be exhausting for your players. I use it at the beginning of the season, often having a practice solely for this drill or in combination with basic skills drills. It's a great basketball training workout and an excellent way to get players in shape.