On top of training in the wrong energy system when you spend time doing cardio you are actually training your muscles to adapt to a more slow-twitch dominance. While most humans are predominantly fast-twitch in nature, some are slow twitch.

But we all have some muscle fibers that can go either way depending on the way we train our body. So if you want to be an explosive athlete with a quick first step and great vertical jump, jogging, spending time on the elliptical or riding a stationary bike endlessly will only make you a slower, less-explosive basketball player.

It will only make you a slower, less-explosive basketball player. The SAID principle is one of the oldest — and most important — principles of training. It simply states that our bodies adapt to the demands that we impose on them3. If you go jogging or cruise on an elliptical or bike, etc you improve your ability to move at that speed.

If you sprint and cut and jump you will improve your ability to sprint and cut and jump. Yet so many coaches still use a 1-mile time or something similar as a pre-season test for their basketball players. Coaches, when in a game do your players make significant plays at a jogging speed and jogging intensity?

Fast-twitch fibers can be recruited one of two ways — moving fast or moving something heavy. This is why strength training is critical for basketball players.

The heavier objects we move the more motor units we recruit. And the more motor units we recruit the more muscle fibers we will recruit2.

So it stands to reason that your training should resemble game situations. This does not help you become a better basketball player in any way. There is one exception, however.

If you are coming off of an injury or are completely untrained it is good to establish a base of conditioning. Two to three weeks tops is really all you need though.

Yes, in that short of time your body will adapt and the training stimulus of jogging disappears. After that you are wasting your time. Especially if you were already a high level basketball player before your injury. Another thing to keep in mind is that your conditioning should be relative to the sport you are training for.

You should be running. Running forwards, backwards, adding in defensive slides and similar movement related to basketball.

When you are conditioning, your body learns to supply blood to the working muscles, remove waste product from them, and fire those muscles in their appropriate sequence. Doing another form of conditioning — like swimming or biking — to get in shape for basketball is not ideal.

Your body will get efficient at those modalities. But for basketball purposes you are much better served on your feet pushing off of the ground, like you do in a basketball game. Phil Gephart is a strength coach in Austin, Texas. He played professional basketball and specializes in working with basketball players during the offseason.

For more information on his training programs — both in-person and online — check out his basketball offseason program and the basics of his athlete development training.

Related Posts. About HoopDirt HoopDirt is your source for the latest college basketball coaching news, rumors, and job postings. Start at one end of the court, dribble to the opposite end and perform a layup, retrieve the ball, and dribble back to perform a layup on the original side.

This continuous action builds both stamina and basketball skills. Using an agility ladder, perform drills such as hopscotch, where you hop on one foot in one square, then land on two feet in the next square, and repeat the pattern.

Another drill, chimney jumps, involves rapidly jumping with both feet together in and out of the ladder squares. These drills enhance foot speed and endurance. This intense drill involves sprinting from one baseline to the opposite baseline and back to the original baseline, repeating this five times for ten court lengths.

It improves your straight-line speed and mimics the constant back-and-forth movement in a basketball game. This drill focuses on acceleration and maximal speed. Start at one end of the court and sprint a distance of approximately 30 yards the length of a basketball court is 94 feet, roughly The yard sprint hones your ability to rapidly transition from defense to offense or vice versa.

Place cones in a zig-zag pattern across the court. Starting at one end, sprint to each cone, changing direction as you reach each one.

This drill enhances your speed in changing directions, a vital skill in basketball. These drills improve your side-to-side speed, which is essential for defensive maneuvers. A simple drill involves starting on one side of the key, shuffling across to the other as quickly as possible, and back again.

Repeat this multiple times. Improving speed also involves enhancing your reaction time. Workouts that require energy, like sprints and circuit training, are better for players looking to improve their explosiveness and stamina. More dynamic, high-intensity exercises that mirror the physical demands of a basketball game are likely to yield more significant improvements in game-related stamina, speed, and explosiveness.

Becoming an exceptional basketball player requires the right group basketball training and professional guidance. Our experienced coaches are committed to unlocking your potential and taking your performance to new heights.

We cater to all aspects of your development, focusing on physical conditioning, tactical understanding, and mental resilience. Join You Reach I Teach Basketball Academy today and begin your journey to basketball excellence.

Contact us now to learn more about our programs. Remember, success in basketball is all about the willingness to work hard and finish strong. Let us guide you on this exciting journey.

Skip to content. How can I increase my stamina and speed in basketball? Jul 28 What is stamina in basketball? What does speed mean in basketball? Here, we delve into several strategies that can help you do so effectively:, along with several other strategies: Adopt a balanced, sport-specific diet Your pregame meal is part of a larger nutritional strategy that should fuel your performance on the court.

Incorporate strength and resistance training Building muscle endurance is a critical aspect of improving stamina. Prioritize cardiovascular fitness level Cardiovascular workouts are key to enhancing both speed and stamina.

Emphasize speed and agility drills Dedicate part of your training time to speed and agility drills, such as shuttle runs, ladder drills, and sprinting exercises. What drills improve stamina in basketball? Boosting stamina for basketball requires a focused individual basketball training approach with specific drills designed to push your endurance levels: Interval court sprints: This drill involves repeatedly running from one sideline to the other for a set period usually one minute.

Half and full-court sprints: Start at one end of the court, sprint to the halfway line, then return. Full-court layup drill Start at one end of the court, dribble to the opposite end and perform a layup, retrieve the ball, and dribble back to perform a layup on the original side. Ladder drills Using an agility ladder, perform drills such as hopscotch, where you hop on one foot in one square, then land on two feet in the next square, and repeat the pattern.

How do you train for speed in basketball? Here are several exercises designed to enhance your speed on a basketball court: in-1 drill This intense drill involves sprinting from one baseline to the opposite baseline and back to the original baseline, repeating this five times for ten court lengths.

Zig-zag drill Place cones in a zig-zag pattern across the court. Lateral quickness drills These drills improve your side-to-side speed, which is essential for defensive maneuvers.

Reaction drills Improving speed also involves enhancing your reaction time. Work with a pro Becoming an exceptional basketball player requires the right group basketball training and professional guidance.

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Man in the Hole � If you have a partner, this can be a great drill to work on conditioning, ballhandling, and defense. With this drill, you will start at the baseline with your partner.

One player will be on offense, and one player will be on defense. The offensive player will dribble the ball, trying to get past the defensive player while he tries to stop the offensive player.

When you get to the other side of the court, turn around and start again. As you can see, there are endless conditioning drills that you can do with a basketball in your hands.

We just listed a few drills, but you can check out more drills right here. You can turn almost any skill drill into a conditioning drill by running between reps or going full speed. These drills will help you get in great basketball shape, but they will also help you improve ballhandling or shooting.

When possible, it's best to do basketball conditioning with a basketball in your hand. Next, let�s talk about some running drills that you can do to get in great shape for basketball. When it comes to running drills, you want to keep in mind that intervals can help you get into basketball shape.

Intervals involve running hard for a short period of time, followed by a short period of rest or recovery. These intervals are repeated to help build up endurance.

Check out a few running drills below that can help you mimic what happens in a basketball game. Minute Sideline Sprints � One common basketball conditioning drill is sideline sprints. This exercise requires you to run from sideline to sideline as many times as you can in one minute.

With this exercise, some people have a specific number of times you have to hit the sideline, like 17, but if you can�t quite reach this number right away, you can start lower and work up to Suicides � Suicides are a common running workout in basketball.

For this conditioning drill, you will start on the baseline of the basketball court. Then, you will sprint to the free-throw line, touch it, and sprint back to the baseline. Next, you will sprint to the half-court line and back. Then, you will sprint to the far free-throw line and back.

Finally, you will sprint to the other baseline and back. You will do all of this without stopping to build up your endurance and work on your sprinting. Full-Court Partner Sprints � If you have a teammate who wants to get in some basketball conditioning, you can do this drill together.

You and your partner can alternate sprinting the length of the court and back. While you are running, your partner can rest. When you finish, your partner can start so that you are pushing each other to go as fast as you can.

Those are just a few examples of running drills that you can do without a basketball. These running drills are beneficial because they can help you get in game shape. You are building up your endurance with these drills, but you are also working on changing direction and stopping and starting, which will happen during the game.

When people say they need to do cardio or conditioning, everyone immediately thinks of running. It is true that running is a popular way to get conditioning in, but it is not the only way.

If you are looking for some conditioning drills with no running required, check out the options below. Exercise Bike � If you don�t want to run for your cardio, you can always hop on an exercise bike. When you are using an exercise bike to get in shape for basketball, you might want to try different intervals where you go really hard for a short period of time, and then go slow for a bit while you recover.

Then, you can repeat the interval process. Aqua Jog � An aqua jog is simply running in the pool or another body of water. When you are running in water that is at least up to your chest, it builds resistance and gives you a great cardio and muscle workout.

Swimming � If you are already running a lot, or you are looking for a different type of cardio, you can try swimming. Swimming is a great way to work different muscles and still build up your conditioning.

Jump Rope � Jump rope is another great basketball conditioning drill because it works on your lungs as well as your legs. You can find many different jump rope drills like single foot jumps, hopscotch, side to side jumps, and more. You can jump rope for a set amount of time or until you get a certain amount of jumps in.

Battle Ropes � Battle ropes are a great way to get a great cardio workout while also working your back, chest, lats, and more. There are probably a set of battles ropes at your gym, and if not, you can buy some online.

When training with battle ropes, have a few moves that you plan to do during a set amount of time. For example, one battle rope drill is simply moving the ropes up and down as fast as you can. You can also move the ropes side to side, or move the ropes in circles.

The drills above offer you a lot of benefits, and they can help make sure you are not overdoing it on the running. Check out these conditioning drills if you are looking to take a day off of running, but you still want to get in more cardio.

If you find yourself stuck at home with no equipment, there are still some drills you can do to help you get in better conditioning for basketball. Check out some of these drills right here. Burpees � Burpees are a drill to combine strength and aerobic conditioning. To do this drill, you start in a standing position; then you move into a squat with your hands on the ground.

Next, you will kick your feet back into a plank position. Then you will jump back up to the squat position and then stand up. This exercise works many muscles in your body, and if you do several in a row, you are also building up your conditioning.

Mountain Climbers � For this drill, you need to get in the top of a push-up position. Then, you will hold your upper body still as you pump your legs in a running motion. This can help you work on your conditioning as well as your ab strength. Lunges � Lunges can build up your leg strength as well as your conditioning.

You can simply lunge across the room and back, or you can lunge in place, jumping to switch to the other side, which can add a challenge. Speed Skaters � This is another cardio exercise you can do with no equipment and very little space.

A speed skater is when you start from a standing position and take a step to the right while moving your left leg behind you.

Then, you will take a step to your left with the left foot while moving the right leg behind you. You can continue going back and forth, picking up speed and even hopping from side to side if you can. Do this for 30 or 40 seconds, take a break, and then do it again. Jump Squats � Jump squats are another way to build up your strength, endurance and improve your vertical jump.

Start in a standing position, and then, bend your knees and push your hips back into a squat. From your squat position, push off and jump up as high as you can.

Repeat the drill to work on conditioning and leg strength. These are great drills to get your blood pumping and your lungs burning without even leaving your living room.

These are also quick drills that you can incorporate into your day to get in better shape. Above, we listed over 20 basketball conditioning drills that you can do. These drills range from just running to drills with a basketball and even drills with no equipment required.

Do two push-ups. Continue in this manner until you are doing five push-ups. Take a two-minute break and repeat the sprints, but this time do sit-ups instead of push-ups.

Start off at the free-throw line and make five consecutive free throws. After you have made your free throws, go under the boards and start tipping the ball off the backboard. Tip it 10 times in succession and go back to the free-throw line and make five more free throws.

This will help you improve your concentration and your overall stamina. Divide the team into two lines. The first group is going to the basket on the near side of the court and the other line is going to the basket on the far side of the court.

On the coach's signal, the first player in each line takes off for a layup. The idea is for the two lines to combine for 40 layups in a two-minute period.

Take a one-minute break and repeat the drill. This will build speed and endurance. Basketball is all about speed and sprints, not long distance running.

Sprinting drills are more effective when you practice landing on the balls of your feet instead of heel-toe. Before starting your conditioning and stamina sessions, perform a short, aerobic warm-up to get your blood flowing, prepare your muscles for the drills and prevent injury.

Steve Silverman is an award-winning writer, covering sports since Silverman authored The Minnesota Vikings: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and Who's Better, Who's Best in Football -- The Top 60 Players of All-Time, among others, and placed in the Pro Football Writers of America awards three times.

Silverman holds a Master of Science in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism. removeChild sources[0] ; } else { this.