The Top 10 Workout Killers

By Ganon Baker, Ganon Baker Basketball

Think about this concept: the majority of players really don't want to work hard for free, and what is remarkable is people pay others to take their body and mind to a place it's never been. That being said, this article is about things that may kill an athlete's workout.
If you can overcome these workout killers, then as a player you will get better and as a coach you will gain the trust and dependence of your athletes. Because, when you think about it, you have three times as many practices as you do games.

Boredom

If your athletes get bored, they begin to hate the workout. And you should not have a negative connotation to any exercises you are doing.

Fatigue

Anytime an athlete continues to be out of shape and gets tired, you start to lose the player's bio-mechanics. The player will start to teach the muscles incorrect memory. In other words, their form will be off in everything they do. John Wooden said it best: "Perfect practice makes permanent results". There is a difference between being tired and being winded. If a player is winded, they can continue to go through each exercise hard and correct.

Lack of Game Speed

If a player does not simulate game speed, the practice is not truly authentic. I always have my players practice a little bit above and beyond game speed. If the practice is hard the game will be easy. Now obviously there will be times when you are just working on form and mechanics. And those practices are necessary and different.

No Game-Like Drills

Anytime a player is practicing and studying the wrong notes, he won't be ready for the test. What I mean by that is a coach has to give the players the correct drills in order to have congruent skills in the game. For example, in basketball you can't have a kid spinning two balls and expect him to improve his ball handling. Also you must stay in progression. The skills and drills must build up. For example, if an athlete has trouble shooting layups, they shouldn't spend all of their time shooting 3-pointers.

Too Many Players, Lack of Equipment

The key to getting your players better, once they learn, is repetition and conditioning. You can't have six players in a drill and only one ball. What have made our reputation good are our results. We get results from making sure that every player in our workout has a ball. This way, players are getting enough repetitions. We also make sure there is no standing around or down time. We implement two skills in multiple sequence drills. Players are always on the move.
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The Most Missed Shot In Basketball

By Mike Mahon, BBallExperts.com

Do you know what the most missed shot in basketball is?
Is it the 3-point shot? Nope.
The mid-range jump shot ? Nope.
The free throw? Wrong Again.
You might not believe it, but the most missed shot in basketball is not the 3-pointer, its not the mid-range, it's not the free throw. In fact, it is the layup.
The layup essentially is the highest percentage shot a player can possibly take in basketball, yet it is missed again and again and again. But why is the layup missed so much?
Well the answer is simple. Because of the nature of just how easy a layup is to perform, players fail to take the time to master the execution of a fundamental layup. At the end of the day, they cost their teams valuable victories and lower their potential points-per-game statistics.
Here some simple tips that can help you master this fundamental skill:

Live Low And Watch Your Game Grow

When you begin to execute a layup, you must always play the game from low to high. Too many players play the game stiff legged and fail to tap into their full explosion capabilities because they refuse to play low.
By playing low you will have better body control and balance, and will be a strong finisher around the basket. The only time you should be high is when you are exploding the hoop and releasing your shot to score two points for your team.

Ball, You, Man

I learned this tip from Five Star Basketball many years ago, and it really helped me to become a fundamentally sound finisher around the basket. You must always keep your body between the defender and the ball. A good rule of thumb when finishing around the hoop is to hold the ball strong above your hip so you can protect the ball, absorb the contact and finish strong.

Explode To The Hoop and Fully Extend Yourself To The Cup

Whether you finish off one or two legs on your layups, you must be explosive. I recommend that you master both takeoffs because it will provide you more scoring options when you need to make a quick decision around the basket. Practice driving your knee up like a rocket ship and explode to the hoop fully extending your hand to the basket. As you become a craftier finisher you will learn how to get your defender on your back and create separation by extending to the basket and getting the bucket and foul.

Have A Soft Touch On Your Finishes And High Off The Glass

One of the main reasons why players have trouble making layups is because they have no touch. No matter if you are going 100 miles per hour to the hoop or if you are under control off a fundamental jump stop, you must be able to execute an overhand or underhand layup with soft touch.
When you begin practicing your layups, aim for the top corner of the square. However, after you master that, attempt to shoot them higher and higher off the backboard. Pistol Pete Maravich used to say if you can float the ball up off the top of backboard, not even Wilt Chamberlain or Michael Jordan can grab it. If it is good enough for Pistol Pete, it is good enough to add to your game.

Be Able To Execute A Lay-up In One Dribble From The 3-Point Line

The great players not only have great touch, can play the game low to high and have great explosion to the basket, but they also can get their shot off quickly before the defense can react because they can get to the hoop in one dribble. Getting to the hoop in one dribble is a progressional skill and takes great timing and confidence, but it is easier then you might think. On the right-hand side work on taking explosive strides of left-right-left, and on the right side of the basket explosively stride right-left-right.
After this skill is mastered without a dribble, add a dribble and work on creating complete separation and finishing strong. If you can master this, you are on your way to becoming your teams all-star MVP!
Remember, you have a choice to get better, finish strong and become a fundamentally sound basketball player. You don't have to practice, but when game time comes and you can't make the easiest shot in basketball, then you don't have to play either! I think you all get my point: don't just work hard, work smart, and go out and dominate the court.
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4 Ways to Improve Your Mental Gam

By Jeff Haefner, BreakthroughBasketball.com

Want to shoot better? Then you might be surprised at how much of your game is mental.
For instance, if you imagine yourself missing shot after shot, how do you feel? Pretty lousy. And, chances are very high that you're going to do exactly what you imagined: you're going to miss shot after shot.
Then, your performance spirals downward because the more shots you miss, the worse you shoot.
So, let's look at how to improve your mental game with these basketball shooting tips that will help you shoot better. http://bb58c828sdq99la3w6z8clw6tp.hop.clickbank.net/?tid=RJJD316Z

Stop Thinking

Practice is the time to think about the mechanics of your shooting, not during a game.
When it comes to your games, don't think about your shot, and don't pick apart the mechanics of what you're doing. This will only trip you up.
Just shoot.

Stop Being Afraid of Failing

Did you know that even the pros miss their shots more than half the time?
Yep. More than half.
Stop being terrified of missing your shots. Everyone misses.
Fear causes anxiety. Anxiety causes you to tense up. And then you're going to miss even more shots.
So, relax. Realize that if your shooting game isn't on, you can still contribute to the team in other ways like basketball defense. It all comes out in the wash.

Focus On Your Zone

You've probably been in The Zone before, right? You know, when your shots seemed effortless, and playing was just plain fun.
When you're in The Zone you feel like you're flying. So, make an effort to get in The Zone for games. Focus on clearing your mind of clutter. Make a list of everything you need to do (school work, things at work, etc.) so you don't have to think about remembering it all during the game.
This will keep your mind focused on playing, and nothing else.

Relax

When your mind is relaxed, your body is relaxed, and when your body is relaxed, your shots are looser and more accurate.
So, make a real effort to relax before games.
How? Well, you can try meditation. Don't laugh; even the pros meditate before games.
To meditate, sit in a comfortable position in a quiet place. Close your eyes, relax your mind, and just focus on breathing in and out. That's it.
Do this for up to 20 minutes. Normally 10 minutes will be fine, but if you're getting really relaxed then keep at it!
Meditation can work wonders for your mindset before a game, so don't be afraid to try this technique.

If you're interested in learning more on this critical topic and to get free basketball drills, be sure to look over the many great resources available at Basketballdrills