We all watch dozens of highlights and often miss the details that got us there. Here is a quick lesson on shooting off the Catch by Baylor’s  Brady Heslip. While he is not the most athletic player on his Baylor team his display of FW and balance deserves the highest mark of basketball athleticism. Remeber most of the work is done before you have the ball in your hands.

"Tre Goggles "

#1 (0:03)- OB Play-First make is a classical OB play for a teams best shooter.  Off the botched play, he drops his hips pulls his R leg with his L foot squares up and knocks it down.

Off the out of bounds Play FW= L, R (1,2 step)

#2 (0:05) Transition – Shooters running the floor with head turned eyes back at the ball moving up floor, ball in the air feet in the air, finishes with balance.

Three Pointer #2 Transition Three Pointer (two foot sink)

#3(0:08)- Step into your shot- The easiest look for Heslip all night, steps into his shot off the sagging D.  Also displays his range when stepping into his shot.

#4 Three Pointer off pitch back (L,R -1,2)

#4 (0:14)-Staggard Baseline Screen to curl- Does a great job of getting his inside foot around the turn(race car theory) and whips his right hip around to get toe to rim for elevation into jump shot.

Left Right Curl

#5 (0:20)-Down Screen to Two Foot Hip turn- Off the down screen  heslip attacks the ball off the hop with a rapid hip rotation towards the hoop. Notice he sinks the center of gravity to get vertical in his jump shot.

Two foot Hip Turn off Down Screen

#6 (0:28)- OB Play – Heslip Does a phenominal job at effecient footwork on this set OB play. He Uses his inside foot to push back to three point line into a right left pattern.

OB Play

L,R,L,R To Balance

#7 (0:37) -Classic Flare or Fade- Does a great Job here showing his hands  and getting his feet towards the rim by opening the hips off reverse pivot hop to R,L.

Flare Cut

Separation from the Screener

#8 (0:42)- Pitch and Catch- using a small crossover step for timing Heslip gets his inside foot down while staying square to the basket.

quick two foot sink hips

#9 (0:49)- Very Similar to #7 a Flare Cut from NBA range.

L,R,L ( 1,2 step on finish)

Getting Vertical

Video

Championship Picks
Bill and Trey(Radio Host) Picked: Wisconsin and Gonzaga ( they like cheese )

Connie(Radio Host): Baylor (Because of Uniforms)

Eathan O’Bryant ( Reno Bighorns): Kentucky

Mike Atkinson (Basketball Trainer): Kentucky

Some good calls and some not so good calls but who’s bracket is not busted?!

LISTEN HERE >>>>>>>

Eathan and Mike 1

Eathan and Mike 2

Eathan and Mike 3

Outcome and Expectation

When we are young our sport environment bestows upon us certain beliefs and expectations that may encourage or discourage our  personal growth in many aspects of  life and sports. Our sport environment and genetic make up are major contributors in achieving  elite athletic potential.While having Lebron’s genes and training with professional trainers can make a huge contribution to your success on the court, maybe the most important factor in your athletic growth could be your personal beliefs.

Personal beliefs can be both positive or negative, arise from many sources and eventually they can become your reality. As we attach a negative belief to a certain experience like missing a jump shot we start to limit ourselves and believe in the negative outcome as truth in our sub-conscious.

We must refocus our efforts as individuals back upon self reliance and  managing personal expectations with realistic  and positive work ethic.

Dismantling limiting beliefs that put invisible ceilings on our own game by positive expectations,passion and effort. Train to avoid the negative belief or reaction as a form of self practice and re-shift focus to positive outcome.

Your Beliefs Boxing You IN

Questions to the Reader
What Factors are limiting your Growth?
Who are you today and what can you be tomorrow or in 90 days with focus on positive expectations and outcomes?
What are your expectations and your desired outcomes?

Tips for achieving success
Focus on the outcomes you can feel as if they were real
Sky is the Limit-Play and train without an invisible ceiling in your game
Beliefs create your reality
Physical limitations can be temporary obstacles and the training in itself

Played on a 10ft goal or even a mini hoop,“Thirty Three” is a great way to improve, timing,anticipation and scoring off of different movements and angles in the air. The game has quickly become a house favorite at Sierra Strength and Speed for all our athletes not just basketball players. I guarantee that once you play you will see why NBA players are using this to warm-up and let loose and why every age group and skill level can play and develop new skill sets with “Thirty Three”.

Objective:

To avoid pitfalls and opponents on your way to “33″ points.

Rules:
1. Catch and release basketball in air
2. Must get to ball within two bounces
3. Must go in player order-established prior to game, often decided by last games score.( Winner goes first)
4. On made shot in field, go to free shot line your choice:
Free Shot Line :FT 1pt,College 3pt=2pts,NBA=3pts (once you pick a line you must stay for remainder of trip at line, not whole game)

Scoring on your turn:

In Field of Play
Finishing a shot No Bounce = 3pts
Finishing with a Dunk No Bounce= 4pts
Finishing Off 1-2 Bounces= 2pts

FREE SHOTS (After Made Shot in Field)
Free throw = 1pt
College 3 pt = 2pts
NBA 3pt =3pts

Regulations:

13,21,32 Are “Must Make” shots, If you are on a free shot
(See scoring) attempt and miss you go back to the following:
32 to 21
21 to 13
13 to 00

Once you personally reach 11 points or more you have now been invited to the “BLOCK PARTY” you can now block and steal opponents shots once they touch it!

All player to player bounces occur at sight of infractions.

After making 3 Free Shots(see scoring Table) in a row you must switch to opposite hand for remainder of makes at line for that turn.

Point Deductions and Infarctions:

Touching ball out of turn – Minus 1

Airball from any line after make- Minus 1 (after Airball,next player gets free shot at line where infraction occurred)

*Players CAN have negative points.

Etiquette:

This is a gentleman’s game Player to Player bounces are encouraged to be above the shoulders and a fair bounce for your opponent.

All shots must be at hoop or attempted at hoop.

Physc outs are encouraged on free attempts, players can not touch or impede vision on free shots.(be respectful)

Clear the lane when it is not your turn to avoid injury, Play the ball not the player while on defense.

Fouls
That is a house rule to who calls fouls. (generally if it doesn’t effect the shot we play on)

Misc:

MUST SCORE EXACTLY ON “33″ if Players goes over must make Free Throw for win or go back to 21.

All obstacles are playable however SAFETY FIRST always take a bounce instead if giving up your body.

All touches are legal while in Air Hence the ” WALL Climb Dunk” where applicable.(editor note insert attached pic)

Teaming up on Defense is encouraged, Passing to another player not ALLOWED.

HOUSE RULES ALWAYS APPLY.

1. Size em Up- After backing up from his defender to create space, Austin aggressively steps at the defense with his inside foot to create the initial angle for the right to left crossover and the start of the counter movement.

Creating Space and Taking Space

2. Take Space & Create Angles- Stepping into the defenders space with his (L) inside foot Austin  plants his (L) left foot and brings his (R)outside leg through to sell the forward movement. The (L) inside leg becomes the initial stabilizer and generates the first action in the crossover. While selling the move he will not bring his outside foot down for contact until the inside leg has performed its secondary function.  This technique is what gives him the pop and jerk that leaves the defender stuck in stance and Austin to the line to complete the and 1.

Selling Forward Movement

Check the shadow of his shoes foot is ready for contact

3. Hop and Skip-The real athleticism and footowork in Austin River’s move is the point in time when both feet are off the floor simultaneously.  Austin’s (L) foot does a quick power skip or “A” Skip (jump and land same foot) to start the hesitation and to create a plyo response on contact for his next step with the (R) foot. This will allow Austin to create a stretch shortening cycle off of the left foot, right foot combo on contact and give him the change of direction needed to sell the COD.

Setting up the change of direction

4. Ready on Contact-The (1, 2) pop he generates has so much power it is similar to a double jump on  a trampoline. the way his feet react to the court on contact.

Left Foot Down,Right Foot Still in Air

Both feet down L,R leading into the push for crossover

5. Execution- Chest tall, shoulders by the defense and take the defenders line so they are forced to open up their hips.

The Blow by

Stride Length 101 Push to the Spot

Author BrandonGuarneri

FILE UNDER: BASKETBALL, BOSTON, CELTICS, DRILL, EXERCISES, FIRST-STEP, MOVEMENT, NBA,QUICK,  ROUTINE, TRAINING

A quick first step, like Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo’s, is a valuable weapon on the basketball court. First-step speed keeps defenders from pressuring you too closely, since they want to avoid being burned by a drive to the hoop. That extra space gives you more opportunities to impact the game.

You can improve first-step quickness by training with specific exercises and movement patterns. Michael Atkinson, Elite Pro Performance national consultant and A.C.E. certified personal trainer, put together a series that can help any player get to the rim on a regular basis. “Speed can be found in the details of the movement,” says Atkinson.

Incorporate these exercises into a warm-up or pre-game routine, or use them in a speed workout two to three times per week.

Two-Inch Run With Ball

• Starting in athletic position, with ball in hand, begin dribbling on the baseline
• With each step, move two inches forward, keeping the ball in front of your body
• Take a hard dribble and a long stride at the free throw line, but don’t shoot
• Finish in an athletic position to train stability and balance

Coaching Points: Stay on balls of feet // Moving toward the baseline, explode out of last step with one hard dribble
Sets/Reps/Rest: 2×4, rest 30 sec. after first set

Walking Lunge to Triple Extension with Ball

• Descend into Lunge position while bringing the basketball to your chin
• Shift weight to lead leg while in Lunge
• Explode and push through lead leg to triple extension while driving opposite knee to chest
• Press ball up to ceiling, simulating a layup or dunk
• Hold form through extension for a split second, then drop into Walking Lunge and repeat on other side

Coaching Points: Focus on Lunge form // Push force through your big toe and try to activate the glute
Sets/Reps/Rest: 2x length of half court

Reverse Pivot Drop Step

• Face training partner in triple threat stance at the top of the key with back to basket
• Partner cues you by touching your shoulder
• React with a left or right reverse pivot drop, stepping in the direction of the cue
• Push through pivot foot and stride to rim
• Take last step and transfer energy while jumping to rim off a single-leg max jump

Coaching Points: Remain balanced and in a stance through the pivot // Push through the pivot foot to stride to rim
Sets/Reps/Rest: 2×8, rest 30 sec. after first set

Source:  EliteProPerformance.com
Photo:  Michael Atkinson, Sierra Strength and Speed, draftexpress.com

Links to Featured Stack Basketball Topics

Being quick on the court isn’t all about genetics. According to Michael Atkinson, Elite Pro Performance national consultant and A.C.E. certified personal trainer, “While it may seem that some of the best basketball players in the world were naturally born with an explosive first step, training can help gain fractions of a second on your first move.” And those fractions of a second can be the difference between an uncontested layup and a turnover.

No matter what exercises or drills are included in a basketball speed workout, the following are crucial training points:

Positioning/Posture
A proper base and stance allows for more explosive movements in workouts or during games, without risking injury. “Force is generated from the ground up,” says Atkinson. To gain any increase in speed, the athlete must be stable and balanced with a slight knee bend throughout each and every movement.”

Leverage
After building a solid base, the athlete can learn how to generate force from that position. A strong athletic stance provides leverage by increasing the ability to gain maximum extension through the body, resulting in more power and faster acceleration. It’s difficult to push off a defender or move freely through space without being stable from the ground up.

Reaction
This is a movement generated in response to an external force, which could come from a partner during a training session or a defender during a game. Don’t just shoot around; practice specific situations.

Footwork
Get quicker starts by becoming more efficient with footwork. That means working on quick steps, counter-movements, pivots and jab steps—the kinds of steps commonly taken during a game.

Deceleration
Redirecting force in a different direction is the key to staying tight on defense and breaking free on offense. Straight-ahead speed is great, but without the ability to decelerate, it’s useless on a basketball court.

For exercises that work on all five key aspects, head over to STACK Basketball.

Source:  Elite Pro Performance
Photo:  au.ibtimes.com

FILE UNDER: BASKETBALL DRILLS, DEFENSIVE COVERAGE, LATERAL QUICKNESS, SPEED

AUTHOR- Brandon Guarneri Twitter @BrandonGuarneri

The key to playing shut-down defense is lateral quickness. If you can move quickly side to side, you can stay in front of the ball handler and get more stops.

Too many players think moving laterally involves sliding or dragging. Instead, when thinking about defense or lateral movement, push into position. “Athletes should push through the spot and be the aggressor on defense,” says Michael Atkinson, Elite Pro Performance national consultant and A.C.E. certified personal trainer.

Here are three exercises that can help get you moving more efficiently to frustrate your opponents.

Three-Point Line Defensive Pushes

• Start in athletic stance facing the hoop at the intersection of the baseline and the three-point line
• Move laterally around the three-point line in a defensive stance
• Keep hips and feet pointing toward rim while pushing laterally
• Keep feet square; do not bring them together

Sets/Reps/Rest: 2×2 times around the three-point line, rest as needed after first set
Coaching Points: Keep knees inside feet to create an angle for greater force production // Keep majority of force production on inside foot

Lateral Lunge to Defensive Push

• Start on baseline, facing sideline
• Perform Lateral Lunge with leg closest to baseline
• Push away from baseline leg toward the opposite baseline into a series of five lateral Defensive Pushes
• Decelerate into Lateral Lunge with leg away from baseline for quick change of direction back towards baseline

Sets/Reps/Rest: 2×10 [five in each direction], rest as needed after first set
Coaching Points: Do not let knee go past toes // Keep knee inside big toe for power and change of direction

Two Lateral Pushes  to Crossover Step

• Start in a defensive stance on baseline facing the sideline
• Square feet no wider than shoulder-width apart
• Take two Defensive Pushes toward the far hoop to simulate defensive containment
• Cross with the back leg for a crossover step toward the far baseline
• Return to defensive position for two more Lateral Pushes
• Continue pattern for speed until you reach far baseline

Sets/Reps/Rest: 2x length of court, rest as needed after first set
Coaching Points: Think of crossover step as a turn and run movement

Source:  Eliteproperformance.com
Photo:  Michael Atkinson, Sierra Strength and Speed; bluedevilnation.net