Posts Tagged ‘nba basketball training’

Great Players Want to be Coached, by Mike Lee

Sunday, June 27th, 2010

Moving to Milwaukee a little over a year ago has opened several doors for me to begin working with professional players.  It started when I was working out Dominic James and Chris Grimm in May of 2009.  Most recently, I spent the spring working with Brian James – who is now an assistant with the Philadelphia 76ers – preparing players for the NBA draft.  Throughout May we worked with Lazar Hayward (Marquette) and Jerry Smith (Louisville), teaching the fundamentals of the NBA game – ball screen angles, playing off penetration and common NBA actions – along with their ball handling and footwork.  Current NBA player, Steve Novak, was also there at several of the workouts.  The most enjoyable thing about working with these guys is not their skill, not their athleticism, but their overall attitude towards the game.  Here are some of the common characteristics that stick out to me.

  1. Eager to learn: Every time I saw Jerry Smith he was asking me for more ball handling drills.   If you told him something he wanted to make sure that he understood and got it right.  You can’t get learn if you don’t listen and if you don’t learn you cannot improve.  A genuine desire to always be learning is a huge ingredient to success.  It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.
  2. Work Ethic and Intensity: Even in the simplest warm up drills every guy give tremendous effort and pay attention to detail. We’d start out almost every workout with stationary ball handling or Mikan drills and the guys were sweating right away.   Jerry Smith goes harder than any guy I’ve ever worked out.
  3. Competitiveness: With Lazar Hayward Coach James almost always ended the workouts with some competitive shooting drills.  Steve Novak and Lazar Hayward went at it every time.  They both wanted to win every single drill, and believe it or not, Lazar actually beat Steve in some of them!
  4. Leadership and Encouragement: The first time I worked out with Novak he was always talking, always encouraging Lazar in all the drills.  Talking is contagious.  Soon after, all the guys were pushing each other when they got a little winded and praising each other if they made a great move or got hot in a shooting drill.

    Another time I was working out Joah Tucker, who played for UW-Milwaukee under Bruce Pearl and now in Europe.  There was an extremely talented high school player there, who just doesn’t “get it yet” – he doesn’t have the sense of urgency and attention to detail.  Joah was talking to him about his footwork when we were doing a ball screen series and also encouraged him to pick up his speed in a drill.  Yes, it is great to get positive reinforcement from your coaches, but it is equally encouraging to get from your peers.  Next time you are working out try it and see what happens.

What’s funny is that the only thing I ever ask for from a middle school or high school player is that they listen and work their tail off.  This is exactly what all of these guys do.

“Mike Lee has worked with me on many basketball instructional projects.  Whether it has been in a team setting, small group work or with individuals, Mike is at the top of my list that I personally want to work with or recommend to others.  His teaching methods are “State of the Art”, and he gets student-athletes to improve their fundamental skills, while having fun doing it.  His ball handling is the BEST I’ve seen.  He helped me get Lazar Hayward of Marquette U ready for the draft, which resulted in a 1st round selection.”
Brian James
Assistant Basketball Coach
Philadelphia 76ers Basketball Club

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Derrick Rose Air Dribble, by Mike Lee

Friday, March 5th, 2010

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Continuous Improvement, by Luke Meier

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

As the NBA season gets close to tip-off, I am always interested to see what skills or moves players have added to their games over the summer.  When players return with a new and/or improved skill set for the beginning of a season, it means that they have put a great deal of time and hard work into their games.  It also means that the player has a desire to be better, they aren’t satisfied with where they are.

Regardless of what you did or didn’t do over the summer as players there is always room for improvement.  Working on your game isn’t about where you are right now; it’s about where you are going.  Where will you be in a month, six month, a year from now?  Making large improvements in the culmination of several smaller improvements over time.

Throughout the course of you season I challenge you to not settle, and put in the extra time to really get better.  Set goals for yourself to accomplish before or after each practice.  Maybe its 15 minutes of extra 2 ball drills and 15 minutes of extra shooting off the catch.  Schedule your workouts, write them down, and then make a commitment to completing them each day. If you are detailed and efficient with you time, you will be amazed at the improvements you can make over the course of time.

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Preseason Preparation: Time Wasted is Gone FOREVER! by Mike Lee

Wednesday, September 9th, 2009

I have wrote about a couple of these topics earlier in the year, but with the season just around the corner some players may be starting to feel a sense of urgency to work on their game.  You will be amazed at the improvements you can make if you are organized and dedicate yourself.

You must come up with an organized Plan of Attack including:

Strengths

Weaknesses

A workout partner (if possible)

Strength and Conditioning Program (Alan Stein’s M.V.P. Program!!!)

Drills to improve your weaknesses.  Our YouTube page is filled with FREE drills or you can check out our store. If you are developing your own drills or incorporating existing ones into the workouts make sure you can answer yes to the following questions:

1. Are you going to use the skill in a game-situation?

2. Are you going to get in a lot of repetitions with the drill?  There are a ton of drills out there, but the key is to choose ones that are efficient.

Within your Plan of Attack you need to be more detailed in your Workout Plans.

When you are working out it is crucial that you are organized before you get to the gym.  It’s not about how much time you put in the gym, it’s what you put into the time. What I mean by organization is this.  Get a notebook and write down your workouts before you get to the gym.

1.  This is a way to making a commitment to what is in writing, almost like a contract with yourself.

2.  You can use your notebook as a reference point to see what you have been working on.  This will give you the ability to vary your workouts and drills so that you are staying motivated.

3. You can look back on your notebook to see how much work you have been putting in.  Maybe you are in a shooting slump, but you can look back to your notebook and see that you have gotten up 10,000 shots in the last month.  That should give you confidence to keep shooting the basketball.

4.  Motivational Quotes:  Somewhere in your notebook mix in some motivational quotes.  It can be as simple as “Dream” or “I am passionate, I have a purpose, and I am unstoppable”.  Use something that empowers yourself.  Maybe you want to have a theme or quote for each week.  Be creative and make your notebook unique!

Workout Example:

10 Minutes:  2 Ball Stationary, Tennis Ball or Medicine Ball

10 Minutes:  1 Ball Moving

10 Minutes:  Half Court Drives:  Dribble Attack Moves

10 Minutes:  Shooting off the Dribble

40 Minutes:  Shooting off the Catch

Below is a workout I did with Dominic James from Marquette this past spring.

10 Minutes: 2 Ball Stationary Dribble Moves

10 minutes-2Ball Commando Workout: 30 Second Sets/30 Second Rest

  • Same
  • Alternate
  • Alternate Inside Out
  • Crossover
  • Between the Legs
  • Behind the back

2ball Kill the Grass: 30 Second Sets/30 Second Rest

Finishing: Nash Runners, Parker Floaters, Iverson Step By’s:  Make 20 each

7 Spot Shooting: 17-19 Feet, Make 7-10 at each spot

Florida Pullups: 1 Minute Sets; Set a record, beat your record.

Sideline Pick N Roll Series: Make 7-10 each situation both sides of the floor

  1. Turn the Corner (Runner, Floater, Finish at the Rim, 2 Dribble Pullup)
  2. Reject (don’t use the screen:  see defender’s head turn)
  3. Split
  4. Pocket Shot (Defender goes under the screen.  Stop behind the screener for the 3)
  5. 2 Dribble Clear for the 3
  6. Bounce Off (Defense Shows Hard and you bounce off/back then attack)
  7. ICE (Keep your defender on your hip as you come off the screen; curl cut but for a ball screen)  This is a NBA move when the screener’s defender does not show

Miami Threes:  Make 5 at each of the 6 spots:  2 sets; 30-50 or better

Memphis Threes: Make 5 in a Row at 5 Spots in 90 Seconds:  2 sets

Celtics Threes:  Make 2 in a row at 10 Spots in 2 minutes:  2 Sets

Mike Miller “L” Drill: Make 10 in 1 Minute, 2 Sets

You DO have Time…

High School years can be pretty overwhelming for some people, especially freshman getting adjusted to more homework, athletic commitments, and other social aspects of this time.   It can be pretty common for a high school kid to feel like they are too busy and “don’t have time” for anything, especially their individual skill development.

Even though it can feel overwhelming you really need to break down your day to be able to prioritize and manage your time efficiently.  On average a school day will go from 8AM-3PM, which gives you anywhere between 7-8 hours of time depending on when you go to bed.  You will be amazed at what you can accomplish in 8 hours if you are organized.  Lets say you have a max of 3 hours of practice, which is probably longer than most and a maximum of 2 hours of homework.  That leaves you with 3 hours.  As I stated in a previous post you can get a great workout done if you are organized.  It is so important to continue to work on your skills:  dribbling, shot form, footwork off the dribble and off the catch because most coaches don’t spend time working on this during practice.  Practices are geared towards team development, scouting reports and game preparation.  From my experience the first thing players usually regress on in regards to their skills is their footwork.  You need to continue to get up 250-300 shots a day during the season during the season with correct footwork.  A player I workout right now gets 500 shots up every game day.  I truly believe this is a great way to get prepared for a game.  Take the time to breakdown your day, get organized and keep your eyes on the prize.  Every second that you waste is gone forever.  You can never get it back!

–

The founder of Mike Lee Basketball Services (formerly Playmakers Basketball), Mike is known throughout the country for individual player skill development.  He has been a speaker at several events and has also recently authored several instructional workout DVDs, which will be released over the next year.  Titles out right now include, 25 Killer Scoring Moves, Secrets of Unstoppable Guard Play and Secrets of Unstoppable Shooting.  Since 2006 Mike Lee Basketball has trained close to 4,000 boys and girls through their skill development programs. Dozens of  players that Mike has worked with have gone on to play collegiate basketball, some at the NCAA DI level.  In addition to his own basketball services, Mike is a Nike Girls Skills Trainer and a member of the Nike sponsored, Ganon Baker Basketball.

From 2001-2006, Mike participated as a player and assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. During the fall of 2006 he was awarded a scholarship to attend the Coach K and Duke University Leadership Conference in Durham, NC.  In December of 2006 he graduated from the University of Wiconsin-Stout with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a self-planned concentration in Basketball Entrepreneurship.

mike@mikeleebasketball.com

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Pre Season Training, by Alan Stein

Tuesday, September 8th, 2009

With summer over and school in full swing, you still have several weeks before your first official practice.  If you haven’t been doing anything to prepare for this coming season, you better get started!

It is crucial you are doing everything possible to get in great basketball shape.  Whether you are a question mark to make the JV team or a potential All American, being in anything less than outstanding basketball condition is unacceptable.  Your conditioning level is something you have complete control of, and thus if you are not in great shape, look no further than the mirror.

Basketball is a high intensity game played at a very fast pace… so going out and running 3 miles every day will not get you in basketball shape.  It is also a game of reading and reacting, quick changes of direction, and several movement patterns (sprinting, jumping, defensive sliding, and back pedaling)…. so running 10 reps of 100 meters will not get you in basketball shape either.  To get in, and stay in, top basketball shape you need to participate in a series of progressive, game-like drills!

To get into great basketball shape; your conditioning program must be:

Energy system specific (high intensity/short duration, drills should last :15 – :60)
Movement specific (sprint, back pedal, defensive slides, jumping)
Progressive (increase intensity, increase volume, decrease rest)
Competitive (compete against teammate or clock)
Fun (try to find drills you enjoy doing, you will work harder if you are having fun)

The most effective way to get into basketball shape is to take a comprehensive approach:

Nutrition and rest: Your body is like a race car and it needs to be properly fueled to work at a maximum level.  You need to try to get 8 hours of sleep each night to make sure you are well rested enough to give 100% at every workout.  You also need to make sure you drink tons of water to stay hydrated.  Even the slightest bit of dehydration can affect performance on the court and in the weight room.  You also need to eat your normal 3 meals a day plus 3 additional high powered snacks.  Two of the most important times to fuel are first thing in the morning (breakfast) and within an hour after working out.  Here are a few great foods you can start your day with to give you energy: pancakes, waffles, bagels, cereal, oatmeal, and fruit.

Strength training: If your body is a car, your muscles are the engine.  Proper strength training will increase the size/strength of your muscles (giving you a bigger engine!).  If your muscles are stronger, they can produce more force, which means you will be able to run faster and jump higher (and you will also be less likely to be injured).  Here are a few guidelines:

Training Frequency: 2-3 workouts per week

Training Duration: 40-60 minutes per workout

Training Volume: 1-3 sets per exercise, 10-15 total exercises per workout

Training Intensity: Perform each set to a point that no other “quality” repetitions are possible (the “muscle failure” mentioned in last week’s blog post)

Repetition Ranges: 8-15 repetitions per set (reaching muscle failure prior to 8 repetitions means the resistance is “too heavy” and increases orthopedic stress)

Equipment: Utilize what is available – free weights, machines, manual resistance, etc.

Workout tips: To make your workouts as effective as possible, utilize compound movements like squats, lunges, step-ups, pull-ups, bench presses, rows, and shoulder presses.

Here is a great weight room challenge to try this pre-season; lift 60,000 lbs in 60 minutes.

You multiply the weight times the number of reps you perform to get total poundage.  So if you bench 135 lbs 10 times; you have 1,350 lbs.  Only 58,650 lbs to go!  You simply keep a running total of weight times reps and then add up everything at the end.  You are more than welcome to keep a running total to see where you are at all times, but I recommend using a calculator so you don’t waste much time!

Here are a few ground rules to make this challenge as effective as possible:

No leg press (too easy)
No calf raises (too easy)
Only full range of motion reps count
Pull-ups are the only bodyweight exercise allowed (your weight being the weight for the exercise)
Utilize free weights and dumbbells as much as possible to keep things universal
When using DB’s; it’s the total weight (bench pressing with 40’s = 80 lbs)
Start the clock on your first rep and end the workout in exactly 60 minutes

What will your strategy be? Try to lift lighter weights for more reps? Heavy weights for fewer reps? Alternate upper body and lower body exercises? Run through several exercises in a row with no rest?  You may want to record and add up a “normal” workout first to gauge where you stand before devising a strategy. This can easily be turned into a team competition!

Conditioning: The primary goal of your conditioning program should be to get in peak basketball shape.  There is a huge difference between being fit and being in basketball shape.  You are not a track athlete and not marathon runner; so don’t train as such.  You should aim for each workout to incorporate drills that include sprinting, cutting, back pedaling, defensive sliding, and jumping with appropriate work to rest rations to maximize intensity.  The more game like the drill – the better!  You must go all out every rep of every drill in every workout to truly reach your conditioning potential.

One thing that unites every player in the world this pre-season is the power to choose.  You have the right to chose how you will train this pre-season. Every one of us is a product of the choices we make on a daily basis.  Where ever we are in life, we are there as a result of the choices we have made.  If you are happy and successful, it is because of your choices. If you are unhappy and miserable, it is also because of your choices.  Same goes for pre-season training.  When the season is here, if you are in great shape it is because you made the choice to be in great shape!

One of my favorite quotes of all time is:

“Keep doing what you’ve been doing and you’ll keep getting what you’ve been getting.  If you don’t like what you’ve been getting than quit doing what you’ve been doing!”

If what you did last year didn’t work well; don’t do it again!

What kind of choices are you making now to start the pre-season?  Are you choosing to get plenty of sleep at night?  Are you choosing to eat breakfast every day?  Are you choosing to work hard in the weight room? Are you choosing to run every sprint/drill as hard as possible? Are you choosing to be enthusiastic and supportive of your teammates?

These are all choices.  Your answer to these questions will dictate the success of your pre-season as well as the type of player you will be.

My next two blogs will continue to focus on the pre-season (Pre-Season Training II and Pre-Season Training III).  I will also add a weekly “Montrose-ism” where I will share many of the insights and intricacies I have learned in the last seven years as the head strength & conditioning coach. Insights that have helped build one of the top high school basketball programs in the nation!

I just posted my fall schedule at www.StrongerTeam.com. Please come say hello if you attend any of the clinics I am working!

As always, for daily coaching points, motivational quotes, and videos of the “exercise of the week”, please follow me (and subscribe) to:

www.Twitter.com/AlanStein

www.YouTube.com/StrongerTeamDotCom

www.Facebook.com/AlanSteinJr

Train hard.  Train smart.

Alan Stein

www.StrongerTeam.com

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The Fade Away…Is It Really That Bad?, by Mike Lee

Thursday, July 9th, 2009

If I had a nickel for every time I heard a coach or parent yell, “Take It up Strong!!!” I’d be rich.  As much as I think players need to be able to take the ball to the rim strong and finish with contact I truly believe that they need to vary their finishes.

What is the situation? Is it realistic to just to try to “power it up”?  Probably not in 95% of all finishing situations.  So what is your solution?

Is it a good idea to start teaching fade aways to 5th graders?  No, but I do believe the higher level you play at, the more finishing solutions you need.  Check out the Iverson Fade Away below!

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