Watch ‘Hoosiers’ 31
You might think that this 1986 film about a real life David and Goliath episode in Indiana basketball history (the story of the 1954 Milan High School team) is outdated. Think again. Hoosiers follows Coach Norman Dale (played by Gene Hackman), who arrives in the remote town of Hickory, Ind. Dale, a strong-willed coach banned from coaching college basketball by the NCAA for life, takes on the task of coaching a team with an enrollment of 64 kids. The uncomplicated and moving story about a bunch of cagey underdogs will not only make you stand up and cheer, but make you grab a basketball as well – seriously.

Read a basketball book 32
Michael Jordan. Magic Johnson. Larry Bird. Bill Russell. Alonzo Mourning. Candace Parker. LeBron James. If you’re looking for a good way to find a little more out about the game’s greatest players, grow as a person and work on a little off-season academia, read a book. Stimulate your mind as well as your body.

Focus on the positive 33
Every basketball season has its share of “shouldas,” “couldas” and “wouldas.” Instead of sitting around dwelling on the negatives, focus on the positives. Ask your coaches how you need to improve. Write down the suggestions and put them in a place where you can see them every day.

Use the “buddy” system 34

Get a workout partner to help push your workouts. A training partner will not only help you maximize your basketball workouts, but it will help lend (both of you) some moral support as well. While choosing a workout partner, don’t forget to pick somebody focused on improving his game, too.

Think outside the court 35
Feeding your basketball body doesn’t always happen on the court. Renowned speed and agility trainer Jackie Ansley recommends seeking some non-basketball activities such as pool workouts; cycling; ellipticals; cross-training and interval training. The key is to set your own pace and make the workouts as challenging as you want.

Get your jump rope out 36
It worked for Rocky. Jumping rope is a time-tested way to improve your foot quickness and add a little bit to your vertical jump. After going slow to find your rhythm, try quick/fast jumping to increase your conditioning.

The Tar Heel way 37-46
Tyler Hansbrough. Say no more. One of the most dominating collegiate players of all time carved his “rebound-ready-no-stopping-him-scoring” mentality with a little help from University of North Carolina’s Med Ball 400 workout. The 10-exercise routine was developed by strength and conditioning coach Jonas Sahratian. Perform this routine at the end of your regular workout or as a stand-alone one – three days a week with either a 6-, 8- or 10-pound medicine ball. Do 20 reps of each exercise. Complete the circuit, doing one set of each in succession, without resting. Sahratian recommends starting with 200 reps and working your way to 400.

Big Circles – Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent; hold a medicine ball with your arms extended directly above your head. Without bending your elbows, rotate your arms counterclockwise, use the ball to draw large imaginary circles in front of your body. Do 10 circles, and then reverse direction to clockwise and do 10 more.

Woodchopper – Stand with your feet just beyond shoulder-width apart. With your arms nearly straight, hold a medicine ball above your head. Bend forward at your waist and mimic throwing the ball backward between your legs – but hold onto the ball the entire time. Quickly reverse the movement with the same intensity, and return to the starting position. This equals 1 rep.

Standing Russian Twist – Hold a medicine ball with both hands in front of your chest and with your arms straight. Without dropping your arms, pivot on your right foot and rotate the ball and your torso as far as you can to the left. Then reverse direction: Pivot on your left foot and rotate all the way to the right. This equals 1 rep.

Squat to Press – Stand holding a medicine ball close to your chest with both hands, your feet just beyond shoulder-width apart. Push your hips back, bend your knees and lower your body until the tops of your thighs are at least parallel to the floor. Then simultaneously drive your heels into the floor and push your body back to the starting position as you press the ball over your head. Lower the ball back to the start. This equals 1 rep.

Medicine-Ball Sit-up – Grab a medicine ball with both hands and lie on your back on the floor. Bend your knees 90 degrees, place your feet flat on the floor and hold the medicine ball against your chest. Now perform a classic sit-up by raising your torso into a sitting position. Lower it back to the start. This equals 1 rep.

Rocky Solo – Sit on the floor with your legs straight, and hold a medicine ball with both hands just above your lap. Twist your torso to the right and place the ball behind you. Then twist all the way to your left and pick the ball up and bring it back to the starting position. This equals 1 rep. Do 10 reps. Quickly, do another 10 reps, but this time start by twisting with the ball to your left.

Toe Touch – Grab a medicine ball, lie on your back, and raise your legs so they’re straight and perpendicular to the floor. Hold the ball above the top of your head with your arms straight. Without moving your legs or bending your elbows, simultaneously lift your arms and torso until the ball touches your toes. Lower yourself back to the starting position. This equals 1 rep.

45-Degree Twist – Grab a medicine ball and sit on the floor. Lean back at a 45-degree angle, raise your legs and feet off the floor and hold the ball with both hands in front of your chest, your arms straight. Without dropping your legs or arms, rotate the ball and your torso as far as you can to the right. Then reverse direction, rotating all the way to the left. This equals 1 rep.

Suitcase Crunch – Lie on your back with your legs straight. Use both hands to hold a medicine ball above your head and barely off the floor. Simultaneously raise your torso and bend your right knee toward your chest as you bring the ball over your knee and toward your foot. Reverse the movement and repeat, this time bending your left knee. This equals 1 rep.

Diagonal Crunch – With your medicine ball, lie on the floor with your legs straight and spread wide. Roll onto your right hip and hold the ball with your arms straight at 10 o’clock above the top of your head. To perform the movement, raise your arms and torso and then touch the ball to the floor between your legs. Lower your body, but instead of rolling back onto your right hip, roll onto your left and hold the ball at 2 o’clock above your head before you repeat the movement. This equals 1 rep. Repeat, alternating back and forth in this manner.