Speed and explosiveness come from your legs. Learn how to blast off

By Dustin Wolf

Explosiveness. That’s what you need – what you want – on the basketball court. But how do you get there? Ask any basketball coach or trainer, and he’ll say you have to work for it. Hard work. Following are two more drills that will help development your speed and quickness – and give you that explosive edge – on the court.

Speed Development – Technique Training –  Part 2

High Knee Skips

Developing speed is about generating maximum force equally out of each leg. It also is about maintaining proper balance and body control to ensure the effectiveness of each stride. This drill may seem like a jumping exercise. And it will increase your vertical leap. But the strength and body control you will develop will transfer to speed.

The Breakdown

The purpose of this drill is to develop your explosiveness off one foot. Skip as high as possible by driving off the ground and forcefully lifting your knee and toe up in front of your body. Your heel must stay under the belly of your hamstring at the peak of the knee drive. Your chest must be tall to ensure all momentum is in the vertical direction, not allowing your body to float forward. Freeze in the air at the peak of the skip – holding your knee drive up in front, until your opposite foot makes contact with the ground.

After contact is made with the ground, use your hips to absorb the impact. Take a small step forward with your opposite foot and quickly repeat the movement. Arm drive is a vital component of this explosive movement. Your arms will forcefully drive in an opposite direction of the knee drive. This will assist the explosiveness of the movement as well as balance.

Performance Tips

• • Tall chest / Hips loaded
  • Thigh parallel to ground / Active foot by opposite knee
  • Freeze at the top of skip
  • Heel under the belly of hamstring at peak of knee drive
  • Land on balls of feet / Toes up
  • Explosive arm drive