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 Being able to change direction on the court – quickly – is imperative. Here’s how.
By Dustin Wolf
Basketball is a continuous flow of movement, whether it’s more relaxed in recovery of position or intense on the ball defending, you are in constant motion. Transitions in positions, angles and speed happen continuously throughout the course of a game. The art of developing a multi-directional reactionary athlete requires very specific training. If the game of basketball is all about inches, angle, spacing and timing, you must address your training in the same fashion. To develop the ability to transition in and out of various body positions, evaluate certain distance relationship, decelerate quickly, set an accurate angle and explosively accelerate into an new direction, you must learn how to do this continual flow “a movement into a movement.”
The following exercises will help enhance your ability to change direction – quickly – in a game.
Forward Sprints to Left to Right Shuffle
The ability to quickly accelerate, keep proper spacing and change direction into a completely different movement is invaluable skill as a defender. This drill is designed to develop a quick change of direction from a linear sprint to lateral defensive shuffle.
How to do it
Begin by sprinting 10 yards from cone A to cone B. Decelerate using quick, choppy steps 2-3 yards before approaching cone B. When shuffling to the left, plant your right foot in front of the cone, lowering/loading your hips, reach toward cone C with your left foot,
as you begin to shuffle. When shuffling to the right, plant your right foot, lower and load your hips, reach toward cone C with your right foot, as you begin to shuffle.
To maintain balance during the change, load your hips down and keep your chest over the balls of your feet. Your chest should be tall, while your shoulders are square during the shuffle. It’s important that you lead with your hips and don’t lean into the movement with your shoulder. This will cause your to be off balance. Accelerate through the movement, maintaining balance and proper form and freeze your body position once both of your feet are past cone C.
Performance Tips
- • Your chest is up and pushed forward on the sprint
- • You chop down your strides to change quickly
- • While changing to the shuffle, your hips must be lowered and
- your chest must be up, and over the balls of your feet
- • Quick shuffles getting both your feet past marker C and freezing your body position
Left to Right Shuffle to Forward Sprint
The speed of the game is constantly increasing. Developing your body control and strength to transition from on the ball defending to an immediate fast break sprint is a huge advantage. This drill is designed to develop a quick change of direction from a lateral defensive shuffle to an instantaneous fast break sprint.
How to do it
Starting at cone A, shuffle 10 yards toward cone B. If shuffling to the right, your right foot must plant at marker B, while your left knee will drive up/forward as your left arm fires back to accelerate forward past cone C. To maintain your balance during the change, push your chest up and forward, so gravity will help send your body forward, while
continuously driving your arms and legs to accelerate. When shuffling to the left, your left foot must become your plant foot and your right knee will drive up/forward while you drive your right elbow backward, which will accelerate you past cone C. Note: You should complete your shuffle, planting your foot at cone B, and then accelerating your body forward without taking a false step backward. Accelerate through the movement, while maintaining your balance and proper form.
Performance Tips
- • Hips loaded while shuffling
- • Push your chest up and forward to accelerate into the forward sprint
- • While changing directions, your plant foot (outside foot) stops the lateral motion of the body, while your active foot (inside foot) drives forward
- • Your arm drive will enhance the snap of the knee – drive to accelerate forward
BIO:
Performance Training Inc.’s Dustin Wolf MS, CSCS, is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). Over the years, he has trained thousands of elite athletes, ranging from middle school and high school, and the collegiate, professional and Olympic ranks. Along with serving as director of training for the On Court Player Development® training lab at the Suwanee Sports Academy, he also is the head strength and conditioning coach for the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream. He can be reached at dwolf@ssasports.com
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