By Bill Novak
We wanted to find a way to incorporate lifting with speed/agility work for the 6 weeks prior to training camp. What I decided to do was create a circuit based system that included exercises and footwork drills (eg. dot drill, jump rope, box jumps, ladders) coupled with power based weight/core work (eg. power press, kettle bells) in a team environment. We started by “testing” all prospective varsity players on number of pushups in 30 seconds, dot drill, and half court/full court sprint.
Following that baseline we worked out 2-3 times a week as a group with timed exercise stations and rotations. Each player would start at an exercise and do that exercise for 30 seconds and then move onto the next exercise. We usually did 3 rotations. This not only built up our fitness and core strength but also helped to build team unity. As we got closer to the training camp we incorporated running steps. The players were very receptive to this training program and all who participated came into camp in great shape. The total workout generally took about 30 minutes and then we would do skill work on the court for 30 minutes. All players increased at least 50% on their baseline. Overall I think it really helped us to increase core strength and explosiveness. We are currently 8-0 and on top of our division and ranked first in the county. Feel free to contact me for more specifics and good luck this year.