With basketball activities slowly but surely ramping up, how are you planning on knocking off rust?
There is no denying that we are in strange times. Closures of gyms, shutdowns of school ball, summer leagues on hiatus… it has been difficult to work on your craft; at least in the ways that players are accustomed to.
So, for many athletes, some rust has built up over a time where it would not have normally. Now what?
At The Basketball Movement, we are continuing to follow the government guidelines and are only doing individual or small-group workouts while monitoring the number of individuals in our facility. If anyone is displaying symptoms, we are asking that they stay home, as the health and safety of our staff and players is paramount.
We have already had many players reach out to us wanting to begin the process of knocking off rust. Getting into deal basketball shape is a difficult task, even for players that have been taking good care of themselves.
Conditioning is normally the most important part of knocking off the rust. To get the most out of workouts, players need to have enough energy in the tank to get through all training aspects. Basketball is unique in that it has dozens of quick, full-speed moments mixed into a continuous up-and-down flow. Players need to remain primed for explosion at any moment.
Starting slow is alright when getting back into shape - you must walk before you can run. Doing too much too fast can lead to injuries that make your comeback even more difficult. Test your limits, but listen to your body before going overboard. Patience is an important piece of this.
As for the finer skills, many of those have not left you, but may be lying dormant. The best way to wake them up is to get a good sweat going, rekindle some muscle memory, and fall back into what you know. That said, it is still best to sharpen all skills as often as possible. Even the basics of the sport need year-round attention if you want to be the best player you can be.
Having a trainer or coach with you during the process of knocking rust off is important as well. A trainer can help you monitor progress and workload while making sure you are doing things the right way.
If you are looking to get into the gym and get started, reach out at basketballmovement@yahoo.com
No one can argue that these have been difficult times, but as basketball makes its return, it is now also a time for excitement. We hope to see you at the gym soon!