RUN & PLAY

HELLO EVERYBODY!

Today we are going to talk about a fast break system to play.... 

The information about this "way of play" is from entrenadorinvisible.blogspot.com.es, a blog where you can find exercises, videos, thoughts, and more interesting things about basketball world. 

RUN&PLAY it's a game philoshopy based on decision-making and created to punish defense's mismatch, so attacking players can find the spatial-temporal advantages that the game offers.

It is an open system, with many options, where players are the game leaders. They decide almost 100% of plays and movements, there isn't nothing stablished. The order is manteined by offense rules that ensure the system keeps working. 

Be always one step forward the defense it's a necessary condition, so the main goal is to attack before the defense takes its places on the court. If they achieve that, any action will make an imbalance.

Doesn't matter if the attack comes from steal the ball, get a defensive rebound or get a basket. In less than 6" they have to attack 1x1, get the ball inside the post, or reverse the ball wit pass or penetration.

This philoshopy it is base on Run&Gun, a way to play of many college leagues (NCAA) and used by some NBA teams. 

It is easy to understand and put on the game, so this allows that on learning levels coaches can spend more time on individual technical improvements. It is very important that players have totally freedom to make choices. The teammates have to respect that and go on the same way.

But... Run&Play is not only an offensive philosophy. Defense it is based on a constant pressure wich target is than the opposing team can follow that rhythm, making bad choices and defensive balance. This way to play requires 3-4 minutes rotations to keep good physical level along all the match. However, nothing of this will work if doesn't exist team spirit and it is changed "me" for "we". 


We have to change that coach gets a prominent role, and let the players be the real leaders of the game. 

Here is a video with some cuts of a documental "Guru of Go". This talk about the history of Paul Westhead, a coach famous for a fast break system of play, called "The system", like Run&Play. If you want to see the full documentary here is the link: ESPN 30 for 30: Guru of Go

If you want to know and read more about this philoshopy (in Spanish) click on this link : Run&Play

 THANKS FOR READING AND LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS!

References

Run & Play. Filosofía de juego. Recuperado el 14 de mayo de 2015 del sitio web entrenador invisible: http://entrenadorinvisible.blogspot.com.es/search/label/Run%20And%20Play

Exercise: Limited Superiority.

Good evening!

In this post we show you an exercise about situations of attack superiority. We think that it's important for young players to be decision-makers and to act quickly in situations of advantage during a game. So, we want to show you a way to teach and work on this. 

The exercise is from a great basketball blog: Entrenador invisible. If you want to discover lot of exercises, thoughts and interesing information we recommend you this website. 

Limited Superiority

Pic 1. Exercise Limited superiority. From entrenadorinvisible.blogspot

Objective:

Create a number superiority situation after a defense rebound and do a fast break with options.

Concepts:

Attack the superiority.

3x1 (+2)

3x2 (+1)

Intensity: High

1. Exercise Dynamic.

Attack player 3 throws the ball to the backboard and after the rebound, the exercise starts. This player can dribble or pass, and players 1 and 2 can offer a short or long pass. Defense 3 starts on half court, 1 and 2 on free throw line (backcourt).

On the return, there's an attack-defense change. In addition, the player who has shot or lost the ball, will have to touch, for example,the baseline and then recover the position, so we create a 3x2 situation for limited time.

2. 3x1 (+2)

The main objective is learning to create an advantage. On the first situation, we'll make decitions depending on defensor 3, because it's the first wich will appear and make his own decition: defense of the ball, passing lane or going back. The 3 attack player will have to cordinate their job for give an exit to the ball. 

Defense 1, who has to touch half court, will be the defense who start behind the ball.

Defense 2, has to touch the baseline. This player will start as the last defender to avoid 1x0 situations. 

It is important taking good-choices and do the exercise in high velocities, liki in a game, to take the advantage.

3. Vuelta: 3x2 (+1).

In the return, we have a less unknow situation, because depends of what happen on the first way. The attack players, will have to create an advantage and attack it before the third defense comes.

4. Deffense.

We can influence also on the inferiority defensive work: communication, cover spaces, fakes work, etc.

THANKS FOR READING AND LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS!

"You don't play against opponents you play against the game of basketball" Bobby Knight

References:

Superioridad Limitada. Recuperado el 14 de mayo de 2015 del sitio web entrenador invisible: http://entrenadorinvisible.blogspot.com.es/2014/05/superioridad-limitada.html

Coaching basketball (II)

Hi again!

In this post, we will continue taking about coaching basketball. How we just said, this is important to play basketball and it is something that we must algo training.

What is your coaching philosophy?

In other words, what are your priorities in life?

This goes in line with what you emphasize to your team but it's not about specific basketball skills, like rebounding. It's about much more important things.

As a basketball coach, you have a VERY important responsibility.

You have a bunch of young players that look up to you. Believe it or not, they listen to you.

In addition, you have an opportunity to have an impact on their life!!

Think about it.

You're in a very powerful position. Most teachers would do anything to have the power that you have. Many of their kids could care less about what they are teaching. Heck, many of the students don't even want to come to class.

However, your players actually look forward to practice and games. These kids actually come to you and want to play basketball. They enjoy it. They are passionate about it.

Here is just a few of the things that players might be expecting from you:

1.    Fun.

2.    Learn new or better skills.

3.    Wins, yes, they want to win.

4.    Camaraderie.

5.    Fun.

Notice that fun is on the list twice. Unless you're a professional coach or a college coach with scholarships, your players certainly didn't join the team to have a bad time. Honestly, they probably didn't join to learn life lessons either but they will learn life lessons from you whether you intend to teach them or not.

Your choice is, what life lessons do you want them to learn and how.

Everything that you do and say will make an impression on them.

You have an unbelievable opportunity to teach them so much about life and basketball.

You probably don't realize it, but the things you say without a second thought can stick with a kid for LIFE!

Think back to all of the coaches that you had in your life. You remember every one of them don't you?

Of course you do.

I do too.

I remember so many little things about my basketball days. I remember the coach praising me. I remember the coach yelling at me. I can remember his exact words. I remember whether the coach had confidence in me or not. I remember believing everything that my coach told me, whether he was right or wrong.

Don't overlook the power of your position.

Some of the things you say and do can have a positive effect on these kids for life!

So what can you do about that?

Decide how you want to affect them. What message do you want to communicate?

Consider this interesting coaching tactic...

I knew a truly successful coach whose number one goal was to communicate and emphasize teamwork.

He communicated it in practice verbally. He reinforced it with drills. Every single time someone passed the ball, he offered praise. In fact, it was the only time he offered praise.

Even more impressive to me as a parent was how he handled the games. Regardless of whether the kids won the game or not, he reacted exactly the same way -- every time! He praised the teamwork efforts.

He didn't criticize the players for not passing the ball but he didn't praise them for single handedly scoring either. He only praised for teamwork. The players that showed more of an effort to work as a team played more during games.

When the kids lost a game, he wouldn't say, "I'm sorry that you lost." When they won a game, he wouldn't say "Congratulations" or "Good Job."

He only pointed out the teamwork efforts.

Now this team did manage to win a majority of their games. Do you know why? Because they worked together as a team. (And because he emphasized the fundamentals.)

How did the kids react? They strived to work together as a team. Even the showboats!

Document Your Priorities

Decide how you want to affect your team, what message you want to communicate to them and write it down. Document your coaching philosophy, goals, and what you want to emphasize.

You need to get your priorities in order first if you want to be able to communicate them well. Once you've accomplished this, then you can get your players priorities in order.

To give you an idea, Morgan Wooten, the basketball coach with the most wins in high school history, had the following priorities:

1.    God

2.    Family

3.    School

4.    Basketball

He then made sure his players understand those priorities. He emphasized those priorities all year long.

I personally like to take things a little further. I have similar priorities but I write down the "life lessons" I want to teach the kids for that year.

For example, some of the things I often try to teach and emphasize are:

·         Playing the right way: playing fairly, playing hard, doing your best.

·         Telling the truth and being honest is more important than anything, including basketball.

·         How to take responsibility for their actions

·         Teamwork

·         Helping others - Get them to realize that just one person saying to you, "You've made my day!" makes your day too.

·         Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% attitude - it's what you make of it.

These are just a couple examples. I know I can't teach everything, especially in one year, but if I can just teach a couple important "life lessons", then I know that I've had a positive impact on this young persons life.

These are all things that will teach the kids how to be successful in life.

Now make sure you write down your coaching philosophy and the important things you want to emphasize. Keep those things with you at all times. Look at them before every practice.

This will help you stay focused and emphasize the right things.

REFERENCES:

https://www.breakthroughbasketball.com/coaching/philosophy.html

Coaching basketball (I)

Hello everydoby!

In this post, today we will introduce coaching basketball. This is important to play basketball and it is something that we must algo training.

Establishing Your Philosophy and Priorities

To be an effective basketball coach, the first thing you need to do is establish your philosophy and priorities.

This might sound silly. Nevertheless, this very important step allows you to apply very effective coaching techniques.

Here's how it works...

You see, the most effective way to get the results you want is to emphasize the "right" things.

It's all about what you emphasize!

Players really notice this.

If you consistently emphasize and talk about rebounding, passing the ball, and playing the right way, then you're players will pick up on those things.

For example: At the very first team meeting, you might want to tell your players that you already know who two of the starters will be. The first starter will be the best defensive player on the team. And the second starter will be the best rebounder on the team. (This will get their attention!)

It's all about what you emphasize! If you're constantly talking about rebounding, you're players will pick up on that and become good rebounders.

You'll notice that they start talking about it. They might say something to another teammate like, "Hey, make sure you block out and get the rebound!" Or you might hear, "Hey coach, how many rebounds did I get today?"

If you constantly emphasize rebounding and defense, then you will probably have a team that is really good at defense and rebounding.

This concept is very simple, yet extremely important and very powerful.

Most coaches make the mistake of emphasizing the wrong things or emphasizing too many things. They end up getting poor results.

I know everything seems important but you just can't emphasize everything.

It's much more effective if you pick a few important things and primarily focus on those things. Just ask any successful college or NBA coach. They'll tell you the same thing because that's where I learned the concept.

In the business world, we use a similar concept. We often talk about "Focusing on the critical few, versus the trivial many." Whether it's business or basketball, it's an effective concept.

How Do You Decide What to Emphasize?

Here's what you need to do...

First, ask your self a few questions.

• What are your coaching goals?
• What are the most important things for you to teach?
• What do you really want your players to get out of this experience?
• What does your team need to be really good at to be successful?
• How will you define a successful season or team?

Write down whatever comes to mind.

It's important to get this stuff on paper because you'll ultimately need to document these things and give it to your players.

To give you some ideas, here are a few things you might want to emphasize...

• Playing the right way.
• Defense
• Teamwork
• Rebounding

Now let's take things a step further.

REFERENCES:

https://www.breakthroughbasketball.com/coaching/philosophy.html

Basketball Agility Drills (IV)

Hello everybody!

We lend here last exercise to improve basketball agility drills:

Box Drill

1. Mark out a square approximately 6 yards X 6 yards.

2. Place a cone in the center. This is the starting position.
3. Give each cone a letter or number. The coach calls out the a number/letter at random.
4. The player sprints to the cone and shuffles back to the center.
5. As soon as they arrive at the center, the coach calls another number/letter.
6. Repeat for 60-90 seconds.

With a group of players set out several boxes. Switch players every 60 seconds. Basketball agility drills like these are great for combining physical AND mental awareness. It's uncanny how often players fail to remember how the cones were originally numbered when they are fatigued.

Combine these basketball agility drills with other speed training sessions. Together they will help to significantly increase your quickness and quality of movement around the court.

Paramount to optimal speed and agility is sport-specific strength training. Be sure to look into the most effective approach for developing basketball specific strength and explosive power.

REFERENCES:
http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/basketball-agility-drills.html

Basketball Agility Drills (III)

Hello everybody!

We lend here other exercise to improve basketball agility drills:

 Shuttle With Passes:

1. Start on the baseline facing the court to the left hand side of the basket.

2. Sprint to point A and receive a pass from another player or the coach (red marker).

3. Immediately pass the ball back to the coach, turn and sprint to point B.

4. At point B, jump to touch the net or backboard.

5. On landing, turn and sprint to point C. Receive a pass and return it.

6. Turn and sprint to point D. Jump again to touch the rim or backboard.

7. Turn and sprint to pint D. Receive a pass but this time keep the ball.

8. Turn with the ball, dribble or drive towards the finish. 9. Repeat for 4-6 repetitions.

REFERENCES:

http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/basketball-agility-drills.html

Core Stability & Training Basketball (IV): Abdominal V-Up

Hi everyone!

     In third post of Core Stability & Training Basketball we talked about "basketball twists". Today we want show you two new core exercises. In this photos you can see our partners of Basketball Club Benidorm practicing the two new exercises.

1. Dribbling one-legged wall sits

How do it?

• Stand with your back against a wall, placing your feet about two feet out in front of you. Feet should be hip-distance apart.

• Bending your knees, slide your back down the wall until your knees are at 90-degree angles. Your knee joints should be over your ankle joints, so you may need to inch your feet further from the wall to create proper alignment. Your thighs should remain parallel.

• With your core engaged, extend your left leg out. Hold for 15 seconds, then lower.

• Repeat the same motion, slowly lifting your right leg. Hold for 15 seconds.

• Perform for one minute

Image 1. Dribbling one-legged wall sits

2. Abdominal V-Up

   This exercise have a high degree of difficulty and require some coordination to perform correctly.

Image 1. Abdominal V-Up without ball. CC By Tiffany Berry in Flickr

How do it?

• Sit on the floor with your knees bent toward the ceiling, feet flat on the floor and arms outstretched behind you; palms flat to the floor and fingers pointed away from you. Your weight should be evenly distributed between your feet, butt and arms. Engage your abdominals to brace your spine and support your back in a neutral or flat position. Lift the chest. Do not arch the back or slump the shoulders. Your head is an extension of your spine.

• Begin exercise by simultaneously raising your torso and legs up as you try to touch the ball to your feet and pass the ball between legs

Image 2. Abdominal V-Up

Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game.
- Michael Jordan -

References: 

ACE Fitness (2015) recuperado el 15/05/2015 de http://www.acefitness.org/exercise-library-details/1/242/

Basketball Agility Drills (II)

Hello everybody!

We lend here other exercise to improve basketball agility drills:

Weave In Weave Out:

1. Place 4 markers out in a straight line approximately 3 yards apart (see right).
2. In between each set of markers place another marker only 3 yards to the left.
3. Sprint to marker A and then side step/shuffle to marker B leading with the left leg.
4. Side shuffle to marker C this time leading with the right leg.
5. Repeat to the finish.
6. Walk back to the start and repeat for up to 6-8 repetitions.

REFERENCES:
http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/basketball-agility-drills.html

Core Stability & Training Basketball (III): Basketball twistes

Good morning!

     In this post, we continue the section Core Stability & Training Basketball and we are going to talk about exercises to work the core.

    The last Tuesday we went to Benidorm to visit our partners of Basketball Club Benidorm. We ask if  they can do a exercises to work the core, Later, we wanted to know the sensations they felt in their core when they are performing a new exercise.

Image 1. Basketball twists

How to do basketball twists?

1. Start by sitting on the floor with hips and knees flexed to approximately 90 degree angles. 

2. Grasp a medicine ball or small dumbbell and swing it to the right and left as you keep the hips from rotating with the shoulders. 

3. The arms are not perpendicular to the torso, but instead, kept low, near the thighs, as the medicine ball is swung to each side.

     Now, we show you a easy but very intense exercise.

     Then, we done a little quiz about their core routine. 


-Normally, do you practice core exercises?

Well, we usually practice 2 times a week in gym.

-What exercises do you usually practice?

We usually do abdominals, bird-dog, planks, side plank, scissor crunches, superman... and now, we don't remember  more..

-Did you already know this exercise "basketball twists"?

No, we didn't know it. It's very funny and easy and later you can feel the workout.

- Would you add this exercise to your routine?

Mmmm.. yes! Why not? We are sure that we will include "basketball twists" in our core routine.

- Those who work the hardest are the last to surrender -

Rick Pitino

Improve your jumping (II)

We will continue talking about exercises to improve your jumping:


Triple jumps 2+1

Purpose: To improve lateral bounding that results in increased stride length. It is also good to develop strength. This drill is a part of
series of drills that all have the same purpose.

Procedure: Progressively increase distance from 10-30 meters/yards.

• Stand tall, head over shoulders.
• Arms bent slightly less than °90.
• Begin with a jog.
• Increase stride length.
• Quick bounce of the ground.
• High knee raise.
• Steady rhythm.

Power Long Jumps

Purpose: To improve lateral bounding that results in increased stride length. It is also good to develop strength. This drill is a part of
series of drills that all have the same purpose.

Procedure: Jump forward continuously off both feet .

• Stand tall, head over shoulders.
• Bend down and swing arms backwards.
• Explode forward and upward at a °45 angle.
• High knee raise.
• Steady rhythm.

REFERENCES:
http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/cl/training/p/nid/36913/exercise.html
http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/cl/training/p/nid/36908/exercise.html

Improve your jumping

Good morning! 
Today we will talk about exercises to improve jumping.
Here we lend a exercise that you can do in your training sessions.

Purpose:
To improve lateral movement. This drill is a part of series of drills that all have the same purpose.

Procedure: 
Place 10-15 hurdles in a row, 3 feet apart. Height can vary from 15-45cm (6-18 inches).

Stand tall, head over shoulders.
Quick bounce of the ground.
Swing both arms.
Land on and jump of the middle of the foot.
Steady rhythm.

Image 1. Exemple exercise

REFERENCES:

http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/cl/training/p/nid/36922/exercise.html

BEST BASKETBALL MOVIES (II)

Hello everybody!

We are going to continue talking about some of the best basketball movies. There's no doubt you have already heard about any one of these movies:

Glory road: Newly appointed men's basketball coach Don Haskins (Lucas) from Texas Western College in El Paso, lacking necessary financial resources, makes an effort to recruit the best players regardless of race to form a team that can compete for a national championship. Some of the young men he brings in possess skill, but are raw in talent when it comes to organized teamwork focusing on defense and ball distribution. In the end, his Texas Western Miners team comprises seven black and five white athletes; a balance that raises eyebrows among university personnel. Haskins puts his players through a rigorous training program, threatening to cut anyone who doesn't work as hard as he demands, while trying to integrate his players into a single team with a common goal....

If you want to know the end, I recomend you watch this film !!!

Space jam:

Talk to anyone who grew up in the '90s, and it's likely that they'll cite Space Jamas one of their favorite childhood movies. There are too many reasons to love this film: the presence of the NBA's greatest superstar in combination with cartoon legends, the epic final game between the Monstars and the Toon Squad, and, of course, the unforgettable opening track by Quad City DJs. Space Jam was an enjoyable basketball movie that never took itself too seriously from start to finish, always privileging fun over fact.

References:

http://www.complex.com/sports/2014/02/greatest-basketball-movies-all-time/glory-road

Basketball: Referee Signals (III)

GOOD MORNING!!

TODAY WE WILL CONTINUE TALKING ABOUT REFEREE SIGNALS. Finally, we have here others referee signals:

Jump Ball 30 second time out Three point attempt Three point score

No Score Start clock Stop clock

References: 

http://www.ducksters.com/sports/basketball/referee_signals.php