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Women's Basketball Weight Training Tips

A women's basketball weight training program should build the fitness components necessary to boost competitive performance. Explosive exercises can also promote skill development, if correctly selected and executed.

To be a great basketball player you to have enough stamina to run up and down court for the entire game. Plus, you need speed, agility and explosive strength for shooting, rebounding, passing, faking, dribbling, and blocking out opponents. And to win, you must be able to execute all those skills even when you're tired!

Your weight training program should contribute your whole basketball conditioning regimen. As a player, all of your workouts should be designed to improve your own position play and help you achieve your own personal goals.

Your Basketball Weight Training Program

I have found that the best combination of exercises for basketball include strength building and explosive exercises using mainly free weights throughout every phase of training.

These exercises are great for jumping and sprinting. If coaches are experienced with teaching good technique in the

Power Clean Animation

Power Clean

power clean and split jerk, they very effective for increasing the vertical jump, accelerating down the court, and moving rapidly to deceive opponents. If coaches are not familiar with these lifting techniques, a good alternative is the explosive squat--the back squat performed explosively with light weights (slow down, fast up).

Full Back Squat Graphic

Back squats are essential for lower body strength. Be sure to perform them correctly--flat back and heels on the floor throughout the lift. Be sure to do a full squat--upper leg parallel to the floor. If not, your lower body strength and power suffer.

My recommendations for upper body strength include the priority arm exercises for women

Pullover Graphic

(bench press, rowing, overhead press, and lat pulls). These are for building basketball-specific upper body strength while balancing muscles. (The overhead press and lunges can be substituted for the split jerk, although this eliminates the explosive, coordinated component). Adding pullovers for the shoulder and triceps simulates overhead passing.

Core strength exercises make your trunk strong and solid for better body control, balance, and coordination. They can also help prevent various trunk and lower body injuries.

You can also add or substitute similar multi-joint exercises (such as those performed with dumbbells, medicine balls, and elastic tubing), isolation exercises (such as tricep extensions) and include other training methods that you trust.

If you have had success with certain exercises, don't quit doing them. Continually search to find the best total basketball training program for your ability level and individual needs.

Track your progress on your fitness and skill tests so you can tell what is working as your strength and playing skill levels improve over time.

Play the game as you progress through your weight training program, and coordinate your weekly weight routines with other training activities.

Recommended professionally designed programs for basketball training:

E-training is a personalized online basketball training program. They show you animated exercises and set up a schedule, plus diet and nutritional programs. They offer a free demo:

e-Training for Basketball

This is my top VJ recommendation. I like the sound, multi-faceted approach that gives you a more complete vertical jump training system. It is well-grounded in science; includes a book, video, and more:

Vertical Explosion Training

The Parisi Speed Training System is excellent for building speed, power, and agility for basketball.

For a free sample of a basketball weight training program:

Basketball Weight Training Program

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