Basketball Burn Intervals

I've done it my whole life. I start watching a sport, and all of the sudden - I want to play. Spectator sports rarely end with me in front of the television. I watch the Olympic games, and before you know it, I've decided to try swimming once a week, or I begin running more sprints. I check the yellow pages to see who offers gymnastics classes for adults. And I'm pretty sure that I can't watch "So You Think You Can Dance" without dancing around my living room.

So what do you think I'm doing right now? You guessed it: trying to figure out a way to incorporate basketball drills into my training. March Madness does this to me every year.
Sure, there are always pick-up games at the gym. But since I'm 5'2" on a good day, I never really seem to get much of a workout since I don't really get to touch the ball...So if you want to imitate some of what you're seeing on TV, here's a few ideas of how to incorporate some basketball drills into your workout.

Jump Shots
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, arms chest level holding a ball (or pretending to hold a ball). Bend knees and jump up off the ground, extending arms up as if you're releasing a shot towards the basket. Return to start position. Try 25 jump shots in a row.

Squat & Dribble
Start in basic squat position, so your weight is back in yours heels. Hold a squat and dribble basketball with right hand for 30 seconds. Stand up, switch dribbling hands, and repeat with opposite dribbling hand. Try 2-3 sets on each side.

Basketball Suicides
Beginning from out of bounds, dribble and run to the freethrow line. Sprint back with the ball and layup. Next time, run to the half court line, sprint back and layup. Be sure to do this drill on the left and right. Try it at least 5-10 times and see if you're not winded.

Tuck Jumps
Jump as high as you can while bringing your knees to your chest. After you touch the ground, immediately repeat into another tuck jump. Do 20 explosions, then walk and dribble for 2 minutes to cool down. This completes a set. Repeat this drill two more times. If this is too hard, do 10 explosions instead of 20. If it’s too easy (or when it will become easy), you can try it with weights. (How else do you think they get those high vertical leaps?)

Butterfly Drill
Start with the ball in both hands in a position low to the ground. Drop the ball in front of you and dribble first with your strong hand (this should be a crossover dribble), then with the weak (this dribble should be between the legs.) When the ball has gone through your legs, repeat the above behind you. The objective is to get the ball going as fast as possible and to gain total control over the pill. It‘s called the “Butterfly” because when you have mastered it, you will look like a butterfly.

Hopefully, this will help me burn off my frustration...since Memphis' loss last night ruined my bracket! And the Tennessee VOLS got out on the first round. I mean, I've learned to expect this from the guys, but the girls?! :)