Fast Break into Fitness with Exercises at Reisterstown Gym

Basketball has a number of advantages over other sports. There’s no need to buy expensive pads like hockey and football since all you need is a comfortable pair of shoes and shorts. Also, a court and a few friends to play for bragging rights. When you want to be the best of the pickup basketball players,  there are a few workouts that the pros are raving about that will help your game.

4 Ways to Improve Your Pickup Basketball Game Today

1) Hot Yoga

Does it seem odd for a basketball player to hit the mat before they hit the court? Perhaps you have trouble imagining LeBron doing a yoga session, but there’s no question that this workout helps to build fundamental basketball skills. For those who aren’t naturally seven feet tall, it improves the flexibility and reach needed to pass or shoot over an opponent. Hot yoga classes create intense muscular endurance, keeping your game fresh up until the 59th minute of a match while toning away any flab that could slow you down.

2) Barbell Row

A basketball game will use every muscle in your body, but ultimately it comes down to arm power for shooting and passing. Look at the guns on some of the league’s best shooters and there’s no doubt where they put a lot of time in when they hit the weights. Barbell rows are some of the best upper body workouts you can do because they apply all the force of the weight on your forearms, biceps, and shoulders – the same muscles you need to sink a 3-pointer. Perform a barbell row by standing with your spine parallel to the ground, then picking up the weight using only your arms.  Be very careful not to exert any effort from your back to avoid injury.

3) Box Jumps

There’re lots of videos on YouTube of pro athletes and box jumping. You can see NFL superstar JJ Watt jumping onto a six-foot box from the ground! Don’t expect to be able to hit even half that height your first time, but start box jumping in order to develop the fast-twitch muscles that propel you around defenders and help drive to the net when the opposition thinks you’re lining up to take a jump shot. Speed is key: push yourself to jump higher and higher but also faster and faster so that you can push off with both power and speed.

4) Get Our All Access Pass

Want to play some ball before or after work? Want to play on lunch breaks and weekends? Our Free Trial Pass is your best bet to get deeper into the game and really experience the benefits of pickup basketball. Show off your skills or learn from others with more tools in their toolbox by coming in any day of the week to play a game. You will find yourself improving in no time!