Basketball Post Drills: Attacking Lane Drill
Basketball coaches and athletes usually spend significant training time looking for effective ways to build speed and agility around the blocks. When players approach the area close to the net, the intensity of the game is usually high, the momentum is unpredictable, and at any moment, control of the court can change hands. Players need an excellent set of basketball post drills in order to stay on top of direction changes, and they need to stay under control and light on their feet in order to maintain or take back possession of the ball.
Most important, athletes in the block need to shift from forward momentum to back pedaling or lateral moves on a dime, and they need to be ready for lay-ups and jump shots when the opportunity arises. The basketball post moves demonstrated in this video drill, called the Attacking Lane Drill, can help athletes navigate the challenges of the high intensity zone close to the net. This drill uses the targeted resistance of the Reactive Stretch Cord to help athletes develop core strength, balance, and control during high speed direction shifts.
The Attacking Lane Drill also helps athletes stop and refocus their attention and energy when a scoring opportunity becomes available. This drill, like many of the basketball post drills offered by the Kbands Training.com website, is designed to simulate game-like situations. After working these basketball post moves into regular practice sessions for a few weeks, players will be better prepared to stay cool-headed and under control on the court.
Basketball Post Moves: Setting Up the Attacking Lane Drill
This drill will require the use of four Speed and Agility Cones and a Kbands Reactive Stretch Cord for each participant. The cones can be placed in a large square pattern just in front of the net, as indicated in the video. The cones will help basketball players work on their spacing, and they should be placed approximately eight yards apart.
When the cones are in place, the athlete completing these basketball post moves can attach the belt of the Reactive Stretch Cord around the waist. The belt can be pulled tight, but not too tight, and should rest just about the hip pointers in the center of the lower torso. The metal ring can slide over to the side, and the clips of the Reactive Stretch Cord can be attached to the ring. The Reactive Stretch Cord will provide both resistance and assistance to athletes as they sprint to the cones at the far side of the square and return to the cones that are close to the anchor point.
Basketball Post Moves: Executing The Attacking Lane Drill
At the beginning of this basketball post drill, the athlete will stand at the cone on the opposite side of the square from the anchoring partner. The partner should hold the end of the Reactive Stretch Cord with the loop placed securely around the wrist, and should actually stand about ten feet from the edge of the square in order to apply the maximum safe degree of resistance or assistance. As the athlete begins to sprint from the far cone, the added assistance if the cord will provide a level of initial momentum, similar to a push from another player.
The athlete will sprint from the starting cone across the diagonal to a front cone close to the net. A basketball will be waiting at this front cone, and the player will pick up the ball and execute a layup shot. Then the athlete will perform a lateral sprint to the cone on the opposite side of the net. Then the player will move across the diagonal to the back cone in the far corner. Then another lateral sprint will take him or her back to the starting cone, where another ball will be waiting. The athlete will pick up the ball execute a jump shot, and complete the rep.
Observe the video carefully for a clear sense of the pattern; during the course of the rep, the player will sprint forward on a diagonal, then complete a layup, then lateral sprint, then backward on the diagonal, then lateral sprint again, then jump shot.
Basketball Post Moves: Notes on the Attacking Lane Drill
As the athlete moves from one cone to another across and around the perimeters of the square, the anchoring partner should stay responsive, and should actively apply and reduce pressure to the athlete in order to challenge the athlete’s balance and center of gravity.
At the same time, the belt of the Reactive Stretch Cord should stay snug, but still loose enough to allow the metal ring to rotate around the body as necessary. Both participants should work hard and pay close attention in order to get the most out of this drill by simulating game-like situations. Athletes should concentrate on opening the hip at the turns and investing full energy and explosivity in each sprint.
To get the most out of these basketball post moves, players should complete the Attacking Lane Drill three times with the resistance applied from the left side, and three times with the anchoring partner standing on the right. This will give the athlete time to develop both sides of the body, and it will also allow the layup to be performed an equal number of times with both the right and left hand.
This drill provides an excellent opportunity for athletes to develop the core strength, balance, resilience and focus necessary to handle unpredictable game situations on the court. After a few weeks of game-simulation drills similar to this one, players will feel a difference in their overall control and balance as they move across the floor with no added resistance in place.
For more basketball post drills like this one and for more information and purchasing details for the Reactive Stretch Cord and other Kbands resistance training equipment, visit KbandsTraining.com and explore the video drills and resources in the basketball training section. The site also provides specific training drills for football, soccer, track, baseball and a growing list of other sports.