There is probably no one on planet Earth who hasn’t heard about the sport basketball. It is one of the biggest sports in the world, along with Volleyball, Badminton, Soccer or Football, Tennis, Pickleball, and more. 
Let’s talk more about the famous sport – basketball.
What is Basketball?
According to Britannica, basketball is a game played between two teams. Each team comprises five members. These players play on a rectangular court and can be an indoor or outdoor sport. Each team uses teamwork to gain more points than the other team. Points are gained when a player shoots the basketball through the opponent’s goal, which is an elevated hoop and net.
The origins of basketball date back to 1891 in the United States of America, and was created by a teacher named James Naismith. He also wrote the original basketball rule book, which was published in 1892. Back then, people used peach baskets instead of the standard hoop and net that you see nowadays. Strangely, they also used soccer balls as basketballs weren’t invented yet.
Nowadays, basketball is all the rage. Even at a young age, kids already express interest in playing basketball in hopes of making it in the big leagues. A lot of training, hard work, and dedication are put in by these individuals so that they can join sports teams to represent their schools, states, or even countries.
It is really essential for athletes to prepare themselves physically before any game so that they can avoid any life-altering injuries. Some injuries take time and therapy to heal, while others are permanent and even life-threatening.
5 Basketball Injury Prevention Exercises
Whether you are a casual player who plays the sport for fun or a professional who makes a living by playing in the big leagues, it’s important to put your safety first before indulging yourself in strenuous physical activities like basketball.
That’s why we’ve come up with these 5 basketball injury prevention exercises that you can do before playing.
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Warming Up
Perhaps every athlete on the planet warms up before doing any physical activity. Warming up should last from five to ten minutes. The main purpose of a warm-up is to increase your body temperature and prepare or “warming up” your muscles for physical activity.
Warming up can be in the form of:
- Stretching
- Jumping Jacks
- Jump Rope
- Yoga
- Lunges
- Ankle Circles
- Standing Side Bends
- Squats
- Lateral Shuffle
- Knee Bends
- Torso Twists
Benefits:
- Promote blood flow in your muscles
- Increase muscle flexibility
- Increase muscle reaction time
- Decrease the chances of getting muscle cramps
- Decrease an athlete’s join pain
- Decrease muscle soreness after the physical activity
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Jogging and Running
Jogging is an essential exercise for all basketball athletes. Not only that, but it’s a great exercise to keep anyone physically fit. 30 minutes is a long enough jogging session for those who just want to maintain their fitness. For basketball players, it is recommended that they combine jogging or running with other exercises to better condition their bodies for strenuous activities.
Jogging and Running Exercises:
- With Low or High Knees
- With Butt Kicks
- With Defensive Sprints
- With Sprint Strides
Benefits:
- Help build strong bones
- Strengthen leg muscles
- Increase stamina in the court (you won’t tire out easily)
- Increase cardiovascular fitness
- Burn a lot of fat
- Help manage your weight
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Zigzag Drill
The zig-zag agility drill trains the players’ ability to change directions quickly. Cones are set up in a zig-zag pattern from one side of the basketball court to the other end of the court. Players run and/or dribble the ball while going from point to point. The duration of the drill will depend on the coach or trainee.
Zig-zag Drill Exercises:
- Jumping Zig-Zag – players jump instead of run
- Zig-Zag Dribble Exercise – players dribble the ball while running from point to point
- Zig-Zag Agility Drill – players focus on speed
- Zig-Zag Defensive Drill – players focus on footwork and defensive playing in the court
Benefits:
- Increase players’ footwork
- Train leg muscles including quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and shins
- Tran balance and muscle coordination
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Jump Rope Sequences
Jumping rope is an excellent exercise that is almost akin to running or jogging. Jumping rope is a great exercise for the heart. Jumping rope seems harmless but when combined with the right sequences, it can be a full workout that focuses on your ankles, knees, and hips. A good thing about jump rope is that it is an exercise that can be done indoors. A good jump rope session would be as short as 20 minutes or can take up to an hour.
Jump Rope Exercises:
- Basic Jump
- Alternate Foot Jump
- Boxer Step Jump
- Single Foot Jump
- Double Under Jump
- Criss Cross Jump
- Backward Jump
Benefits:
- Train coordination
- Build endurance
- Strengthen the upper and lower body strength
- Burn fat and calories
- Improve cardiovascular health
- Improve bone density
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Medicine Ball Exercise
Medicine Balls are weighted leather balls that come in different sizes. However, they must be at least 10% of your body weight in order to create an impact on your workout routine. Medicine balls focus on a lot of areas in your body but typically, different medicine ball exercises are mixed and matched for a well-rounded workout session.
Medicine Ball Exercises:
- Medicine Ball Chest Pass
- Medicine Ball Shuffle
- Burpee Medicine Ball Slams
- Medicine Ball Hinge Throws
- Medicine Ball Russian Twists
Benefits:
- Build body strength
- Build throwing power
- Train balance
- Increase cardiovascular fitness
- Decrease fat
- Burn calories
CONCLUSION
It’s actually also important for athletes to wear the right clothing. This website will stress the reason why athletes, especially basketball players, should wear articles of clothing like tights during their games.
In order to avoid minor and major injuries, it’s essential for athletes to properly prepare themselves for any physical activity. Sometimes you can never stop injuries from coming but hopefully, you’ve prepared your body enough to avoid those circumstances. These 5 basketball injury prevention exercises won’t stop you or any athlete from getting hurt but these will develop your body’s physical capabilities in order to prevent accidents from happening. Stay safe!
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