Yooooooooooo!!!!!!
Mid January. As a basketball player of any age there is one thing that matters more than anything else right now.
Your health.
If you aren’t healthy, aren’t strong, aren’t rested, aren’t energized, there is no way to perform at your optimal level. It’s typically mid January where we see the most injuries as well as physical and mental fatigue. You have so much going on, your body and mind are stressed, so it is VITAL that you find a way to overcome all of this. I’m not saying I did all this when I was your age. Why? I didn’t know! Holy moly I wish I had access to the same info then that you do today. Don’t waste it, take advantage of it! I just may have a few good ideas…
REST
We are starting with this one for two reasons. Not only is it the most important, but it’s also the hardest one for HS and college players. I get it. You have a ton going on. You have practice, games, school, friends, family. The list goes on. But. Do you REALLY want to perform at your highest level? Then you MUST learn the value of a good night’s sleep. It’s not easy! I know, I’m with you, I get it! But it’s not an option. It’s a must. Your body desires, craves, and NEEDS a good night’s sleep to heal itself. Same can be said for you mind. We’re not going to get all sciencey (yes I make up words) here, but there are studies upon studies that show how your body and your mind heal itself during a good, deep rest. So how do we do this? A few ways, but it’s going to take work..
-Do the math. That’s right, you’re smart. You won’t even need your phone for this. What time do you need to be awake in order to get to school on time? Now backtrack 8 hours. Minimum. Yes you heard me. MINIMUM! You need it. That’s step one.
-Next. Get your homework done early. Prioritize your time and make it work. Nothing kills your sleep like the stress of having to cram your work in for the next day.
–GET OFF YOUR PHONE. I know. You hate me. Deal with it. This, more than anything today, is the reason that you DO. NOT. SLEEP. Not only is the blue screen of your phone messing with your brain waves but your neurotransmitters are constantly firing due to the overstimulation of your brain that never ever ever ever ever seems to stop. Take a break from social media 30 minutes before your go to sleep. Say goodbye to tossing and turning.
-Make sure your room is as black as you can get it. There’s nothing worse than light shining in your room and either waking you up or not allowing you to get to sleep in the first place. Oh wait, yes there is. It’s NOISE. I stand corrected, there is NOTHING worse than almost being asleep and then being woken by the faintest of sounds. My recommendation. Get a great humidifier or fan that creates white noise. I’ve been using one for years now and I no longer have to worry about hearing things that go bump in the night.
WATER
The majority of our country is vastly dehydrated, let alone our young athletes. You sweat daily in practice and games. A lot. The majority of our body is made up of water and our muscles do not function properly if they are not adequately hydrated (just ask LeBron). Put down the soda and fruit juice and pick up the trusty water bottle. Yea, you’re going to pee more. But you’re also going to play better. Success comes with a cost. Carry a water bottle with you throughout the day.
NUTRITION
The basics of this are simple. The application of this is where it becomes a tad more tricky (like all of these principles). Why? Because they all require more effort! We can really summarize this section with this sentence. EAT REAL FOOD. If it comes in a box or a bag or a wrapper, do your best to avoid it. You body is getting depleted daily with not only the physical stress you are putting on your body, but the mental stress you are accumulating as well. Strong, whole foods help to boost your body and your brain. Loading up with junk and sugar will only make you more tired, groggy and ineffective on the court and in the classroom. You need to supercharge yourself. You wouldn’t put regular gas in a Lambo would you? HECK NO. Well stop treating yourself like an old broken down Yugo.
More veges, more fruits, more proteins from chicken and fish. Less crackers, cookies, and fast food. Again, this isn’t easy. Do a little more planning and put yourself in a position to make healthier choices. Not only will your body thank you in improved performance, but you are also setting up great habits for the rest of your life (more on this another time).
RECOVERY
This part is a bit different than the rest section. Rest is deep sleep. Recovery will require waking effort. I HIGHLY suggest that you get a foam roller and get to work. Your muscles are sore, your body hurts. A good foam roller is the final piece to this pie that we have been discussing. The reality is you can also use a tennis ball, lacrosse ball, or even pvc pipe. The principle is all the same. Find your muscles that are sore, and take your time. It’s basically like getting a massage except WAAAAAY cheaper. Your mission is a simple search and destroy. Your rolling tool should be used slowly and methodically on the desired muscles. You are looking to release the tension that has been built up that day. Take 10-15 minutes at the end of each day while you are unwinding. Your body will thank you when you wake the next morning.
SKILL WORK
The final link in the chain for today is your skill work. Practice time starts to morph this time of year into something vastly different than it was at the beginning of the season. From a coaches perspective, there are injuries to manage, fatigue to deal with, game plans to implement and scouting reports to go over. Time is precious. The one thing that typically gets put to the back burner is skill work. So here’s what you need to do. Come early to practice or stay late. Get in extra jumpshots. Take care of your stationary ballhandling drills. Have you heard of this guy named Steph Curry? You’ve probably seen his pregame ballhandling routine. Reggie Miller? Larry Bird? Ray Allen? All legendary in their GAME DAY workouts. I’m not saying you have to do what they do on game day. But what I am saying is that take a tip from the greats and get in extra work as the season wears on. Keep those skills sharp no matter what practice looks like. Your playing time and W’s rely on it!
So what’s most important right now? This…
-Rest
-Water
-Nutrition
-Recovery
-Skill work
Let’s add one more bonus that we won’t discuss today but should be self explanatory…
-ATTITUDE
Stay on top of these to continue to get STRONGER instead of breaking down and becoming WEAKER!
Did you enjoy this? Do you think your teammates, child, coach or someone else would benefit be reading this? I would be honored if you shared it with them!
Now get after it!
bt
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