If you want to be a great player, you must be willing to outwork your opponents.
This requires getting in the gym for basketball workouts 3+ times per week.
Preferably more.
Because if you're only getting better at team practices, there's no way you'll be able to distance yourself from everyone else you're competing against.
Here's my 'rule of thumb' on how many shots you should be making each week:
- Elite Shooter - 1,500 made shots.
- Good Shooter - 1,000 made shots.
- Poor Shooter - 500 made shots.
Below, I've broken down and provided you with two advanced workouts and one kids workout.
While one of the advanced basketball workouts is labeled for 'guards' and the other for 'posts', I would encourage all players (including point guards and centers) to print off and complete both workouts.
It's important for players to develop skills which will allow them to play any position.
3 Basketball Workouts for Players
Advanced Guard Basketball Workout:
The Advanced Guard Workout is a tough workout consisting of 281 made shots that focus on scoring out of the pick-and-roll, different ways of finishing at the basket, and outside shooting.
A great basketball workout for all guards.
Drill #1 - Form Shooting — 20 Made Shots
Make shots shooting from the following specific distances:
• 10 shots from 3 feet.
• 5 shots from 5 feet.
• 5 shots from 7 feet.
Drill #2 - Free Throws - 5 Made Shots
Using your complete free-throw routine, make 5 free-throws.
Drill #3 - Midrange Shooting — 30 Made Shots
Make 10 shots from three different sets of movements. You will have two shooting points for each set, and you must keep switching between them and make 10 shots.
• Set 1: Left corner to left elbow - 10 made shots.
• Set 2: Elbow to Elbow - 10 made shots.
• Set 3: Right corner to right elbow - 10 made shots.
Drill #4 - Free Throws - 5 Made Shots
Using your complete free-throw routine, make 5 free-throws.
Drill #5 - Three-Point Shooting - 15 Made Shots
Make 5 shots from three different sets of movements. You will have two shooting points for each set, and you must keep switching between them and make 5 shots.
• Left corner to left wing - 5 made shots.
• Left wing to right wing - 5 made shots.
• Right corner to right wing - 5 made shots.
Drill #6 - Free Throws - 5 Made Shots
Using your complete free-throw routine, make 5 free-throws.
Drill #7 - Pick and Roll Series - 66 Made Shots
To simulate a pick-and-roll situation, you will make 22 shots out of the PnR from three different areas of the floor. The left wing, top of the key, and right wing.
You must make the following shots at each of the 3 spots.
• 2-dribble jump shot - 7 made shots.
• Step back three-pointer - 5 made shots.
• Drive and finish - 10 made shots.
Drill #8 - Free Throws - 5 Made Shots
Using your complete free-throw routine, make 5 free-throws.
Drill #9 - Advanced Layup Series — 50 Made Shots
During the advanced layup series, you must make 10 layups beginning from outside the three-point line at each of the 5 spots. Make sure you attack the basket!
The five spots are: left corner, left wing, top of the key, right wing, right corner.
The 5 layups you must make are:
• Right-hand layup.
• Left-hand layup.
• Reverse layup.
• Floater.
• Euro step.
Drill #10 - Free Throws - 5 Made Shots
Using your complete free-throw routine, make 5 free-throws.
Drill #11 - Three-Point Shooting — 25 Made Shots
Starting in the left corner, make 5 shots at each of the 5 spots from three-point distance.
The five spots are:
• Left corner
• Left wing
• Top of the key
• Right wing
• Right corner
Drill #12 - Free Throws - 5 Made Shots
Using your complete free-throw routine, make 5 free-throws.
Drill #13 - Transition Pull-Ups from the Elbows — 20 Made Shots
Starting at half-court, dribble towards the basket at game-speed and make 10 pull-up shots from the right elbow and 10 pull-up shots from the left elbow.
Drill #14 - Transition Three-Point Pull-Ups — 15 Made Shots
Starting at half-court, dribble towards the basket at game-speed and make 5 pull-up shots from the right wing, top of the key, and left wing for a total of 15 made shots.
Drill #15 - Free Throws - 5 Made Shots
Using your complete free-throw routine, make 5 free-throws.
Advanced Post Basketball Workout:
The Advanced Post Workout is a tough workout consisting of 355 made shots that focus on scoring out of the low post, high post, and also incorporates outside shooting.
A great workout for all any players that want to improve their post game.
Drill #1 - Mikan Layups - 20 Made Shots
Stand under the basket facing the baseline. Begin on the right side and shoot a right-handed layup. As soon as the basketball falls through the net, catch it while keeping your hands up. Immediately go into a left handed layup on the other side.
Drill #2 - Reverse Mikan Layups - 20 Made Shots
Stand under the basket with your back towards the baseline. Begin by shooting a layup with your right hand and then catch the basketball high as soon as the shot falls through the net. Immediately lay the ball up with your left hand on the other side.
Drill #3 - Form Shooting — 30 Made Shots
Make shots shooting from the following specific distances:
• 10 shots from 3 feet.
• 10 shots from 5 feet.
• 10 shots from 7 feet.
Drill #4 - Free Throws - 10 Made Shots
Using your complete free-throw routine, make 10 free-throws.
Drill #5 - Block to Block Shooting - 20 Made Shots
Continuous jump shots swapping from block to block until you’ve made 20 shots.
Drill #6 - Short Corner to Short Corner — 20 Made Shots
Continuous jump shots swapping from short corner to short corner until you’ve made 20 shots.
Drill #7 - Right Block Post Moves — 50 Made Shots
From the right block, make 10 shots of each of the following moves:
• Drop step.
• Jump hook.
• Up-and-under.
• Fade away.
• Reverse pivot, shot.
Drill #8 - Free Throws - 5 Made Shots
Using your complete free-throw routine, make 5 free-throws.
Drill #9 - Left Block Post Moves — 50 Made Shots
From the left block, make 10 shots of each of the following moves:
• Drop step.
• Jump hook.
• Up-and-under.
• Fade away.
• Reverse pivot, shot.
Drill #10 - Free Throws - 5 Made Shots
Using your complete free-throw routine, make 5 free-throws.
Drill #11 - Elbow to Elbow - 20 Made Shots
Continuous jump shots swapping from elbow to elbow until you’ve made 20 shots.
Drill #12 - Right Elbow Post Moves — 10 Made Shots
From the right elbow, make 5 shots of each of the following moves:
• Shot fake, 1-dribble layup.
• Shot fake, 1-dribble spin layup.
Drill #13 - Left Elbow Post Moves — 10 Made Shots
From the left elbow, make 5 shots of each of the following moves:
• Shot fake, 1-dribble layup.
• Shot fake, 1-dribble spin layup.
Drill #14 - Free Throws - 5 Made Shots
Using your complete free-throw routine, make 5 free-throws.
Drill #15 - Midrange Shooting - 50 Made Shots
Starting in the left corner, make 10 shots at each of the 5 spots from midrange distance.
The five spots are:
• Left corner
• Left wing
• Top of the key
• Right wing
• Right corner
Drill #16 - Free Throws - 5 Made Shots
Using your complete free-throw routine, make 5 free-throws.
Drill #17 - Three-Point Shooting - 25 Made Shots
Starting in the left corner, make 5 shots at each of the 5 spots from three-point distance.
The five spots are:
• Left corner
• Left wing
• Top of the key
• Right wing
• Right corner
Drill #18 - Free Throws - 10 Made Shots
Using your complete free-throw routine, make 10 free-throws.
Kids Basketball Workout:
This kids basketball workout is created for players who aren’t capable of shooting from outside of midrange yet.
With only 83 made shots, it’s a fun and quick workout for any young kid that loves basketball!
Drill #1 - Form Shooting — 20 Made Shots
Make shots shooting from the following specific distances:
• 10 shots from 3 feet.
• 5 shots from 5 feet.
• 5 shots from 7 feet.
Drill #2 - Free Throws — 5 Made Shots
Using your complete free-throw routine, make 5 free-throws.
Drill #3 - X-Out Layups - 10 Made Shots
X-out layups works on finishing at the ring with both hands.
Player starts on the right elbow and then dribble in and make a right-handed layup. They immediately rebound the basketball, dribble out to the left elbow, and then dribble in for a left-handed layup, then they rebound and dribble out to the right elbow again.
Continue this until 10 made layups.
Drill #4 - Layup Series - 30 Made Shots
During the layup series you must make 6 layups beginning from outside the three-point line at each of the 5 spots. The five spots are left corner, left wing, top of the key, right wing, right corner.
The 6 layups players must make are:
• Right-hand layup x2
• Left-hand layup x2
• Floater x2
Drill #5 - Beat Steph Curry - Free-Throw Shooting
A fun game competing against Steph Curry shooting free throws.
Begin the challenge on 10 points. For every made shot, you add two points to your total. For every missed shot, you lose one point. If you make it to 20 points, you win. If you end up on 0 points, you lose.
Make sure you use your full routine every time you step to the free-throw line.
Drill #6 - Midrange Shooting - 21 Made Shots
Starting in the left corner, make 3 shots at each of the 7 spots from midrange distance.
The seven spots are:
• Left corner
• Left wing
• Left elbow
• Top of the key
• Right elbow
• Right wing
• Right corner
Drill #7 - Beat Steph Curry - Free-Throw Shooting
A fun game competing against Steph Curry shooting free throws.
Begin the challenge on 10 points. For every made shot, you add two points to your total. For every missed shot, you lose one point. If you make it to 20 points, you win. If you end up on 0 points, you lose.
Make sure you use your full routine every time you step to the free-throw line.
Steve Nash 20 Minute Shooting Workout
This basketball workout is an intense, non-stop 20 minute shooting workout.
Want to get in a workout during lunch time at school?
Want to get in a workout during your lunch break at work?
This is the perfect workout for those occasions.
In just 20 minutes you’ll be taking game shots at game speed, all while improving your conditioning (and we all know how important it is to shoot while fatigued!).
How to Perform This Workout:
There are two issues you might work out before starting this workout…
1. How to keep track of the time – If you can use the scoreboard on your court that’s fantastic but not all players can. Instead I’ve used the countdown timer on my iPad and stood it up so the players can see it.
2. How to remember which drills and when to change – I highly recommend you find a friend/parent/coach/teammate to help you out. They can call out when to change drills and what to do from the sideline. It helps! But if you can’t it’s not that hard to remember as most flow into each other. I’ve memorised it!
The Steve Nash Workout
20:00 – 19:00: Form shooting – Anywhere inside the key. Focus on good form. Let’s see the ball go in the ring early!
19:00 – 18:00: Midrange shots from baseline – Gradually move out and continue switching sides on every shot.
18:00 – 17:30: Midrange bank shots – Slide up the court a bit and continue making midrange shot but now use the backboard.
17:30 – 17:00: Shots from the elbow – Move to the elbow and shoot jump shots. Make sure you continue switching sides!
17:00 – 15:30 – Runners in the lane – Start from the college three-point line, take a couple of dribbles and shoot a floater.
15:30 – 14:00: Hesitation dribble pull-up shot – Start from the college, three-point line, one dribble hesitation move into a jump shot.
14:00 – 13:00: Fadeaway’s from the block off right shoulder – This means that on each block your pivot foot will always be your right.
13:00 – 12:00: Fadeaway’s from the block off left shoulder – This means that on each block your pivot foot will always be your left.
12:00 – 11:00: Jump hooks from each block – Staying on the block, perform jump hooks going either way.
11:00 – 9:00: 1-dribble pull-up jump shot – From the top of the key take one dribble either way into a jump shot. Make sure you go both left and right!
9:00 – 7:30: 1-dribble spin jump shot – From the top of the key take one dribble either way, perform a spin move then into a jump shot. Make sure you go both left and right!
7:30 – 5:00: College three pointers – Shoot from the college three point line. No specific area. Shoot from where the ball is closest to.
5:00 – 3:30: 1-dribble step backs – From the college three point line, take one dribble and perform an step back jump shot.
3:30 1:30 Simulation pick-and-roll jump shots – From the college three point line, pretend you’re the guard in a pick and roll situation. Use the pick and come off for a jump shot.
1:30 – 0:00: NBA three pointers – Shoot from the NBA three point line. If you’re still young and have to change your form to shoot three’s from the NBA line, stay at the college line.
Overtime: Keep shooting threes! If you still have some gas left in the tank. Keep shooting those three’s while you’re tired.
Double Overtime: Free throws! – Ok I admit I added this one… but now that you’re tired it’s the perfect opportunity to make 20 free throws.