5 things all players should do in the off-season to dominate on the court

The off-season is a crucial time for hoopers, how are you going to seperate yourself from the rest of the pack. For coaches it is obvious which players put in the work in the off-season. There are many ways to develop your game and take your training to the next level this off-season. We're here to give some tips on what players should do in order to dominate next fall.  

1️⃣ Sharpen your skills

Incorporate workouts in your routine that focus on improving a variety of skills like shooting, ball handling, and passing techniques. This is the time to make and learn from your mistakes so be sure you're always going at game speed! Fundamentals are the building blocks to success and sharpening them allows you to enhance your training as you lock in the basics. A great tool for this is the Dr. Dish Youtube channel, with an assortment of drills from warm-ups, shooting, dribbling, etc. With content from trainers, professional basketball players, and high-level coaches. 

2️⃣ Strengthen your physicality

Embrace the grind this off-season and focus on your strength! Grab a friend, get in the gym, improve your endurance with conditioning and agility work. Although it's not some players favorite, it is a HUGE part of the game of basketball. Focusing on strength and conditioning will allow you to get more reps when training the basketball skills and help you keep your fundamentals as you start to get tired. Checkout Stanford Women's Basketball player Cameron Brink's core and mobility workout.  

3️⃣ Master the mental game

Champions are built in the off-season and a strong mind is crucial to success! Embrace mental training exercises like visualization, mindfulness, and mental toughness drills. Set goals for your upcoming season and adopt a mindset that fuels your motivation to accomplish them! Basketball trainer and Thrive3 founder Mike broke down great tips for competing mentally in the game of basketball.

4️⃣ Embrace teamwork

The off-season is a great time to build team camaraderie. Attend or organize captains practice, pick-up games, activities outside of basketball. Building bonds with your teammates correlates to your performance on the basketball court. This leads to unselfish team-basketball. 

5️⃣ Study the game

Expand your basketball IQ by studying game film, attending camps, clinics, or workshops to soak up wisdom from seasoned coaches and players! Learning the game helps players relax and slow down the game in their minds. As well as giving them new ideas for training and moves to use on the court.