Basketball Offseason: Summer Camps vs At-Home Training

At-Home Training

Starting off with at-home workouts, this option depends on a few things to be truly effective. To train effectively at home, you  need  equipment like a basketball and a hoop. However a hoop is not always required. Training at home allows less equipment to complete a drill or workout. There are plenty of ball handling development workouts that prove to be necessary for the game of a point guard. But once a player has access to a hoop and a ball it opens up a plethora of opportunities to get better. Simple workouts that can be stemmed from the imagination of the player or, players can access over 150 drills and workouts on demand within our Dr. Dish Training Management System.

Custom Drills

As players get older and grow into a confident basketball player, at-home workouts are also very beneficial. Without always having access to an indoor court, a hoop outside their house can be the place where dreams are chased. Defining specific skills and goals to work on is very important when training at home. Players can always freestyle or mess around during their summer training, but with specific drills in mind at-home workouts it can not only improve their game but also  save time. Not being tied down to a certain time and place attracts some players and as long as they take their at-home workouts seriously there is nothing stopping them from key skill development. 

Character Development

Training at home can help develop the person, not just the player. When a player decides to go outside and shoot for an hour, it not only furthers their basketball skill but helps their personal skills like their work ethic. Playing by themselves allows them to solve their own problems, manage time, make their own decisions, and learn responsibility. These skills grow while they are still working on their basketball skills, which is a win-win for them as people and basketball players.

Accessories

At-home training has flourished with the rise of workout videos being posted online and accessories that make training easier or organized. Simple items such as cones can help a player learn their hotspots and make drills easier to follow. The access that players have to the internet can lead to more of a variety of drills and keep training fresh or more effective. Especially younger players trying to recreate a move they saw Steph Curry do the night before.

Summer Camps

Moving on to basketball summer camps, another effective option to further a player's overall skill at the game of basketball. A summer camp is the place where a player develops team basketball knowledge and skills. Being surrounded with other players around their age who all go to the camp to get better. The environment can be one a player never forgets as camps are meant to not only develop their game but have fun of course. There is individual skill development, but the primary focus is team-drills. Keeping the players aware of more than just the themselves on the basketball court.

Team Skills

One key skill taught and developed at a summer camp is teamwork. No one is old enough to know how to act in any team situation, so it is not only beneficial to younger players attending a camp. Summer camps do a great job at introducing players to situations where a player may not know many other players, but by playing with them they gain a better sense of playing together. Even if the camp is only 5 days long, the players who are put on the same team will learn each other's strengths and weaknesses. As well as develop roles on the team, which is crucial in any good basketball team. It is something that is important on and off the court, players step out of their comfort zone to introduce themselves to other players advancing people skills. 

Basketball Knowledge

Summer camps also give the players a chance to learn from others. People running the camp might be current professional players, coaches, or basketball trainers. They are there to help the camp members to get better. Feedback or inspirational words can go a long way for a player receiving feedback. There is no better feeling for a player than someone they look up to complement them or help them. Drills are explained and supervised by the coaches at the camp, which will lead to a player better understanding the game of basketball. The drill taught at a summer camp may be a move or skill the players continue to work on and bring back during the basketball season. 

Personal Fit

Both these options can help a player put in the work in the summer that will make them much better come basketball season time. It is all about personal preference and finding the right fit for yourself. A mixture of both is always a good option, but knowing what to expect while doing each is beneficial for a player or parent deciding how to use the summer to get better. Summer is one of the best times of year to expand basketball skills and it comes down to the player to committing to that.

At-home Training 

Want to take the next step in maximizing your offseason training? Check out our Summer of Better drills and resources!