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Track & Field and Athletics: #1 Sports site with latest training info for coaches and self-coached athletes
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BASKETBALL TRAINING INFORMATION
Acceleration--I doubt that one ever gets to top speed on a basketball court, so all speed running is actually in the acceleration mode. To develop maximum speed during acceleration, one has to be leaning forward from the ankles, and not from the hips. To demonstrate this, stand about arms length fro a wall, and without leaning push against the wall. Then back up a bit and lean from the waist and push against the wall. Next, lean from the ankles and push against the wall. It requires force/power to accelerate. You develop the most when leaning from the ankles.
Dorsiflexion--When running, and especially during acceleration, the foot should be dorsiflexed-the toes should be pulled up toward the shin/knee. Do not "run on your toes". The foot should land mid-foot and not on the toes. When one "runs on their toes", the calf muscles are contracted. Thus, when pushing off for the next stride, the calf muscle can not be contracted to help push off. In this condition, the ham strings are carrying the full load. Most hamstring pulls happen during acceleration.
Arm swing--arm action controls leg action. The arms have to go through their swing quickly for the legs to move quickly. To maximize the speed of the arm swing, the angle of the elbow joint should change during acceleration/max speed running. In non max speed running, this angle is normally about 90 degrees. For more speed, this angle should be reduced to the 45 degree range on the upswing and opened to the 135 degree range on the down or backswing.
Changing directions--for a quicker turn around, the angle of the foot should be changed while it is in the air. Upon landing the body will automatically align itself over the foot.
Energy system training--In short burst running the ATP/CP (adenosine triphosphate/creatine phosphate) energy system comes into play. At maximum continuous effort, the ATP/CP stores are depleted in about eight seconds. It takes the body about three minutes to replenish them. The drill to enhance this system is to run hard for ten to twelve seconds, then recover for about 30 seconds. In the recovery, about 50% of the system will be replenished. Do four of these, then take a three minute recovery, during which 95-98% of the system will be replenished. Do three sets.
Weight training--If you want to build muscle mass, the do lots of reps. If you just want to build muscle strength, then 1RM or 2RM's. (RM is the max weight that you can handle in one rep.)
Agility--Check these two web pages on "proprioception" for some info on the subject: www.coachr.org/proprio.htm and www.coachr.org/ankleproprio.htm
For the acceleration, dorsiflexion, arm swing and changing directions, the body has to re-learn the proper motion. This will not happen over-night. It may take a full season for the body to make this a natural motion where you don't have to think about it. Work on one of these at a time. When it becomes natural, then move to the next one.

30 July 2010 ? Bogota, Colombia - Isaac Macharia, an economics graduate of Nairobi University, treats each Bogota International Half Marathon like a final exam. Macharia studies up at altitude back in Kenya - Bogota is at 2640 metres - and then he aces the exam with a late race surge at 14K over the only hill on the course, a bridge.
29 July 2010 ? Barcelona, Spain ? A command performance by Phillips Idowu and two surprise victories for Germany capped an action-packed programme on the third day of competition at the 20th European Athletics Championships.
29 July 2010 - Nairobi, Kenya- Ivorian Ben Youssef Meite?s shock victory in the men?s 100m, Nigerian Blessing Okagbare?s expected victory in the women?s 100m, and Kenyan Vivian Cheruiyot?s 5000m triumph over Ethiopian archrival Meseret Defar were the highlights of the action on day two of the 17th CAA Safaricom African Athletics Championships in Nairobi.
29 July 2010 - While the international circuit is taking a brief break, there is no rest for Samsung Diamond League Ambassador Andreas Thorkildsen. Norway's Olympic and World champion in the Javelin Throw has an important appointment to keep in Barcelona this week where he'll be out to defend his European title.
29 July 2010 - Zurich, Switzerland - A clash of sprint powers Jamaica and the United States, featuring Usain Bolt and Tyson Gay will be among the highlights of the Zurich's Weltklasse on 19 August, the penultimate stop of the Samsung Diamond League series.