10 Best Core Exercises For Basketball
The core is a muscle designed to help stabilize, and balance athletes. It is also a crucial muscle when it comes to preventing injury and supporting the spine during forceful and explosive movements.
That is why especially for basketball players you need to have a strong core to help support your overall game.
In this article, I will be going over some of the best core exercises you can do and use to help develop your overall game.
Key Concepts
Most of these exercises will fall under 3 categories.
-Strength
This category will mainly focus on building general hypertrophy and strength in your core and abs. This is not really sport-specific, but it's always a good idea to have a general level of strength in your muscles.
If you are in the beginning stages of working out or feel like you do not have much strength in your core these types of exercises will be a good place to start.
-Stabilizing
These types of exercises are designed to help prevent injury and get your body prepped to handle some of the high demands and strains basketball can put on your spine and body as a whole.
-Explosive Sport Specific
These types of exercises will focus on training your abs in an explosive sport-specific way. They will try to be designed in a way to get your core more used to some of the explosive movements your body will have to do in the game of basketball.
1. Plank
How To Do It
To do the plank start by getting on your elbows with your toes pointing to the ground. You want to make sure you keep your back straight throughout the exercise. You can also hold a basketball to work more on your stability and core balance.
Type of exercise
Stability
2. Incline Sit Up
How To Do It
To do an incline sit up you will first need an incline bench or something you can elevate your feet on. You then need to contract your abs while going up. One thing to remember while doing this is to make sure your abs do all the work and you do not bend your back to help you get up.
I recommend doing 3 sets of 12 but you can go up or down on your reps depending on your goals. You can also use a medicine ball if its too easy.
Type of Exercise
Strength
3. Side Plank
How To Do It
The side plank is very similar to the traditional plank but the side plank targets your obliques which is an important muscle for your overall core mobility.
To perform a side plank effectively start will your elbow or hand on the ground. WIth your other hand try and reach it to the sky while you balance your body in the air on its side. Make sure to keep your body straight while keeping good form.
I recommend you try and hold this 3 times at about 30 seconds to 60 seconds
Type Of Exercise
Stability
4. Medicine Ball Slams
How To Do It
Start by grabbing a medicine ball that you feel comfortable with. I then want you to use your legs and your body to rise and throw the medicine ball to the ground. To really target your core try and contract your core throughout each throw.
Also make sure since this is a more explosive exercise you use a lower rep. So something like 3 ball slams with 6 sets would be good for this exercise.
Type Of Exercise
Explosive sport specific
5. Russian Twist
How To Do It
The russians twists help target your whole core oblique and even spin. This exercise helps stabilize while also strengthens.
To do this effectively keep your back straight with your knees slightly bent in the air. After that you then need to rotate your body using your abs and either touch your sides, or use a medicine ball and touch the ground on each side.
Type Of Exercise
Stability
6. Mountain Climbers
How To Do It
Mountain climbers you start in a similar position you would be in during a push up or plank. After that you then want to push your knees forward as much as you can.
Type Of Exercise
Stability and Explosive
7. Weighted Sit Ups
How To Do It
To do a weighted sit up start on your back with your knees slightly bent. You then want to contract your abs and move your whole upper body up.
You can start with no weight at the beginning but as time progresses and you become better at this you might want to add weight as time goes on. This could be a vest dumbell, or even a medicine ball.
Type of Exercise
Strength
8. Side Ball Throws
How To Do It
Similar to the medicine ball slams this time you will be starting with your body faced parrallell to the wall. With a medicine ball in your hand you then want to twist your core and throw the ball into the wall.
Again since this is a more explosive exercise you might want to raise the sets, lower the reps and have higher rest period to really work on your explosive power.
Type Of Exercise
Explosive sport specific
9. Dead Bugs
How To Do It
Dead bugs start out by lying flat on your back. You then want to slightly lifts your ams and your legs while keeping your core tight. You can then either try to touch your arms to your legs or hold this stance while making sure you are elevated.
Type Of Exercise
Stability
10. Bicylcle Kicks
How To Do It
Start lying flat out on your back with your knees slightly bent, as you rise up try and touch your knee with your elbows. This exercise helps your abs learn to fire with your hips which can be very helpful for your top end speed.
Type Of Exercise
Strength and Stability
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Is core strength good for basketball?
Answer: Absalutley, the core is in stabilizing the spine, and allowing for better overall mobility throughout your whole upper body.
This allows players to prevent injury, and allow your body to be better able to handle explosive movements which is huge in basketball.
Question: How often should you work your core in basketball?
Answer: I would say to aim for at least once a week, but preferably two to three times a week if you can. This can be done in pair with any other weightlifting session you might have during the week.
Conclusion
As you can see there are many great sport specific exercises and ways to build rock solid abs that you can use to enhance your game.
Please leave a comment below, and if you know any friends who would find this information useful share with them.
Thank you for reading and as always keep hooping my friends.
