This basketball exercise will focus on strengthening the upper body, and it will take a traditional exercise (push up) and add some more difficulty to it. The muscles that it will primarily work on are; the chest, shoulders, and triceps. The athlete can use both the resistance band and the medicine ball for maximum difficulty, or to make it a little easier, just use the medicine ball.
As you do the exercise, you want to be explosive with your movements while maintaining good form on the push-up. This exercise translates onto the basketball court in helping the player be stronger when rebounding the basketball and finishing at the rim. Hopefully, it will allow the player to gather in more 50/50 rebounds and finish through the contact at the basket.
Basketball Exercise Overview
Exercise Name: Resistance Band Medicine Ball Push-Ups Exercise
Equipment Needed: Medicine ball and a resistance band.
Similar Basketball Exercises and Resources
Goals of the Exercise
- Build strength and explosiveness in the upper body, primarily the chest, shoulders, and triceps.
Coaching Points
- Keep good form during the exercise, but look to be as explosive as you can with the movements.
- Really focus on generating power in your movements.
- To make the exercise easier, do it without the resistance band.
- Make sure that you stay balanced on the medicine ball, and only use a resistance band that allows you to get full extension on the push-up.
Basketball Exercise Instructions
- Wrap the resistance band around your back, and then put your thumbs/palms in each end of it.
- Get down into a push-up position on the floor, but put your hands on top of the medicine ball.
- Now lower your chest down to the medicine ball (keep your body in a straight line).
- Push yourself all the way back up until you lock your arms out.
- This completes one repetition. Continue for the desired amount of repetitions.
