Everything about the 'heavy ball'
weighted ball in basketball workouts
I make no bones about it - I am a big fan of incorporating heavy ball(weighted basketball that you can dribble and the traditional heavy ball that you can not dribble) into off season basketball workout plans.
With every drill you need to understand what your goals are and what your baseline is. Most athletes have answer to both but not all of them are able to align the two. More on this in another post.
Here are some great drills to introduce into your offseason workouts that will help build strong basketball athletes.
Heavy Ball Dribbling Drills a. Stationary Dribbling: Dribble the heavy ball with one hand while maintaining a low stance. Focus on ball control and speed. Switch hands after 30-60 seconds. b. Crossover Dribbling: Perform crossovers with the heavy ball, switching hands each time. Work on quick, controlled movements for 30-60 seconds. c. Figure-8 Dribbling: Dribble the heavy ball in a figure-8 pattern around your legs for 30-60 seconds, then switch directions.
Heavy Ball Passing Drills a. Chest Passes: With a partner, practice chest passes using the heavy ball. Focus on accuracy and maintaining a strong, firm pass. Complete 10-15 passes, then switch to bounce passes. b. Bounce Passes: Perform bounce passes with the heavy ball, focusing on accuracy and control. Complete 10-15 passes before switching to one handed passing and one handing bounce passes. Complete 10 -15.
Heavy Ball Shooting Drills a. One-Hand Form Shooting: Stand close to the basket and practice one-hand form shooting with the heavy ball. Focus on proper shooting mechanics and wrist strength. Complete 10-15 shots with each hand.
Rebound with 15-20lb heavy ball. Start under the backboard about 1 foot from the side of the rim. While standing and the heavy ball between your legs on the floor, do a proper knee dip and explode with the ball in your hands in an attempt to touch the backboard. Return the ball to the floor, only touching the floor and not slamming the ball to the ground. Return to the proper knee bend position - repeat 15 times and then switch sides of the hoop
Defensive slide with heavy ball. This is a great conditioning drill that can build leg and arm strength at the same time. Diagonal slides up and down the basketball court - alternating between the heavy ball outstretched in front of you while in defensive stance to ball close in to your body. The constant alternation increases the difficulty in this drill.