The importance of shooting situations
Max BPM and effective workouts
Infatuated with the numerous anecdotes of how many shots successful shooters get up in the off season I delved into as many videos and reports that I could find. The easy answer is that it varies and by a wide margin. One consistent in our research is the quantity of shots a player must take has grown. What was ‘make 100 shots a day’ is now ‘make 200-300 shots per day’.
Edge Flow Analytics has already covered material on eye focal point or as it is known physiologically - ‘quiet eye’- but beyond focus what can players do that will make them more effective shooters. One step further, how can we set the situation correctly so that going out to your driveway to shoot 200 shots can be as effective(better?) as being in the gym with a shooting coach and shooting 200 shots. The end state should be that by the time the season arrives the athlete will be ahead of their peers who have not followed the same pattern.
Paid subscribers get access to more detailed shooting workout and video analysis so don’t delay your workouts any longer.
Shooting makes up one of the four quadrants Edge Flow Analytics suggests and a complete player will focus their off season in each of the quadrants.
In order get the most out of your workout you should be aiming for 65-70% of max BPM – you are at the ‘Edge’ and the longer you are shooting in this zone the better the workout is. Median BPM for intense basketball session is 165, dependent on age and fitness level.
In order to calculate (and please always consult a medical specialist before engaging in any type of physical training regime) maximum BPM is 220 – minus your age. For a sixteen year old athlete with no underlying medical conditions the maximum BPM is calculated to be 204 BPM and working at 70% maximum BPM your ideal ‘Edge State’ is a BPM of approximately 143. As an athlete determined to improve you should be monitoring your BPM during workouts but not allowing it to be a distraction.
At Edge Flow Analytics we suggest the following baseline measures for constructing an off season work out plan – remember shooting is only one of the four quandrants to focus on.
With Defense: Shooting while defended is a more challenging situation, and success rates will vary depending on the defender's skill level and how well they can contest the shot. A successful 16-year-old athlete may make around 50% of their shots in this situation.
No Defense: Shooting without a defender is a more straightforward situation, and a successful 16-year-old athlete should make 70-80% of their shots. Depending on the training session and the goals of the session(season) shooters should be looking more towards the 80% target. Don’t be dismayed if you are making 30% - this is what the offseason is about.
Off the dribble: Shooting while moving and dribbling requires more skill and practice. A successful 16-year-old athlete may make 30-40% of their shots in this situation. As you can see developing players will have a more difficult time being accurate with their shots that are preceded by a dribble. There are several different combinations of drills that can be used to discourage complacency.
Receiving pass on the strong side / weak side: Shooting after receiving a pass on the strong side of the body is a common scenario in basketball. A successful 16-year-old athlete may make 60-70% of their shots in this situation and there is a small reduction in shooting percentage when receiving the pass on the weak side /non dominant hand. Again, there are many different drills to enhance strong side / weak side shooting prowess.