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To become a better player, you have to put in the time and effort to improve.

But becoming a better player isn't just about shooting the basketball. Physical skills (strength, endurance, quickness, jumping ability, and agility) are all very important parts of improving your game.

Read below for cutting-edge basketball workout and training information to help you become a better player.

Quickness & Agility

Quickness and agility are some of the most important physical traits for basketball player. Because so much of the game is about movement and footwork (sliding on defense, driving to the basket, jump stops, drop steps, etc.), the ability to move is vital to being successful at the game.

Here are some drills to work on to improve your quickness and agility:
- Jumping rope
- Running stadium stairs
- Doing agility ladder drills
- Doing defensive slide drills
- Doing box jump drills

Working on these typs of drills will enhance your physical skills and make you a better player.

Core Strength

Most athletes today realize the importance of core strength to your overall athletic abilities. Even just a few years ago, no one really talked about exercise balls, Bosu trainers, and the like. But today, many professional athletes focus on core strength training exercises, with some even making them the center-piece of their training routines.

Core training helps strengthen the center part of the body (both the front and back), so that your body can function better as a unit. Remember, just about any move you make on the basketball court involves your whole body, not just your upper or lower body.

Here are some exercises to include in your training routine:
- Abdominal training with an exercise ball
- Strength training with an exercise ball
- Balance training on a Bosu balance trainer
- Strength and balance training with weighted (medicine) balls

Jumping Ability

Jumping ability is an important part of the game of basketball. But let's clarify one thing: jumping ability involves more than just the number of inches (or feet) you can jump off the floor.

Jumping ability also involves these aspects:
- How quickly you can get your balance to jump for a rebound or to block a shot
- The ability to jump off of either foot nearly equally well
- The ability to make a move jumping off of both feet, or off of one foot
- The ability to jump multiple time in succession

Sure, we would all like to have an amazing vertical leap. While jumping ability can be helpful, it is really just a part of being a great athlete and basketball player.

Here are some training tips and exercises for increaseing your jumping ability:
- Do jump rope exercises
- Do stadium stair running exercises
- Use a heavy ball to do rebounding and put-back drills
- Do box jumping drills
- Play lots of basketball (do develop overall stamina and "real game" athletic abilities

More to come. Check back soon...