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The four pillars of basketball conditioning

This is an excerpt from Complete Conditioning for Basketball by National Basketball Strength & Conditioning Association (NBSCA) & Bill Foran.

By Shawn Windle and Michael Irr

A basketball player’s success on the court is dependent on the status of four pillars of performance (see figure 1.1).

1. Physical: attributes and abilities of the player’s body
2. Technical: demonstrated skills applied in competition
3. Tactical: knowledge and execution of game tactics
4. Psychological: mental makeup, focus, and toughness

Players who are consistently proficient in applying their athleticism, skills, knowledge of the game, and mental approach will achieve success.

These basketball performance pillars are dependent on each other. For example, increasing athletic ability through training supports greater skill development. Jumping higher and accelerating faster allow a player to practice shooting from a greater distance, to be stronger with the ball, and to dribble at higher speeds. Physical fitness also sharpens the execution of game tactics and decision making. In the fourth quarter, as fatigue mounts in the body and brain, the player with a fitter and more resilient body is more likely to make the smart play. To improve in the four basketball performance pillars, a basketball player needs a complete performance plan that addresses each area.

Training the physical pillar—what is commonly referred to as strength and conditioning—focuses on three interrelated factors (see figure 1.2):

1. Body structure
2. Movement
3. Athleticism

Body structure is the dimensions, composition, and form of the human body. This includes height, wingspan, body weight, and body fat percentage. It also includes how those dimensions, and their composition of bone, lean tissue (i.e., muscle and organ tissue), and fat, are put together in a human form—in other words, an athlete’s body type and posture. Within a performance plan, body structure affects exercise selection and an athlete’s movement potential. On the court, body structure may dictate playing position (i.e., taller players tend to play frontcourt positions) or strengthen defensive prowess (i.e., longer wingspans cover more area of a passing lane).

Movement involves the range of motion of joints (ankle, hip, shoulder, etc.) and the coordinated motion of the human body structure in controlled body weight tasks like walking, squatting, and lunging (as opposed to athletic tasks described next). Within a performance plan, movement gives insight into limitations or excesses of range of motion that may lead to compensation. On the court, this may take the form of a defender who cannot extend the arms overhead when trying to achieve “verticality” or a player who chooses to defend in a high stance, rather than a low stance.

Athleticism is the expression of movement with force and velocity, often repeatedly. Jumping, sprinting, and agility form the foundation of explosive movement in basketball. The ability to perform these explosive movements repeatedly, and recover from them, throughout the course of a game or training session represents an athlete’s fitness. While athletic expression is the pinnacle of the physical pillar—and the most seen on highlight reels—body structure and movement certainly have an influence on athleticism. Within a performance plan, training can help improve a player’s athleticism. A weaker athlete may need time in the weight room, focusing on strength and power. An athlete who needs six weeks to recover from an ankle injury may need to focus on his fitness with treadmill training sessions. On the court, athleticism is demonstrated every time a player explodes to the rim, changes direction on defense, and sprints in transition.

More Excerpts From Complete Conditioning for Basketball

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