Every basketball player wants to jump higher and run faster. You must improve these fundamental aspects of your game if you want to get better on the court. So what’s best way to accomplish this? Plyometric exercises. (Learn more about plyometrics here.)
Plyometrics for basketball make you more powerful by improving the stretch-shortening cycle. This means that your muscles are able to store energy and then release it in an explosive manner. Think about how you jump. You lower slightly (storing energy), then release it when exploding up.
This increased power also makes you faster. The more explosively you can push off the court, the faster you will accelerate.
Below is a plyometric basketball workout that is perfect for any high school basketball player who wants to jump higher and run faster. For best results, perform this workout one to two times per week during your off-season.

Basketball Plyometric Workout

• Jump Rope (two feet) – 3×30 seconds with 45 seconds rest
• Jump Rope (side-to-side) – 3×30 seconds with 45 seconds rest
• Jump Rope (twisting) – 3×30 seconds with 45 seconds rest
• Forward Skip – 1xhalf court
• Backward Skip – 1xhalf court
• Wall Jumps – 2-3×30 seconds with 45 seconds rest
• Ice Skaters – 2-3×30 seconds with 45 seconds rest
• Squat Jumps (from half-squat position) – 3×8 with 45 seconds rest
• Split-Squat Jumps – 2-3×30 seconds with 45 seconds rest
• Broad Jump to 180 Jump – 2-3×30 seconds with 45 seconds rest
• Lateral Hurdle Hops (vary hurdle height from 6 to 12 inches) – 2-3×30 seconds with 45 seconds rest
• Burpees – 2-3x 30 seconds with 60 seconds rest
• Depth Jumps (start with 12-inch box) – 3×4-5 with 45 seconds rest

Coaching Points

• Always land softly
• Maintain an athletic posture
• Fully recover between sets
• Master each exercise before adding resistance
• Use soft surfaces when positioning