Train Like a Pro: Los Angeles Lakers Strength Training Program
Get stronger for next basketball season with this strength training program created by Tim DiFrancesco, strength and conditioning coach for the Los Angeles Lakers and president of TD Athletes Edge. The program develops the strength, power and stability basketball players need to dynamically and explosively move around the court and battle opponents.
“Basketball is a very dynamic sport that requires the ability to take a hit and give a hit while producing bursts of power and speed throughout the game,” DiFrancesco says.
The program includes three workouts. Paired strength and plyometric exercises prepare your body for rapid accelerations and decelerations and for jumping and landing, essential skills you need to be at your peak when the season starts.
RELATED: 3 Pro Training Tips From the L.A. Lakers’ Strength Coach
Day 1
The first workout focuses on the lower body. The first superset pairs a strength exercise with a plyo move. The second includes a glute strength exercise along with a mobility move that opens up the front side of your hips so you can get better results from the strength move. The final three-exercise superset includes lower-body strength and power exercises along with a core move.
Day 2
Day 2 is an upper-body day. Two supersets pair a pull and push movement to strengthen the front and back of your body. The last superset includes Push-Ups in which you hold the bottom position, paired with a Side Plank to further challenge your core.
Day 3
The final day is a full-body lift. It includes single-arm and single-leg movements to develop balanced strength on the left and right side of your body, because you need to be strong and explosive in all directions on the court.
Perform this program for four to six weeks to add the strength you need for basketball season. This is your first step to Train Like a Pro.
Program Notes
- This is a snapshot of one week in the overall plan.
- Start each workout with a dynamic warm-up and finish with a cooldown.
- Perform each rep deliberately. Quality is always better than quantity.
- Adjust the sets and reps or weight as needed to maintain a challenge. As a general guideline, if you can perform two additional reps on your final set, it’s time to add weight.
Lakers Strength Training Program
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Train Like a Pro: Los Angeles Lakers Strength Training Program
Get stronger for next basketball season with this strength training program created by Tim DiFrancesco, strength and conditioning coach for the Los Angeles Lakers and president of TD Athletes Edge. The program develops the strength, power and stability basketball players need to dynamically and explosively move around the court and battle opponents.
“Basketball is a very dynamic sport that requires the ability to take a hit and give a hit while producing bursts of power and speed throughout the game,” DiFrancesco says.
The program includes three workouts. Paired strength and plyometric exercises prepare your body for rapid accelerations and decelerations and for jumping and landing, essential skills you need to be at your peak when the season starts.
RELATED: 3 Pro Training Tips From the L.A. Lakers’ Strength Coach
Day 1
The first workout focuses on the lower body. The first superset pairs a strength exercise with a plyo move. The second includes a glute strength exercise along with a mobility move that opens up the front side of your hips so you can get better results from the strength move. The final three-exercise superset includes lower-body strength and power exercises along with a core move.
Day 2
Day 2 is an upper-body day. Two supersets pair a pull and push movement to strengthen the front and back of your body. The last superset includes Push-Ups in which you hold the bottom position, paired with a Side Plank to further challenge your core.
Day 3
The final day is a full-body lift. It includes single-arm and single-leg movements to develop balanced strength on the left and right side of your body, because you need to be strong and explosive in all directions on the court.
Perform this program for four to six weeks to add the strength you need for basketball season. This is your first step to Train Like a Pro.
Program Notes
- This is a snapshot of one week in the overall plan.
- Start each workout with a dynamic warm-up and finish with a cooldown.
- Perform each rep deliberately. Quality is always better than quantity.
- Adjust the sets and reps or weight as needed to maintain a challenge. As a general guideline, if you can perform two additional reps on your final set, it’s time to add weight.
Lakers Strength Training Program