While I readily admit I am a diehard college hoops junkie and I live for the drama of March Madness, the NBA Playoffs come in close second.  The NBA is the highest level of basketball on the planet, and come playoff time, the intensity, drama and pageantry escalate exponentially.

Here are a few of my observations from the headlined filled first week:

The Good

The NBA is recognized for its star power, but role players that are the glue that hold the top team’s together.  Role players usually aren’t mentioned on SportsCenter and rarely fill up stat sheets. But they do all of the little things necessary for their team to win.  They do what their coaches and teammates need them to do to for the team to be successful.  They know their role, they accept their role, they take pride in their role, and they fulfill their role to the best of their ability. 

Some role players can do a little bit of everything, like the Heat’s Shane Battier.  Other role players have a distinct specialty, like the Knicks’ Steve Novak. As a Thunder fan, I really admire and appreciate guys like James Harden, Serge Ibaka, and Nick Collison. Those 3 guys are the epitome of high level role players and they are a major reason why OKC is one of the top teams in the league. They wear their ‘role player’ title like a badge of honor.

Game #1 of the Dallas vs. OKC series came down to a Kevin Durant game winner.  KD hadn’t shot particularly well that game, but he remained focused, confident, and Played Present and was able to hit one of the bigger shots of his career.  His ability to Play Present, and not let the past (a relatively poor shooting night) affect the present, is one of many reasons he is a superstar.  And for those that thought his shot was ‘lucky’, remember what golfing legend Gary Player once said,

“The harder you work, the luckier you get.” 

KD has hit that (proverbial) shot thousands and thousands of times in empty gyms with no one watching.

The Bad

With no disrespect to the Knicks’ Iman Shumpert, the headline of the first week of the playoffs was Derrick Rose’s unfortunate ACL injury. It was a devastating loss for DRose, for the Bulls, and for the league.  I have had the chance to meet him on several occasions and have always respected his work ethic and humility.  He plays basketball for the love of the game, not for the money or celebrity. 

There has been a ton of speculation as to what caused his injury.  In my opinion, it was a culmination of three primary factors:

1. Previous Injuries: the body functions as a single unit and everything is coordinated and interrelated. Problems with ankles and hips cause increased stress on the knees. Something as simple as a slight ankle tweak can reverberate all the way up the body’s chain.  Injuries that aren’t completely recovered are usually the biggest culprit in future injuries.
2. Overworked: so much has already been said about the effects of the condensed season and the fact these guys have been playing so many games in such a short time span. Even with the highest level of training, medical support, and rest & recovery techniques – DRose’s body has been in a constant state of fatigue since the season started (thus drastically increasing his susceptibility to injury).
3. Style of Play: DRose is like a NASCAR. He is high octane and does everything at 100 miles an hour.  He is arguably the fastest player in the league and he jumps as high as anyone in the game.  His body – particular his joints – take a beating 40 minutes a night, 3 to 4 nights a week for months on end.  There is a reason NASCAR drivers have to replace their car after every couple of races and I can drive my modest Toyota Camry for years and years!  DRose is a NASCAR, not a Camry. Granted, his style of play is what makes him such a special player and the reigning MVP, but the length of his career will be shortened accordingly. 

Regardless, I sincerely wish him a speedy and complete recovery.

The Ugly

If you’ve heard me give my Play Present talk, you know how adamant I am about focusing on the two things you have 100% control over, 100% of the time – your effort and your attitude (which include thoughts and emotions). 

Rajon Rondo and Amar’e Stoudemire are two players I genuinely like, but both let their emotions get the best of them. Both neglected to Play Present. And now Rondo has to sit and watch during a one game suspension and Amar’e may be out the rest of the series (depending on the severity of the cut on his hand). 

Not many will argue that bumping a referee and punching a fire extinguisher were poor decisions.  But I actually know some people that believe that type of macho posturing is an example of toughness!  I wholeheartedly disagree.  In fact, it is the exact opposite.  Keeping your emotions in check and Playing Present is mental toughness. ESPN’s Jimmy Dykes said it best,

“Toughness is doing what is right when it is really, really, really hard to do what is right.”

Train hard. Train smart. Play Present.

Alan Stein

www.StrongerTeam.com

www.Twitter.com/AlanStein

www.Facebook.com/StrongerTeam

www.YouTube.com/StrongerTeamDotCom

PS: Whether you are a coach or a player, as you continue to watch the playoffs and go through your own off-season training, please aim to do these 5 things (per my friend Paul Biancardi):

1. Love the game
2. Respect the game
3. Prepare for the game
4. Learn the game
5. Improve your game

PSS: If you haven’t seen or heard my Play Present talk, here it is: http://youtu.be/jWNRgSp9cqk

A basketball player’s athleticism is the foundation of their entire game.  The broader and more sturdy the foundation, the higher the potential peak. Picture a pyramid – the wider the base, the taller the pyramid.  That is why the best players in the world are in the best shape.

An improvement in athleticism (strength, power, quickness, balance, agility, reaction, etc.) will allow a player to perform their basketball skills (shooting, ball handling, passing, rebounding, and defending) at a higher level, with more efficiency, and for longer before fatigue sets in.  This again, is why the best players are in the best shape!

I am fully aware that most youth and high school basketball players don’t have a traditional off-season due to the rise in popularity of AAU, summer leagues, camps, etc.  Regardless, the spring and summer are times when players need to be conscious of making improvements in their athleticism. It is a time when strength & conditioning workouts should be a high priority. A couple of brief workouts per week are better than nothing.  As long as the workouts are purposeful and progressive, improvements will be made. And little improvements will add up big over time.

I encourage players to look at their game as a house.  First, they must pour a strong foundation.  If they neglect this integral step, their house won’t last.  If a player doesn’t take care of their body, they won’t be able to play without injury taking its toll. Once they have laid their foundation they can begin building their house.

How do you build a house?

Brick by brick.

You lay each brick with precision.  You lay each brick with care. Every brick is important.

These ‘bricks’ are the fundamental skills of the game – shooting, ball handling, passing, rebounding, and defending. These skills are the framework of the house.

And every brick matters. Every workout is a brick. Every practice is a brick. Every shot is a brick. Every pass is a brick. You must be meticulous with every brick if you want a remarkable house!

Once you’ve laid the foundation (athleticism) and built the walls (skills) brick by brick, it’s time to add the roof.  After all, what good is a house with no roof?

The ‘roof’ is a culmination of 4 traits: basketball I.Q., the ability to be coached, being a great teammate, and true mental toughness. 

This makes the house complete.

It doesn’t matter if you have a solid foundation and four sturdy walls if you have a leaky roof.  By the same token, it doesn’t matter if you have elite athleticism and sound skills if you don’t know how to play the game, aren’t coachable, don’t care about your teammates or are mentally soft.

Take the concept of making your house a high priority this spring and summer because the house you build now is the house you will have to live in next winter!

Alan Stein

www.StrongerTeam.com

www.Twitter.com/AlanStein

www.Facebook.com/StrongerTeam

www.YouTube.com/StrongerTeamDotCom

PS: As any homeowner will tell you, the upkeep of a house is a never ending process.

If you don’t take steps to maintain your house, it will fall apart and deteriorate. Constant upgrades, replacements, and renovations are a must. No house is never complete!

The same is true for your game. Players must work on their athleticism, their skills, their basketball I.Q. and their mental toughness on a year round basis for the duration of their career.

Players like Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul and Kevin Durant are still working on their houses.

Are YOU?

If you need resources to help you build your house, please use the coupon code EML25 at http://Shop.StrongerTeam.com to save 25% on select off-season downloadable PDFs. Offer expires April 30^th. 

Several years ago, a colleague of mine (Drew Henley) was kind enough to share with me a strength training workout challenge that is perfect for basketball players to do once a month during the off season. 

It is called the ’60,000 lbs. in 60 Minutes Challenge.’

This challenge is a fantastic way to shake things up and reignite competitiveness.   This challenge can easily made into a fun a team building workout by pairing players up and have them compete to see who can get the highest poundage on the team. Or you can see which pair can reach 60,000 lbs. the quickest!

Just as the name implies, the goal is to lift 60,000 lbs. in 60 minutes. 

If that sounds overwhelming or impossible, trust me, it is doable. It isn’t easy, but that’s why it’s called a challenge!

To calculate total poundage, you simple multiply the weight used by the number of reps performed (with perfect form of course).  If a player bench presses 135 lbs. for 10 perfect reps, they will have accumulated 1,350 total lbs.  Now they only have 58,650 lbs to go! 

Players should use a pen & paper or their Smartphones to keep track of their total poundage.

Here are a few ground rules to make this challenge as effective as possible:

• No leg press machines
• No calf raises
• Only full range of motion, perfectly execute reps count
• Pull-ups are the only bodyweight exercise allowed (bodyweight = weight for the exercise)
• Utilize free weights and dumbbells as much as possible (instead of machines)
• When using DB’s; it’s the total weight (bench pressing with 40’s = 80 lbs)
• Start the clock on the first rep and end the workout in exactly 60 minutes

There are several strategies to try, all of which have different benefits:

• Lift lighter weights for more reps
• Lift heavy weights for fewer reps
• Alternate upper body and lower body exercises
• Complete several exercises in a row with no rest 

Before attempting the 60,000 lbs. in 60 Minutes challenge, you may want to add the total poundage of a normal workout first, to gauge where you stand before devising a strategy.

If you try it, please post your results on Twitter and let me know how you did (make sure you tag @AlanStein so I see it)!

Train hard.  Train smart. Build your success brick by brick.

Alan Stein

www.StrongerTeam.com

PS: My Cutting Edge Clinic tour will be rolling through the following cities in the next several weeks:

• April 21:         Rocky Mount, VA
• April 29:         Lennox, SD
• May 5:            Bastrop, LA
• May 6:            Weston, FL
• May 20:          St. Louis, MO
• June 3:          Newport Beach, CA

Go to www.StrongerTeam.com and click on the link next to the city to download the flyer and registration information.

These workouts are for players ages 12+ to participate and for coaches to watch, take notes, and ask questions.

These workouts will redefine how you think about basketball athleticism!

Hope to see you at one!

Your comfort zone is your enemy.

Your comfort zone makes you soft.

Your comfort zone makes you complacent.

If you want to maximize your ability, on and off the court, you must learn to be comfortable being uncomfortable.

You have to consistently (and intentionally) step out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself. 

You must embrace obstacles and challenges.

The player who can push themselves further in moments of discomfort is the one who will win. 

You need to train so hard that the game becomes easy!

Temporary discomfort leads to permanent improvement. If you are willing to step out of your comfort zone now… you will reap the benefits ten times over in the future. 

When you are lifting weights, do you stop as soon as there is a slight burn… or do you push through and do a few more reps?

When you are running sprints, do you stop as soon as you are a little winded… or do you suck it up and run a few more?

When you are working on your ball handling, do you work on your weak hand even though you make more mistakes?  Or do you just do the drills you are already good at?

When you are getting up shots, are you a casual shooter or do you shoot game shots, from game spots, at game speed? Do you make hard cuts and work on a quick release… or do you simply do spot shooting?

The answers to these questions will determine how successful you will be next season. Why? Because you can have the pain of discipline, or the pain of regret, take your pick.

“Champions do not become champions on the court. They become recognized on the court.  They become champions because of their daily routine and commitment to excellence. Players do not decide their future; they decide their habits and their habits decide their future.”

To deserve success next season, you have to make it a habit to leave your comfort zone now.

Make this off-season count.

PS: After a couple month delay (sorry!), my FREE Basketball Nuggets are back!

Download here: http://www.strongerteam.com/download/coachingnuggets.aspx

These nuggets are a compilation of resources from several gifted basketball minds. I am not the author of this material; I am simply paying it forward. I hope you will do the same.

Alan Stein

www.StrongerTeam.com

www.Twitter.com/AlanStein

www.Facebook.com/StrongerTeam

www.YouTube.com/StrongerTeamDotCom

Each and every time you step on the court or walk in the weight room, you have a choice to make. You can choose to work hard or you can choose to not work hard.  Not working hard is actually a choice.  You are 100% in control of the effort you put forth. 

For this off-season to be as productive as possible, you need to choose to work hard consistently.

You must ‘want to’ get better every day.

I want to jump higher.

I want to gain 10 lbs.

I want to start on varsity next season.

I want to play basketball at the next level.

Merely saying you ‘want to’ is not enough.  You must make the sacrifices necessary to make it happen.  You must train with purpose, train with effort, and train with consistency if you ‘want to’ make your goals a reality.

Think your ‘want to’ is strong? 

Let’s say your goal is to gain 10 lbs. this off-season.  If I weighed you on April 1^st and told you on September 1^st I would weigh you again, and if you were 10 lbs. heavier I would give you $1,000,000 in cash, would you accept my offer?

Of course you would! Do you think you would achieve your goal? Absolutely! In fact, I guarantee you would. You would be so focused and determined you would probably gain twice that.

How can I be so sure? Because in that example, your ‘want to’ would be unstoppable! 

Things are more difficult when you ‘have to’ and much easier when you ‘want to.’

Therefore, you need to learn to ‘want to.’  You need to find a way to tap into your ‘want to’ with that type of conviction (even when there isn’t a million dollar prize involved).

Too often a player’s ‘want to’ gets weakened by the little voice in their head that says…

"I don’t ‘want to’ work out today. I will get up extra shots tomorrow. I will lift weights tomorrow.” 

If you let that little voice win, your ‘want to’ is weak. If you let that little voice win, you won’t be successful.

Strengthening your ‘want to’ is not easy. It’s OK if you need some help.  In fact, I recommend you get some help. You need to find someone who pushes you to be the best you can be.  Someone that holds you accountable.  Someone that motivates you, inspires you, and encourages you.  Someone that tells you what you need to hear; not what you want to hear. Someone that gives you energy.  Someone who supports and strengthens your ‘want to’.

Do you have a person like this in your life? 

If so, make sure you tell them how much you appreciate you them.

If not, you need to find a person like that!

Train hard. Train smart.

Alan Stein

www.Twitter.com/AlanStein

www.Facebook.com/StrongerTeam

PS: I have just announced my Spring 2012 clinic schedule:

April 7             Cutting Edge Clinic                                     Lancaster, PA

April 15          Cutting Edge Clinic                                     Charlotte, NC

April 17          Cutting Edge Clinic                                     Boise, ID

April 18          Cutting Edge Clinic                                     Twin Falls, ID

April 21          Cutting Edge Clinic                                     Rocky Mount, VA

April 22          Cutting Edge Clinic                                     Richmond, VA

April 27          Nike Championship Basketball Clinic     Myrtle Beach, SC

April 29          Cutting Edge Clinic                                     Lennox, SD

May 5             Cutting Edge Clinic                                     Bastrop, LA

May 5             Nike Championship Basketball Clinic     Tunica, MS

May 6             Cutting Edge Clinic                                     Weston, FL

May 12           Cutting Edge & Coaches Clinic                Brussels, Belgium

May 14           Cutting Edge & Coaches Clinic                Milan, Italy

May 19           Cutting Edge Clinic                                     Cherokee, NC

May 20           Cutting Edge Clinic                                     St. Louis, MO

June 3            Cutting Edge Clinic                                     Newport Beach, CA

My Cutting Edge Clinics are on-court workouts that address every aspect of basketball athleticism, including strength, power, mobility, explosiveness, reaction, and conditioning.  The 3-hour workout is for male & female players ages 13+.  Coaches are welcome to attend and observe.

Email me at Alan@StrongerTeam.com for additional info and details.

Hope to see you at one of my clinics!