To break from my normal routine, I wanted to write a blog about several random thoughts, announcements, and updates that have occurred over the past two weeks.
1) I recently added a profile to Facebook and am trying to create a large network of basketball players – so hit me up if you are on there!
2) I would like to formally congratulate my friend Keith Stephens for acquiring an elite sponsorship from Nike Basketball for his AAU program; Team Takeover. Team Takeover is based in the Washington, DC area and will become a national power very quickly. I will be responsible for organizing and supervising Team Takeover’s year round training program.
3) If you are looking for a great leg exercise as well as a killer conditioning drill, you should try the “plate push.” Take a 25 pound plate and wrap it tightly in a bath towel (so it doesn’t scratch the floor). Then, from an all 4’s position (on your feet and hands), push the plate as fast as you can the length of the court and back. Rest and repeat! If done correctly, this is a beast!
4) Have you seen the new ESPN RISE magazine? Terrence Ross, Isaiah Armwood, and Mouph Yarou of Montrose are on the cover and inside is a great feature article about the Montrose Christian Basketball program. Check it out! Montrose has a very legitimate shot to win a national title this year (you heard it hear first!).
5) I highly recommend you read Rick Pitino’s new book, Rebound Rules. His previous book, Success Is A Choice, is one of my all time favorites. I am a huge Rick Pitino fan and his new book is incredible. Here is a quick paraphrase about why most players don’t improve as quickly or as much as they can:
“In order to get better, you can’t just practice, you have to practice deliberately. Many players are willing to pay the price; they just don’t go about it the right way. Use golf for an example. Simply hitting a bucket of balls is not deliberate practice, which is why most golfers don’t get better. Hitting an eight iron 300 times with a goal of getting within 20 feet of the pin 80 percent of the time, continually observing results and making appropriate adjustments, and doing that for hours every day – that isdeliberate practice.”
I was fortunate enough to meet Coach Pitino this past spring at Montrose. I had a wonderful conversation with him and he is truly a class act.
Make sure you check out my blog next week, as it will be one of the most important I will ever write. After reading SLAM magazine last night, I am getting so tired of seeing all of these BS vertical jump programs on the market. So I am going to take aim at the myriad of people out there who claim to be vertical jump training experts and have programs, gizmos, gadgets, and even pills they promise will give unbelievable results. These guys are not credible strength coaches or performance specialists; they are simply con artists trying to trick honest kids out of hard earned money. As a legitimate, long time basketball strength & conditioning coach as well as someone who has a valid, justifiable vertical jump training program (MVP), these guys give people like me a bad rap… and I am getting sick of it!
If you would like to contact me about this blog, my MVP Vertical Jump Training DVD, my training and/or camps and clinics, please email me atAlan@StrongerTeam.com. I will respond as quickly as possible!
Train hard. Train smart.
Alan Stein, CCS, CSCS
Vertical Jump Expert