This past weekend I had the opportunity to speak to several hundred high school coaches at a Nike Championship Basketball Clinic in Des Moines, Iowa. I always enjoy and am honored to speak that these events and am very appreciative to Mr. Ed Janka for giving me the opportunity to be a part. While I was in town I also filmed a commercial that will be in NBA TV next season and several YouTube sound bites for my MVP DVD… so keep an eye out!

I was fortunate enough to see two speakers when I was finished demonstrating my drills, Mike Pricopio (Director of Basketball Skills Development for Attack Athletics) and Bob Huggins (head coach at West Virginia). Both did a fantastic job and were a pleasure to watch. Both of these guys had a similar theme – you don’t need a lot of “fluff” in your workouts or practice, stick to the basics and you will be successful!

I have known and worked with Mike for a few years and he does an outstanding job. He is a great teacher and really knows is stuff. Mike works in Chicago with legendary trainer Tim Grover. Mike works on skill development with many of the NBA’s top players including Kobe Bryant and Dwayne Wade. I really appreciate the fact that even when working with two of the best players on the planet, Mike keeps his drills basic, efficient, and intense (everything except the warm-up is done at game speed). Mike pays close attention to footwork and makes sure each move is efficient. Why take 4 steps to get off your shot if you only need 2? Why take 2 dribbles if you can get there in 1? Mike does an tremendous job setting up a variety of drills that utilize the entire court, moving without the ball, shots off the dribble, shots off the pass, ways to create space, and using both strong hand and week hand. And he does all this with NO fluff! I would love to see more players today using this philosophy.

Coach Huggins had a similar theme regarding the basics. He doesn’t run many sets at WV, he simply works every day in practice on proper spacing, making direct passes, and NOT turning the ball over. He has treadmills at his practice that players have to run sprints on every time they turn the ball over. That is a sound way to get kids to value the ball! Valuing the ball and not turning it over is about a basic of a principle as you can get.

If you would like to contact me about this blog, the MVP DVD, my training and/or camps and clinics, please click the white envelope next to my name to email me. I will respond as quickly as possible!

Train hard. Train smart.

Alan Stein, CCS, CSCS
Vertical Jump Expert

Hard Work

Right now is the pinnacle of the off season for both high school and college basketball players. Whether you are trying to move up from the JV to the Varsity or you are preparing for the NBA Pre-Draft Camp in Orlando at the end of the month, now is time to focus on your strength training, conditioning and basketball fundamentals. What you do today will determine if you are successful once the season starts. Are you putting in the work?

A colleague of mine from Florida was kind enough to send me a DVD with numerous motivational clips on it, from a variety of different coaches and sports figures. I have always loved that kind of stuff as I find it very inspirational to listen to the words of wisdom of those who have reached the pinnacle of their profession. One clip in particular stood out. It was an old, old video clip of Jimmy Valvano of NC State. For those too young to know his work, Coach Valvano was not only a great coach (he led the Wolfpack to arguably the most shocking NCAA Championship of all time), but a very dynamic public speaker. I get goose bumps every time I hear him speak. He was one of a kind. Here is the gist of his message:

Every morning when you wake up you have only two choices. To work hard or not to work hard. That’s it. No other choices. Either you work hard or you don’t. It’s pretty simple. If you choose not to work hard, I am telling you that you will fail. If you choose to work hard, I am telling you still might fail! How is that for a deal? Success is not guaranteed, but it is impossible without hard work. And trust me; failure is an important part of being successful. Every successful person in the world has failed at some time.

And it doesn’t matter who you are or where you are in your life, you always have these two choices to make every single morning. Suppose you missed two free throws with 3 seconds left in the championship game of a huge AAU tournament and lost by 1. What choice do you have the next morning? Same as before, work hard or don’t work hard. Are you going to wallow in self pity or are you going to wake-up and shoot 200 free throws? Which option will at least give you a chance to be successful next time? Suppose you finished your college career and have had the lifelong dream of playing in the NBA, but when the draft rolls around David Stern never calls your name. What now? Are you going to work hard or not work hard? Don’t ever quit on yourself. A lot of people will quit on you when things get tough, but don’t ever quit on yourself.

Now is the time to wake up every morning and make the conscious decision to put in work. To push your body and mind to the limit. Tonight when you go to bed, ask yourself this:

“Today I just traded 24 hours of my life for what I got today. Am I happy with the trade?”

If you would like to contact me about this blog, the MVP DVD, my training and/or camps and clinics, please click the white envelope next to my name to email me. I will respond as quickly as possible!

Train hard. Train smart.

Alan Stein, CCS, CSCS
Vertical Jump Expert

Sorry for the delay in posting, was in NY working the Jordan All American Classic. This was another great event. Great kids, great coaches, great time in the Big Apple!

Optimum performance on the court requires sound nutritional habits, as being adequately fueled directly affects your stamina and focus. You can get your daily requirement of nutrients and calories through everyday food. It is rare to need the use of supplements, with the exception being weight gain shakes for those of you who have trouble consuming adequate calories to provide for muscle gain. You should most certainly steer clear of performance enhancing supplements, such as creatine and ephedrine, because of the possible side effects. It is also important to make sure you understand the detrimental effects alcohol will have on your performance. Drinking and smoking (pot or cigarettes) will definitely ¡§f¡¨ your game up big time!

Do not underestimate the role nutrition plays in acquiring maximum physical development. What you eat on a daily basis helps to determine body fat levels, as well as how much energy you will have for intense workouts and practices. Whether you are trying to gain muscle, reduce body fat, or maintain your current stature, it is very important to follow these basic dietary recommendations:

„X A balanced diet consists of approximately 60% carbohydrates,
20% fat and 20% protein.
„X Eat a variety of healthy foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc.).
„X Limit the intake of fat, sugar, and sodium.
„X Drink plenty of water! Many nutritionists recommend a minimum of 64 oz. of water per day.
„X Eat 5-7 small meals throughout the day.

The size of the meal depends on the actual goal (weight loss vs. weight gain), as well as level of activity (two-a-days versus regular practice, tournaments versus regular games, etc.).

Weight Gain the Healthy Way
Most basketball players are tall and slender, and are looking to add muscular bodyweight. In order to gain weight, you must consume more calories than you expend on a daily basis. This means if you are looking to put on weight must eat, eat, and eat! Now for the select few looking to lose weight (i.e. reduce body fat), they must do the opposite ¡V consume fewer calories than they expend. This is done by controlling their portion sizes.
To determine how many calories per day you should consume, multiply your current bodyweight by 25. This will give you a very rough estimate of your daily caloric needs. For example, a 150 lb. basketball player trying to gain muscular body weight requires around 3750 calories a day (150 X 25 = 3750). Depending on your individual metabolism, as well as your daily energy expenditure through physical activity, this number may have to be slightly adjusted.

Below is just a very basic and general sample menu one can follow to get an idea of how much food he or she needs to consume on a daily basis to gain weight. A reasonable goal is to try and gain one pound per week for an 8-10 week stretch.

Example Menu #1:
Breakfast: Orange juice, 4 pancakes w/syrup, and 4 scrambled eggs.
Snack: 1 cup of low fat yogurt, granola bar, and a banana.
Lunch: 2 deli sandwiches on whole wheat bread, an apple, and a glass of milk.
Snack: 2 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and a glass of milk.
Dinner: Steak, potatoes, steamed vegetables, and a roll.
Snack: 2 sticks of string cheese and crackers

Example Menu #2:
Breakfast: Granola with dried fruit and milk.
Snack: 2 cups of instant oatmeal.
Lunch: 4 slices of cheese pizza and a salad.
Snack: Trail mix: peanuts, raisins, and dried fruit.
Dinner: Pasta w/meat sauce, garlic bread, a vegetable, and milk.
Snack: *Weight Gain Super Shake

*Weight Gain Super Shake
1 cup of frozen strawberries
1 cup of orange juice
1 large banana
1 cup of low fat strawberry yogurt
3 scoops of protein powder

Fluid Goals
It is extremely important for you to be well hydrated, especially during the heat of summer camps and leagues. Athletic performance can decrease dramatically when the body is low on water. You should strive to drink fluids regularly and on a set schedule, not waiting until you are thirsty.

1. Drink 16 oz. of fluid 2 hours before you play
2. Drink 8 oz. 15 minutes prior to playing
3. Drink during the event (at least 8 oz. every 20 minutes)
4. Drink 24 oz. per pound of bodyweight lost

If you would like to contact me about this blog, the MVP DVD, my training and/or camps and clinics, please click the white envelope next to my name to email me. I will respond as quickly as possible!

Train hard. Train smart.

Alan Stein, CCS, CSCS
Vertical Jump Expert

If you are someone you know has an interest in becoming an Advanced Basketball Trainer please send me an email at chris@hoopsking.com. To become an ABT Trainer the person must be able to demonstrate and teach the game at a very high level.