In the world of sports and fitness, one training practice has endured for decades – the preseason long endurance run. Traditionally, athletes in various sports, including basketball, have been subjected to gruelling long-distance runs in preparation for the season ahead. However, recent scientific findings and evolving coaching philosophies have questioned the relevance and effectiveness of such endurance runs, particularly for stop-start high-intensity sports like basketball.
Basketball is a dynamic, fast-paced sport that requires athletes to sprint, change direction, and exert explosive power repeatedly throughout the game.
The Nature of Basketball
Basketball is a sport characterised by its stop-start nature. Players engage in quick bursts of sprinting, lateral movements, and jumping, with frequent changes in direction. These intense actions are interspersed with brief rest or lower-intensity activities like walking or jogging. Understanding the specific demands of basketball is essential when designing an effective training regimen.
Physiological Demands of Basketball
Anaerobic Dominance
Basketball is primarily an anaerobic sport, meaning that it relies on short bursts of intense effort rather than sustained endurance.
Most energy needed for basketball comes from anaerobic pathways, such as the ATP-PCr system and glycolysis.
High-Intensity Intervals
Basketball players repeatedly engage in high-intensity intervals characterized by maximum-effort sprints, jumps, and lateral movements.
These intense efforts are often followed by brief periods of active recovery or rest.
Muscle Power and Explosiveness:
Basketball requires athletes to generate explosive power, especially during jumps, dunks, and quick accelerations.
Long-distance runs do little to develop the specific muscle power and explosiveness needed in the sport.
The Futility of Preseason Long Endurance Runs
Mismatched Training Demands
Preseason long endurance runs are mismatched with the physiological demands of basketball.
These runs primarily develop aerobic endurance, which is of limited relevance in a sport dominated by anaerobic efforts.
Risk of Overuse Injuries
Prolonged endurance runs can increase the risk of overuse injuries, such as shin splints, stress fractures, and tendinitis, as they subject players to repetitive impact on hard surfaces.
Reduced Speed and Agility
Long-distance running can lead to muscle fatigue, reducing speed, agility, and explosiveness – crucial attributes for basketball players.
Neglected Skills Development
Time spent on long endurance runs could be better invested in skill development, tactical training, or sport-specific conditioning exercises.
Alternative Training Approaches for Basketball Players
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
HIIT replicates basketball's intermittent, high-intensity nature and improves aerobic and anaerobic fitness.
Sprint intervals, agility drills, and plyometric exercises are excellent choices for basketball-specific conditioning.
Sport-Specific Drills
Incorporate drills that mimic the movements and actions in basketball games, such as defensive slides, fast breaks, and shooting drills.
Strength and Power Training
Develop explosive power and strength through weightlifting, resistance training, and plyometrics.
Building solid and resilient muscles can improve performance and reduce injury risk.
Tactical Training
Spend time on understanding and implementing basketball tactics, strategies, and game simulations to improve decision-making on the court.
The traditional practice of subjecting basketball players to preseason long endurance runs is increasingly considered futile and counterproductive. The physiological demands of basketball, characterised by anaerobic, high-intensity intervals, make long-distance running an inappropriate training method for the sport. Rather than improving basketball-specific skills and attributes, excessive running can lead to fatigue, overuse injuries, and hinder performance on the court.
Coaches, athletes, and trainers must rethink their training approaches. Embracing methods like High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), sport-specific drills, strength and power training, and tactical preparation can yield superior results in conditioning and performance. As the basketball community continues to evolve, it is crucial to adapt training regimens to match the sport's unique demands, leaving behind the outdated practice of preseason-long endurance runs.
