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Team Skill Development Workout – Part 4

This is a high intensity workout to throw in the mix that should take your group of players under an hour to complete. Before starting, make sure your players go through a proper dynamic warm-up.

10-10-10 Warm-Up

This warm-up is one of my favorites to warm-up shooting and forcing to shoot with touch and finesse. From all 3 angles around the rim (left block, center rim, right block) the player has to make 10 in a row from each angle. If a shot is missed, started over on that angle.

Goal: Make 10 in a row from all 3 angles

Mid-Range Move & Shoot

This is a quick move & shoot drill to get the body moving and into a shooting rhythm. From each of the 5 areas on the floor they have to make 6 for 8. Failing to make 6 for 8 means that player must over at that spot.

Goal: Make 6 for 8 from all 5 areas

MoveandShoot

Quick Pound Shooting

From all 5 spots on the floor, the player starts with their back facing the rim and takes 1 hard dribble and jump-turns for a quick shot. Teaching point is to keep the ball tucked in tight on the turn to avoid the defender slapping at the ball. The simulation of this shot is the 2nd-half progression a half-spin jump shot working on rhythm and balance.

Goal: Make 10 from each of the 5 spots

5spotshooting.pngSpots are mid-range. This is just a reference for angles

Elbow Rips

This drill is performed from both elbows. The player starts at the elbow with a self-pass. On the catch, players quickly pivot and rip the ball overtop, taking an angle across the lane and in 2 hard dribbles they must finish with their outside hand. Why 2 dribbles? Because the coach using a pad provides a substantial amount of resistance forcing players to take and finish the move strong through the contact.

Goal: Make 10 from each elbow (Add additional finishes for extended time)

ElbowRips

Perimeter Rip Hesitation Jump Shots

As a Read & React team, it is essential I incorporate game-like actions into our workouts. Today we did this using 3 of our offensive spots and performing rip-thru 1 dribble jump shots. Player starts a spot away and makes a self-pass, on the catch the have two options: Rip-thru 1 dribble back in the direction where they starter OR Catch and push 1 dribble away from where they started. I added a hesitation-shot fake at the end of each move to simulate the defense over-recovering back into the play and trying to effect the shot.

As the coach, I waited at the spot as the defender and on the move (players decision which direction they went) I guarded the action and bit on the shot fake each time while trying to block the shot on my way down.

Goal: Make 10 (5 rips & 5 push-outs) from 3 spots

RipThruShots

Transition 3-pt Catch & Shoot

This is a drill from Drew Hanlen’s Shooting Drills video that I modified slightly to avoid overexertion. The player starts in the corner and shoots a 3-pt, make or miss they sprint and touch a line towards half-court (that changed around the perimeter). After touching the line, they run back in and take another shot slightly over from where the previous shot came from. Continue shooting and moving around the arc until the goal is met.

If you’re doing this drill out of season, have the player sprint and touch half-court after each shot. However, if in-season, have them run to the volleyball spike line until they reached the slot area (where the volleyball line intersected the 3-pt line). 

Goal: Make 20 3’s total around the arc

TransitionTouches

50-point Shooting Game

This is a simple shooting game that incorporates conditioning and requires focus and mental toughness to complete as quickly as possible. Player can start from anywhere behind the 3-pt line with a coach/teammate passing from the top of the key. The player shoots a 3-pt, if they make it they get 3 POINTS. They MUST follow every shot and rebound it for a put-back lay-up worth 2 POINTS. IF the 1st lay-up attempt is missed, SUBTRACT 2 points from their score and do not count the lay-up they make on the additional follow-up attempt(s). Player can get 5 POINTS per “shot” if they make the 3 and the (1st) 2. Player rebounds the ball and passes back to the coach and moves to another spot around the perimeter.

You will find about halfway through the drill, the mental aspect sets in and lay-ups become extremely more valuable.

Goal: Score 50 points

One element I never discuss is shooting free-throws. Any time I am transitioning from 1 segment of a drill to a another, or after finishing a drill, players must make 2 in a row. If any are missed, they missed sprint and touch the opposite FT line and try again until they make 2 in a row. At the conclusion of my workouts I will either make my players go 8 for 10 from the FT line, or with my really good players they must finish with 10 in a row.

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Rick Torbett has taught thousands of coaches to win more games through his innovative approach to the game. He has created powerful training for coaches at any level so they can coach their best and win more games.

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Read & React 5-Player Coordination Drills

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