Off-Season Strength Simplification

How to improve your speed and jumping potential safely

Over the past two weeks, I’ve simplified three of my 10 self-development basketball videos.

Two of these are basketball-specific (dribbling and footwork), but one can relate to just about anyone.

Improving your ability to stand up with a hex bar, relative to your body’s weight, is one of the safest and simplest ways to improve your speed and jumping potential.

Doing so with a full range of motion is one of the safest and simplest ways to improve how protected your lower body is, and thus how well you can harness your athletic potential in sports, especially as the years roll on.

For a young athlete wanting to strength train, improving your pain-free numbers in both of those exercises is my base advice.

To be clear: There are MANY different exercises you can use to successfully improve your power and deep strength. A hex bar provides a relatively simpleand safe route for a young athlete, because you can precisely measure and improve your abilities with one device, with less chance of lower back injury compared to traditional squats and deadlifts.

[Notice how easily you can set the bar down once your legs are fatigued!]

Those two exercises form the first of my four mini-workouts to support basketball dreams. The other three workouts address missing links like your ankles, lower back, and mobility.

Any time I discuss full squats it’s worth reiterating that HEEL-ELEVATION and COUNTERBALANCE consistently help people who think they “can’t squat deep.”

Heel elevation helps make up for lost mobility, which is extremely common in chair-sitting societies. These mobility factors are concurrently addressed in other workouts.

Counterbalance then reduces the actual pressure on the knees.

How powerful and how protected do your legs and knees need to be for your goals?

Addressing that has been my primary job for the past 12 years.

I hope this article adds to your skills in helping yourself and others with this subject.

Yours in Solutions,

Ben

ATG Online Coaching (Affordable access to all my programs, with form coaching so you eventually get each movement as I would help you get it in-person.)

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