May 09, 2021   |   Tagged Coaching

Energy on and off the basketball Court

The higher your energy level, the more efficient your body. The more efficient your body, the better you feel and the more you will use your talent to produce outstanding results.-Tony Robbins

NBC Basketball Camps provides basketball tips and ideas for athletes and coaches who aspire to be their best. This article is focused on the keyword Energy. Energy comes from Greek and means “living force.” The word first appeared in the works of Aristotle. Energy is a condition that describes the capacity to do work. Consider your current energy capacity—your maximum ability. Notice what limits your capacity, what drains your energy, as well as what increases it. Find ways to expand your capacity for creative power. This month, take the time to reflect on your current energy capacity.

• What are you doing to increase your energy capacity?
• Where do you spend your energy?
• Is it going to what is most meaningful to you for your future as an athlete and a person?

Great athletes and great people understand energy and use their energy in the best possible way to bring the greatest good. How about you?

Key Principles for Increasing Energy

Energy is increased through habit. The more energetic you are, the more energy you have. You are what you repeatedly do. If you participate in low energy activities, eat heavy diets and sit around often, you develop sluggish habits. Energy inspires more energy.

Attitude and passion fuel energy. One of the biggest robbers of energy is boredom and apathy. This is a result of lack of meaning and purpose. Lack of meaning and purpose is a spiritual issue, the soul has no reason or forward goal. Passion is a heart issue not a head issue. Consider why the heart/soul is lifeless and you will find the source for the energy crisis.

Real rest is vital. Great athletes find ways to make their energy laser-sharp. A focused level of energy on key parts of the game or life requires a high level of intensity. In order to sustain this intensity, the brain must have moments of pure rest where the brain can be at peace. According to brain researchers from UCLA, the best way to rest the brain is meditation (prayer), a break and rest every 90 minutes during work or activity, and daydream walks where you let your mind imagine. Top athletes use these to be more focused on the court.

Improve your Basketball Energy

Energy is valuable to protect on the court. Notice what drains your energy.

1. Take care of the ball. Mistakes drain energy. One of the top core basketball principles NBC Camps teaches is the discipline and work necessary to take care of the ball. Carelessness with passes, dribbling mistakes, messy play with the ball drains the energy out of a team. One of the best gifts you can give your team is to put in personal time every day to become masterful with the ball.

2. Focus on serving the team. Your energy gets drained if you are playing to try and prove yourself to other people whether it is the coach, your friends, and family or even yourself. Get out of this energy waste by instead finding ways to make the team better. When you take your eyes off yourself, you play with greater freedom and less ego. Ego impairs judgment, causes selfish choices, and exaggerates mistakes. Great players rise to the top. Put in the time and trust the process.

Key Ways to Drain Your Opponent’s Energy

1. Great basketball players and teams understand how to interrupt the energy of the opposing team.

2. Harass the offense. Don’t allow an easy possession.

3. After an opponent’s mistake, increase pressure. Frustrate your opponent by being disciplined. Don’t jump on their pump fakes or bite on their pass fakes. Instead, stay diligent in the defensive principles you have been taught and force your opponent to make mistakes. Control your energy while frazzling the opponent. John Wooden taught, “Be quick, but not in a hurry.” It is vital to maintain your identity as a player and as a team. Do not let anyone dictate your style of play. By dictating the tempo of the game you force your opponent to play outside their comfort zone.

More ways to dictate energy:

• Outhustle your opponent – prove you want it more.
• Patience and focus – limiting mistakes and turnovers will deflate opponents.
• Control attitude and temper – showing opponents you are losing your cool is an open door for them to control the energy and momentum of the game.

NBC Basketball Camps offer intensive basketball training at many locations throughout the U.S. and 5 other countries. Check out our summer basketball camp programs and get into camp. We want to help you improve your life and game. Find out more at www.nbccamps.com