The Bloom of the Garden Flowers: A Knick Fan’s Pensive Plea For A Title

We are a city of horticulturists; a people that check to see if the Garden flowers have bloomed or wilted every March.   We survey our plot, beholding whether our Knickerbockers are clawing for a final playoff spot, contending for a top four-seed as they are this year, or jostling with the inbred children of the Junior Varsity conference that is the East.

We are a city that has taken notice of our position.  We find ourselves, against the odds, in possession of first place in the Atlantic division and of third place in the East, surging in at 44-26.

We are a city that knows that if the season were to end in five minutes, we would host the Chicago Bulls in the first round, a team whose own garden has remained watered and well sunlit without its catalyst and premier point “god” Derrick Rose.  A Bulls ball club who has likewise disposed of us thrice this season (thanks in large part to Luol Deng’s acquisition of the Holy Ghost in the three contests and his 28 & 8 averages against “Swiss cheese donut” Blue and Orange defense).

It’s Called Working Out: Why Every Basketball Player Should Practice Yoga

Every basketball player wants to perform at their highest possible level.  We are always looking for an edge to get better. We all are willing to put our bodies through rigourous workouts and practices to achieve these basketball goals. But one way you may not think off at first, that a lot of NBA and College teams are using to enhance their on court performance is actually located in the yoga studio and not in the weight room.

A well-rounded yoga routine includes dynamic flexibility, core stabilization, muscular endurance, proper breathing and balance work. By focusing on these vital elements, yoga can be a great thing to do to recover from a series of tough workouts. Some of the most popular yoga movements directly improve the range of motion at your joints which helps you stay on the court longer and move more fluently. We all know yoga is not as easy as it may seem which way it is great for those who need a new or different challenge in their training programs. And lastly, when you are feeling the most pressure about the big game or tryout, yoga and its emphasis on breathing and relaxation can really boost your mental energy, focus and concentration.

Here are some of more benefits to adding yoga to your training routine:

March Madness Cinderellas: Meet The Iona Gaels

The NCAA March Madness tournament is a pressure cooker.  With every move on the court observed under a microscope, sometimes having a player who can get the ball in his hands and create something out of nothing can be the difference between winning and losing. And sometimes having a coach who has a knack for winning at every level he’s been at can give any team that slight edge.  For the #15 seeded Iona Gaels, they just so happen to have both.

The Iona Gaels have a go-to guard in Lamont “Momo” Jones.  Jones , a 6’0” senior guard out of Harlem, NY has shown his propensity for creating for Iona all season.  He heads into the tournament averaging 23.0 points per game, good for 3^rd overall in the nation.  He also is averaging 3.5 assists per game, and has put pressure on the opposing team’s defense as he averages 7.5 free throw attempts per game.

March Madness Cinderellas: Meet The Saint Louis Billikens

As we delve into trying to create the “perfect” NCAA March Madness bracket, there’s one aspect of the selection process that is the most daunting… and also the most fun.

It’s deciding who this year’s “Cinderella” team.  You know what we mean, that one team that no one saw coming, upsets some national powerhouse with a rag-tag bunch of no-names who figured out that no team is safe during March Madness.

Today we’ll take a look at the Saint Louis Billikens of the A-10 conference, who are the definition of a balanced team.  The team consists of 5 players who average 9.3-13.6 points per game, led by 6’5” Forward Dwayne Evans.  The Billikens are an unselfish team that relies on ball movement, as they will work the clock to take a high percentage shot.  In a game that’s dominated by ball screens at the top of the key, it’s refreshing to watch a team like St. Louis move as well as they do away from the ball, relying on passing and cutting.

Its Called Working Out! : The 500 Rep Barbell Workout For Basketball Conditioning

 

In this addition of “It’s Called Working Out” we present to you the 500 Rep Barbell Workout.  The 500 Workout is a high intensity barbell complex. Complexes have become very popular in the fitness world because of the laundry list of benefits that conditioning with weights or cardio strength training can provide. By definition a complex is a circuit of exercises that uses the same implement (barbell, dumbbell etc) performed back to back to back, completing the prescribed number of reps for each exercise before moving onto the next.

In the 500 Workout, we aim to challenge your muscular and cardiovascular endurance while creating an enviornment that challenges a player’s mental toughness.  The intensity created from the time under the tension of the barbell, the total body exercises, and variable weight (depending on weight lifting and conditioning experience level) makes this workout a great developer of explosive muscular endurance. One of the best indicators of  great  conditioning means being able to produce powerful, dynamic movements over an extended period and in the case of basketball it means being able to jump, cut, shoot and box out at a high level no matter what stage of the game it is. Get a step closer to performing in peak physical condition with the 500 Workout.

Eat It!: Go Green

With today’s “Eat It” entry, we want all players to “Go Green”!  The food and drink athletes consume serve as fuel, helps facilitate the energy and cooling systems of the body, and directly affect a basketball player’s performance.

We all know some athletes that perform well despite having an atrocious diet. But they are the exception rather than the rule. Most athletes recognize that the old adage “you are what you eat” is true in many ways.

To perform best, whether it’s at practice, a game or a workout at the gym, you need to have a proper balanced diet. The general consensus is that plant-powered, “green” foods are packed with the vitamins, minerals and fiber that make them a go-to energy source for basketball players.  Today, we are going to list a couple of our favorite “green” foods.

Quick Hitters Volume 2: Drawing Fouls, Full Court Shooting Drills, Zone Ballscreens and more

Welcome to Volume 2 of our Quick Hitters series. Click to check out Volume 1.

1. James Harden has made drawing fouls a skill, and skills need to be trained.

James Harden is a master at throwing his body and arms into a defender as he swoops the ball up on his drives to the hoop. Others like Dwyane Wade and Kobe Bryant utilize the pump fake to get defenders to jump and then draw the foul. Tim Duncan invented the sweep under the defender’s arms to get the foul call. Regardless of how you do it, getting to the foul line (especially if you are a good free throw shooter) is critical to winning basketball games. So if something is so crucial in deciding games, why don’t we practice it? Some possible ways to develop your skill of drawing fouls can be:

• Play 1on1 and practice the “foul drawing”moves we just discussed. Still play to score baskets but in the back of your mind, every few possessions, try to draw the foul on your opponent. Don’t you dare settle for soft jumpshots during this set of 1on1.  
• Add contact to your drills whether with a football pad or a partner/coach fouling you. This way you can absorb contact, draw the foul and finish the shot in the toughest situation possible. When you get to the games, you will embrace the hits and seek the And 1.
• Add a shot fake in your before your pullup jumpers/off the dribble shooting drills ala D-Wade and Kobe. If you are a good shooter, you are more likely get defenders to jump to block your shot.

*Note: We are not encouraging flopping, just drawing fouls. So NBA league office, you can relax.