Warming up is an important part of basketball training. Check out our blog post on what you need from a warm-up, why I designed the WOH warm-up the way I did, and other details. The WOH warm-up takes about 20 minutes and will leave you feeling fresh and ready to dominate everyone on the court or ready to kill it in the weight room. Trust me…I’ve had many days where it just feels like I’m going to have a bad workout. But 20 minutes later I’m done with the WOH warm-up and I feel ready to go…
Here is a video of the WOH warm-up:
Full Body Activation
Choose one of the following:
- Jog 800 meters (or approximately 3 minutes if you can’t measure distance) at 50% effort
- 3 minutes on a Schwinn AirDyne bike or a Concept 2 Rowing machine
- Court warm-up: 2-3 laps around the gym, run backwards down and back (full court) twice, side shuffle (defensive slide) down and back (full court) twice, Carioca down and back (full court)….all at about 50% effort
Soft Tissue Work
Use a foam roller to roll as described for each of the below areas. Be sure to stay relaxed and continue breathing as you roll. Slow down on any sore or tight spots, and maybe spend a little extra time on those spots.
Foam Roll Adductors – Start just below the crease of your hip and roll up & down to your mid (inner) thigh. Then, starting at your mid-(inner) thigh and rolling down to the inside of your knee.
IT Band roll: Start just below your hip and roll up & down to your outer thigh…roll all the way down your upper outer thigh down to the outside of your knee.
Quad: Lie on top of the foam roller, roll from the top of your quad muscle down to just above your knee
Calf: Place your calf on the foam roller and place your hands on the ground to lift your butt up. Place most of your weight on the foam roller, and roll from just below the back of your knee down to your Achilles tendon.
Dynamic Movement and Mobility
Elbow plank: Lay down facing floor, resting on forearms and balls of feet with knees up off of the floor, your forearms hands, elbows, and shoulders should all be in line and your arm forearm and upper arm should make a 90 degree angle. Be sure to not allow your butt to be too high or low…your body should be flat and rigid. Be sure to contract your abs while in the plank position.
Wrist circles:Tuck your elbows to your sides and have arms pointing out in front of you, close your hands in a loose fist. Roll your wrists around in a clockwise direction (repeat in a counter-clockwise direction)
Arm Circles: Start with hands straight out by sides. Slowly make circles with both outstretched arm, start with small circles and progress to larger circles. Repeat in both directions.
Arm Rotations: Extend arms out to sides so your body makes a T. Twist each arm and wrist in an opposite direction. Then switch direction of each arm.
Fire Hydrant Circles: Get down on your hands and knees with your knees on the ground, lets right behind you. Your hands should be flat in front of you, and your back should be flat like a table. Raise one knee out the side until it is parallel with the ground, then keep the knee out to the side as far as possible while reaching it out behind you, ultimately ending with your leg straight out behind you. Return to the starting position. You will also do this in the opposite direction. This starts by starting on your hands and knees, extending one leg straight backward, then bending your knee to the side and bringing it forward keeping the knee out to the side as far as possible.
Mountain Climbers: With balls of feet on floor, bend over and place your hands on floor, at approximately shoulder width (this is really just the top of a push-up position). Jump your right leg forward right next to your right hand while keeping both hands planted on the ground and the other leg back in its original position. Pause for ½ a second to feel a stretch, then, while holding your upper body in place, alternate leg positions by jumping the right leg back into its original starting position, and jumping the left leg forward under body. Land on both feet simultaneously, and be sure to try to maintain a straight and firm torso throughout the leg switches.
Iron Cross: Lay on the ground with your shoulders pressed to the ground and both legs extended flat. Lift one leg straight up while extended, then bring it across your body down to ground. Try not to roll your body or move the leg that is still on the ground as you lower the leg down. If can’t touch the ground, do the best you can until your flexibility improves. Hold this position for 1 full second. From this position bring the leg back to its starting position. As the leg returns to its starting position, trade the places of the legs (lowering the one initially used and raising the one not yet used). Then move into the same stretch with the new leg. This should be a smooth motion back and forth.
Cossack stretch: Stand with wider than shoulder width apart. The Cossack is basically a lateral lunging motion. The toes can be slightly pointed out or straight forward. From that position, tighten the midsection and back, and lunge laterally. The bent knee moves forward tracking straight over the toes and the foot and heel stay flat on the floor. The straight leg should rotate so the toes point upwards. How far you can get into a bottom position will depend upon your flexibility and mobility. Try to keep your back straight as you do this versus hunching the shoulders.
One leg standing superman: Starting from a standing position, fully extend arms vertically, and lean forward. Keep your back straight and rotate only at the hips. As you lean forward, one leg should also lift up (while fully extended w/toe pointed). You should attempt to rotate so that your body makes a perfect “T”. This is called the superman because it should look as if you are trying to “fly” since everything but one leg is parallel to the ground.
Samson Stretch: Lace fingers and turn palms outward fully extending the arms. Move hands toward the ceiling with arms extended. Use your shoulders to push hands even a little higher. Continue to look straight ahead and take one step out into a lunge position; allow the trailing leg’s knee to brush the ground, but not settle on the ground. Push your hips forward to feel a stretch in front leg and back. Maintain push to ceiling, perpendicular arms, and gaze forward. Hold. Repeat with other leg.
Band Work
Ankle inversion/eversion (band): Sitting with both legs out in front of you, place band around your waist on one end, and loop band around middle of the foot on other end. Once band is in position, slide the leg that does not have the band wrapped around it’s foot, under the calf of the leg that does. (you could also use a foam roller to prop leg up) Hold the inside of the band firmly with your hand (the side of the ban between your legs). Roll your ankle inwards then outwards, using the hand to provide resistance on the band. Eversion is the same process, but the band will be held on the outside.
Ankle stretch flexion/extension (band): Sitting with both legs out in front of you, place band around your waist on one end, and loop band around the ball of the foot on other end. Once band is in position, slide the leg that does not have the band wrapped around it’s foot, under the calf of the leg that does. (you could also use a foam roller to prop leg up) Hold the both sides of the band firmly with your hand. Flex and extend your ankle (bring your toes as close to your body as far as you can, then flex them away from your body as far as you can.
Hamstring extensions (band): Sitting with both legs out in front of you, loop the band around the middle of the foot on one leg. Holding the band in both hands lay back onto your back, keeping the non-banded leg in front of you and relaxed (the knee can be bent). Stretch the banded leg as far back as you can comfortably (the leg should be in line with your body and straight back, not off to the side). Once the leg is extended (with toe flexed back toward the shin), and as far back as possible, put resistance on the band with both hands, and begin to slightly bend the knee on the banded leg, then extend the leg out again, you should feel a nice stretch in your hamstring.
Hamstring contract/relax (band): Sitting with both legs out in front of you, loop the band around the middle of the foot on one leg. Holding the band in both hands lay back onto your back, keeping the non-banded leg in front of you and relaxed (the knee can be bent). Stretch the banded leg as far back as you can comfortably (the leg should be in line with your body and straight back, not off to the side). You should feel a good stretch and hold it for 2-3 seconds, then release and allow the hamstring to relax for 1-2 seconds, then pull the band for a stretch (holding for 2-3 seconds), then relax for 1-2 seconds, etc…
Iron cross extension (band): Sitting with both legs out in front of you, loop the band around the middle of the foot on one leg. Holding the band in both hands lay back onto your back, keeping the non-banded leg in front of you and relaxed (the knee can be bent). Stretch the banded leg as far back as you can comfortably. Now roll to your side a little, so the banded leg crosses your body. Once the leg is extended (with toe flexed back toward the shin), and as far back as possible, put resistance on the band with both hands, and begin to slightly bend the knee on the banded leg, then extend the leg out again, you should feel a nice stretch in your hip & IT band (and also some in your glutes and hamstring).
Quad contract/relax (band): Sitting with both legs out in front of you, loop the band around the middle of the foot on one leg. Holding the band in both hands lay back onto your back, keeping the non-banded leg in front of you and relaxed (the knee can be bent). Now roll onto your stomach, keeping the band in your hands just above your shoulder on the same side as the banded leg. Slowly lift the leg up and back towards your head holding the stretch for 2-3 seconds (allowing the knee to bend, but only minimally), then relax for 1-2 seconds, repeat.
Muscle Activation & Build-up
Boxer shuffle: Jump off your right foot swinging the rope so it goes under right foot once, repeat. Switch to left foot for two jumps, back to the right for two jumps, etc…This should be a continuous and quick exercise
Double unders: Jump off both feet swinging the rope quickly so it goes under feet twice on one jump.
Jump squats: Start by doing a regular squat and then jump up, reaching up toward the ceiling. Land softly and lower your body back into the squat position to complete one rep.
Tuck jumps: Start by doing a regular squat and then jump up, reaching up toward the ceiling. As you jump, quickly tuck your knees toward your chest, then return them back down to land. Land softly and return to a standing position.
Optional Workout Specific Work
Spend a little bit of time getting ready for the workout, training, or game you are going to do. If it is a strength workout with deadlifts, do a few deadlifts…if it is a skill workout, shoot a few baskets or do some light ball handling, etc.
