Here are three simple effective med ball drills that can be used to work on explosiveness. While designed for a NCAA Div 1 basketball team, these exercises would be appropriate for many different athletes.
In the video clip below Brian Bingaman, St. Joseph’s University Director of Strength and Conditioning; named a Master Strength & Conditioning Coach by the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCA), as well as Strength & Conditioning Coach Certified (SCCC), and (Level 1 Club Coach) United States Weightlifting, demonstrates three med ball drills that he uses with the St Joseph’s Mens Basketball team.
The drill begins by placing 6 mini-hurdles approximately two feet apart. The athlete will begin facing the hurdles with a medicine ball in both hands. The athlete should begin with the ball at approximately chin height. He will explode up over the mini-hurdle and extend the ball up over his head. The effort should be maximum with the goal to get the ball as high as possible. The athlete should execute proper landing mechanics. The feet should not be to narrow or to wide, but properly balanced. The coaching cue is to land soft or quiet. They should be finishing through their toes. Upon landing the ball should return to chin height. Then with minimal dipping of the knees the athlete will explode up and over the next hurdle.
Coach Bingaman offers two simple variations. Next he has the athlete proceed through the mini-hurdles laterally. Taken note to complete the same number of reps facing each direction. In the third variation he has the athletes execute a quarter turn when the jump in the air over the hurdles. The should execute a 90-degree turn each time the jump.
This sequence is just a sample of Coach Bingaman’s training DVD. For more information about his program click the link Total Body Strength Training for Basketball
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