Dear Warren,

The performance structure of basket and soccer players are not very different as you can imagine, because the sport results in these sport disciplines are based on the same capacity: to develop the high level of running maximal speed and to maintain this level of maximal running speed during whole match. Yet, in these two sports, the conditions in which the maximal running speed should be expressed have some differences.  The soccer camp is bigger than basketball court, so the soccer players should express the maximal speed on a longer distance and to run more during the match (soccer players should have more aerobic endurance than basketball players). The basketball players should be more powerful than soccer players because they should jump more, they have to change direction frequently during the speed running and they use the arms to pass and shoot the ball.

If you asked me about the Block Training System for a group of athletes that should participate in both sport disciplines competition (soccer and basketball) in the same competition period, you should elaborate a “hybrid” training model.

In this model  the first block A should include not only the legs strength exercises, but also the upper body exercises, in the block B you should include not only jump exercises, but also medicine ball throwing exercises, the last specific block C should include specific running speed exercises and tactical combinations typical both for soccer and basketball players.

If you have a long preparation period, you can elaborate this hybrid model on the base of basketball BTS model described in my answer to Heth Jennings in the thread “Conditioning and VJ improvement for Basketball”.

If the athletes have matches of basketball and soccer not in the same period, it’s need more complicate training plan that should be elaborate specially for each athlete’s competition calendar.

Yuri Verkhoshansky

Dear Warren,

If you allow me, I should make in evidence again that the answers to your questions are in the thread “Conditioning and VJ improvement for Basketball”, in any case I report here the program with some adds that could make it more clear.

Introductory block (Strength – Aerobic work of high volume and of low - medium intensity):

1. Legs strength exercises (Barbell Squats, Calf Rises and other) and upper body strength exercises executed (Monday and Thursday) with gradual increasing of overload weight (from10 RM to 5 RM) during this training stage. The number of sets can be 3-4.

In the second part of this block must be added the Barbell Squat Jumps: at the beginning, light barbell (10-15 kg) and, after, Olympic barbell (25 kg). The exercises should be executed in 3 sets of 10 – 20 consecutive jumps with the aim to maintain constant the jumps height, the legs flexion angle (the thighs should be parallel to the floor)  and the vertical back position. Athlete must also relax muscles during flying phases.

2. Extensive long bounces and jumps (Thursday and Friday). At the end of Warm Up, before the bounces, athlete should carry out the ABC running exercises (30 -50 m runs with high lifting of the thigh, with a heel kickback, 60-80 m long build ups) executed with not maximal effort and with the control of execution technique (the upper body must be relaxed).

Extensive long bounces is the work finalised to enforce the legs muscles and joints and to improve local muscular endurance. These bounces should be carried out on 30 – 60 m distance not with maximal effort but with a good execution technique and with minimal energy loose (with relaxation during fly phase):

-       Jumps from leg to leg 

-       Jumping 2 on the right, 2 on the left 

-       Jumping 3 on the right, 3 on the left

-       Jumping of the right leg

-       Jumping on the left leg

-       Squat jumping on two legs

These 6 exercises must be executed consecutively, with the rest intervals equal to the time needs to come back, walking, to the starting point. This is one series.

During this block, the number of series must be increased from 2 up to 4-5, depending on the athlete’s conditions.

3. Prolonged aerobic running (Wednesday and Saturday).

So, in this block, there are three kinds of training sessions.

The first training session, which is long and hard (overload exercises), must be carried out separately from the basketball training sessions. The second training session (bounces) and the third (prolonged aerobic running) should be carried out after the basketball training session.

During this and the subsequent block, the basketball training volume and intensity must be not very high. The introductory block and block A should be planned for the end of the summer holydays, when the athletes are still out of the specific training.

Block A (strength work of low volume and Aerobic Fartlek):

1. Leg extension strength exercises (Barbell Squats, Calf Rises) and upper body exercises (Bench Press) with 5 – 2 RM overload weight: not more that 2-3 sets (Monday, Wednesday, Friday or only Monday and Thursday training sessions separate from basketball training). At the end of Warm Up should be carried up the ABC running exercises (30 -50 m runs with high lifting of the thigh, with a heel kickback, 60-80 m long build ups) executed with not maximal effort and the control of execution technique.

2. Prolonged aerobic running of the preceding block should be gradually substituted by Aerobic  Fartlek  (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday or only Tuesday and Friday).

Block B (the “quality” work finalized to the increasing of Explosive Strength and Maximal Anaerobic Power) :

1. Legs explosive strength exercises: Barbell Squat Jumps; Kettlebell jumps; intensive bounces and jumps, Explosive Strength upper body exercises with medicine balls (Monday, Wednesday, Friday or only Monday and Thursday training sessions separated from the basketball training sessions).

Barbell Squat Jumps is a normal vertical jumps with a concentric phase that assure the best jump height . The weight must be selected according to the athlete’s abilities within the limits of 30-60% of maximum.  Each jump must be performed with the aim to jump highly. After each single jump lending, the athlete must stop and relax (shake) the legs, one after another.  In one set there are 4-6 squat jumps. In one training session could be perform 3 – 4 sets.

Intensive short bounces should be executed with the aim to cover the longest distance in each repetition:

-          3  fold jump from leg to leg

-          5  fold jump from leg to leg

-          10 fold jump from leg to leg.

Each of these bounces should be executed until the athlete is able to increase the result (the jump length) and to repeat it: if he cannot repeat his best result in one bounce he must pass to the next bounce execution.

For the high level athletes, at the end of this block, intensive bounces and jumps can be replaced by 2 - 4 series of 10 Depth Jumps. Each jump must be performed trying to obtain the best height.

2. Running (sprint) exercises performed with maximal effort, using the same method as in the short bounces (each exercise must be repeated until the athlete is able to increase the result and to repeat it):

Long Build Ups (arriving at the maximal speed),

-        50 m Bounding runs (with the minimal execution time)

-        10 -20 m start accelerations (with the minimal time)

The running exercises could be executed at the end of the Warm Up before each basketball training session.

At the end of this block (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday or only Tuesday and Friday), the high level athletes should use the 20 – 30 m uphill bounding runs executed with complete recovery after each repetition. During the recovery phases, athletes must execute light running build ups.

Block C (high intensity specific speed and power work):

1.       Specific speed and explosive strength exercises (10 – 20 m starts, basketball jumps and shots) executed with the repetition method (long rest intervals) and serial - repetition method.

2.       Depth jumps with subsequent jump shot, which replace the “classic” Depth jumps of the preceding block.

3.       Specific tactical combinations executed with maximal speed (serial-repetition training method and interval training method).

All physical preparation training of block C must be carried out on basketball court before the planned technical – tactical training.

The speed running exercises of block C should be carried out with the use of the repetition method. It means that each exercise should be performed with the record of results and with rest intervals that assure the complete recovery. The number of repetitions depends on the recorded results. The athlete should improve the result in each repetition. When he starts to not improve the result in one exercise, he must have a longer rest and to pass at the following exercise.

If the competition period is quite long, the block C should be planned on the first part of the competition period. The training sessions of the block C could be used as the maintaining means, if it there are 5 -7 days pauses between matches.

Yuri Verkhoshansky

Hi Professor Verkhosansky!

Could you give me some  examples of training in Block C number 3 ( Specific tactical combinations executed with maximal speed and serial repetition training method and interval training method.

Thanks for all your help,

Warren Buirch USA