Game Time Workouts

Dwight Freeney at Gold's

2009-09-19T09:25:00.000-07:00

How big and fast people workout:

Linebacker Drills from Lawrence Timmons

2009-09-19T09:04:00.000-07:00

(We're not dead just busy, haha)

To me the Steelers present one of the biggest condumdrums in sports. They have a great fanbase, likeable players, they win, but in the past tne or fifteen years have played one of the most boring brands to football in recent memories. On offense smash mouth football is hard to watch, but defensively it provides big hits. Lawerence Timmons is the next generation of Steeler linebackers to lay the smackdown on the field. Here are a couple drills that he uses to get ready for Sunday.

Randy Couture: Moments before the Fight

2009-09-03T19:23:00.000-07:00

It's been a while, so we're coming back strong..well at least with all the strength a 46 year old man can deliver. Rnady Couture may have gotten beat last weekend but that doesn't mean he didn't have a good showing. He took a lot of punishment, got knocked down a couple of times, and still lasted all 3 rounds. Before the fight, what must he have been going through, thinking about, contemplating? We've heard Frank Mir run through the nerves, now its Randy's turn (hint: footage even includes after the loss):

Cyborg in Training

2009-08-16T08:27:00.001-07:00

I love watching fighting from the ring, to the octagon, and to sometimes a random brawl at a soccer event. But one form of fighting I absolutely hate is female MMA, mainly because I don't think its normal. Really, at a soccer brawl you don't see women throwing down looking to prove something, maybe at a nightclub but never really during some random portion of the day. Anywho, Cris Cyborg beat Gina Cerano last night in the first round filled with madness. I may not like them being fighters, but that's who they are, fighters.

Curt Schilling on Being Traded

2009-08-06T20:33:00.000-07:00

August is a slow sports month, and not good for workouts since the major sport of the month has a steroid scandal every other week. But speaking of the sport of baseball, it if can't teach out about working out, it sure can give us some incite inot the life of an athlete, such as that of being traded. Curt Schilling is a loud mouth and a hypocrite, but he's a good loud mouth because he tells it how it is, and here's his expereience on how he found out he was traded:

So I am sitting on the chair watching ESPN, and along the bottom of the screen scrolls

“Red Sox acquire Boddicker……..”

“Boston acquires RHP Mike Boddicker for minor league OF Brady Anderson and minor league RHP Curt Schilling”

Um, what?????

Talk about stunned, shocked, reeling, everything you can imagine.

That’s how I found out. That was how I was informed.

[ Curt Schilling 38 Pitches ]

Anderson Silva Training for UFC 101

2009-07-28T20:59:00.000-07:00

My favorite fighter is fighting in two weeks, and hopefully he can give us a much better show than his past couple of fights where guys either got injured or literally laid down on the floor for 5 straight rounds. Against, Forrest Griffin, Anderson Silva will finally find a fight worth fighting, and here is how he's training for the fight:

Video Tips from Derek Jeter

2009-07-05T19:19:00.000-07:00

I saw this the other day, a video set by Derek Jeter giving all of his tips about playing asketball. This is probably the most comprehensive set of videos I've seen, and the best part is that it's directed at kids and teens so anyone can understand. Its great when athletes can fund a site like that (see sarcasm).

[ WePlay Complete Derek Jeter Video Collection ]

Blake Griffin's Workout

2009-07-05T18:57:00.000-07:00

If you're Blake Griffin are you happy that you're a Clipper? The only organization that makes money on losing, has drafted Griffin and probably won't put the pieces around him to succeed. Its a little unfortunate for such a good talent to almost go to waste, baring injury hopefully he'll be a major prize in the 2013 free agency market. Here is Griffin working out to get ready for the league:

[ The Rookie via ESPN (full series here)]

Thoughts about Rubio

2009-07-01T18:09:00.000-07:00

I usually have a lot to say about NBA and with the recent activity in the league I have to say a few things.

The first being that my hometown team, the Wizards, could of had Rubio, or could they have? Because the truth is that Rubio will only play for a few teams including two teams from LA, the Bulls, and Knicks. Out of those two teams, two are garbage and none really have the pieces to put together a trade offer to Minnesota. So Rubio's solution is to stay at home under the embrace of his homeland, Spain, where he can yield offers from European teams. Granted, how cowardly this is and has been talked about quite thoroughly, but can we also discuss how unfair this is to our own American players.

As we all know, Rubio is only 18, where American player would have to be 19 to enter the draft. The difference between the two is the 19 year old American can't all of a sudden turn back and go back to his former team which the NCAA won't allow. Then if you ask that kid to go to Europe they will probably make considerably less money than Rubio who already has European basketball experience. So the 19 year old is stuck, playing for a rebuilding franchise in the freezing cold. Some may say that the 19 year old is still getting paid to do so, but this isn't about money, its about fairness.

Its really about the pandering to European athletes by the NBA. The evidence includes refusing to do anything about their flopping on the court, and not punishing those who refuse to play for their American teams. Besides correcting the refereeing, the NBA should establish longer draft rights that are more like five years instead of two that would punish draft dodgers by guaranteeing that their best years are spent overseas. On top of that, the league should stipulate that only those who are contract free can enter the draft. This could prevent overseas teams from coming up with astronomical dollar amounts for transfer fees. So if you're young and overseas, signing a long term contract wouldn't be in your best interests.

And to reemphasize, Rubio is a coward. If you don't like the heat or cold for that matter, then get out of the draft.

Good Lord, Deion Sanders puts Draftees through HELL!!!

2009-06-30T19:32:00.000-07:00

SO now that the draftees have been well acquainted with their new teams, its fun to look at what they did to get there, including, pushing a SUV down the street:

Kareem Abdul Jabar and the Skyhook

2009-06-30T18:14:00.000-07:00

As you probally know I'm a huge NBA fan and I watch a ton of ball each season (next season I'm starting grad school so that'll come to an end). The one lesson Ive learned is that athleticism won't win games alone as we saw with Lebron and Dwight. Lebron has the barrel to the hole layup/dunk and Dwight has simply the dunk. For their own sake it would greatly help them if they would gain an offensive move that doesn't rely on getting fouls or a high lob pass. Shaq has his spin, Kobe has his 15ft jumper, and Tim has his bank shot.

The best known trademarked move is Kareem's skyhook. We've covered this before, but ESPN has done their own expose where they try to uncover the secrets of the unstoppable move, complete with video.

[ Secrets of the SkyHook via ESPN ]

Frank Mir: The Day of the Fight

2009-06-27T23:09:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder what happens to the mind of a fighter on the day of a fight? What would you think before headed into the octagon? By any chance would it be fear....well Frank Mir, the heavyweight champion of the UFC, is going to explain an entire day in the mind of a fighter before he steps into the cage:

Evan Longoria's Workout Routine

2009-06-24T21:36:00.000-07:00

Looking back on last year's Tampa Bay Rays and their crazy run to the World Series, I'm pretty sure in a couple years people will say that those Rays were one of the greatest teams ever assembled. Why? Because in a couple of years many of those player would have left Tampa and joined teams like Boston or the Yankees and become superstars leading those teams to the championship that the '08 Rays missed out on.

I get this feeling because I've seen it before in the '03 World Series Champion Florida Marlins. Everyone one that team that made a differene is gone making mad money some place else. Many people don't even remember that the team had Derrek Lee. The same will happen to Evan Longoria when he's on the Yankees. Here we have a couple of articles that describe how Longoria get's game time ready:

[ Check out Men's Health with Downloadable 8 workout plans ]

Off-Season Baseball Training (October-December)
Off-season is the time to take a break from your workout and let your muscles rest. A 3-4 week break is good – too much longer and you risk losing a lot of the muscle that you gained. Towards the end of the off-season, you should start focusing on your foundational strength, and that will guide you back into the early pre-season.

Baseball strength training is all about preventing and avoiding injury by doing a workout that includes a variety of options – weight training, body weight exercises, and medicine ball exercises. Certain exercises should be avoided; for example, you should never press with heavy weights, as it adds too much stress on your shoulders. Rotator cuff injuries can be prevented by using 3-5 pound weights instead of larger weights.

[Article @Motley Health ]

Kobe Bryant Does Research

2009-06-24T21:03:00.000-07:00

We underestimate athletes. We underestimate their ability on the court, and more importantly their drive to do anything it take to win. This is what makes this next story utterly hysterical. The big thing in the NBA this season besides the poor economic state of many franchises was that the Sabernomics movement had finally hit the hard court and teams were incorporating statisical analysis to their starting lineups (even Bill Simmons took in some stat geek love). While most thought that only GMs (the guys who actually went to college) used this info, most overlooked that players were doing the same.

And that's where NBA Finals MVP Kobe Bryant steps in. Kobe hired his own guru to analysis the opposition and to see what defenses they were running on him, and how he can adjust his game accordingly.

“To have someone as dedicated to the game as [Procopio], it was great for me,”
Bryant said. “He could see things from the outside looking in that sometimes get
a little cloudy when you’re in the moment of the battle.”

“All the time
he would send me things that I hadn’t thought about.”

[ Scout’s eye helped Bryant focus on title drive via Yahoo ]

Phil Jackson: The Zen of Leadership

2009-06-16T20:56:00.000-07:00

(if you want to skip the rant, and get right to the good stuff, click here)

What's lost in all the Lakers hooplah is the greatness that is Phil Jackson. Sure, we've talked about his ten championships and had great players in his journety, but that being said, his coaching style has been overshadowed. A coaching style that does not comprise of yelling or screaming or practices that extend beyond any reasonable reach of time while getting nothing accomplished. He's a motivator. He's a Zen master. He let's his players be themselves while giving them an offense that is more about giving players options and less about dictation. That is Phil Jackson.

The Zen Master has provided a blueprint for how to coach calm. So much so that the Washington Post has an entire expose about his coaching style:

"When you examine Jackson's life, you see that he has always been committed
to the idea that people who work together can accomplish much more than
individuals seeking their own personal glory. This is a lesson he must have
learned very early in life, growing up with parents who were both pastors. From
them, he learned about self-discipline and generosity toward others -- key attributes of leadership."
[ Washington Post: Zen Lesson for Leaders ]

Pistol Pete Teaches Basketball

2009-06-15T21:12:00.001-07:00

The funny thing about watching the NBA Finals is that for as much as the focus is on the players of the present, much about the Finals is focused on players past. How does Kobe compare to Micheal, Oscar, and Jerry.? How does Dwight's game replicate his mentor's Patrick Ewing or that of Big Men past. So in light of the retrospective aspect of today's game, its good to learn the old timers game, to see exactly what we are comparing. This is Pistol Pete teaching the game:

Ball Handling:

The Wrist Pass:

More Dribbling:

Shooting Part 3
Shooting Part 4
Shooting Part 5
Shooting Part 6

Kevin Garnett Confidence and First Step Drills

2009-06-14T06:19:00.000-07:00

Do I think KG is crazy? Yes, but do I care? Not really. His on court presence really isn't about him just acting like a complete lunatic, its about his absolute need and drive to win. Here he is teaching kids about confidence and using that confidence to get a good first step and drive to the basket:

New Lebron Workout Routine

2009-06-14T06:02:00.001-07:00

I know he's not in the Finals, and most are sick and tired of hearing about either his on court behavior or how this one season doesn't matter because he's going to win down the road. Yes, I'm sick and tired of hearing about that too, but the guy is still Lebron James and so some attention needs to be paid to the game even when he's not in the game. This video shows Lebron in the gym, and what he specifically does to get ready. Personally, I think Lebron's best bet to win a championship will be if he was to work on his low post game, making it even easier to create shots for his team. Lebron's dribble drive simply takes up to much energy to get to the basket. If James were to use his size to back a player down, then kick out for the short corner three, the Cavs will for the first time have a set offense. I compare Lebron to Magic, but that's false. Yes, they both have the same phsique and passing ability, and can play all 5 positions. But there is a difference between "playing" all 5 spots, and "knowing" how to. Magic knew how to (remember the Finals where in a couple of games he started at center when Kareem was hurt). Enough of my Lebron spiel, here's the vid:

Good Basketball Coaching & Player Development Website

2009-06-10T21:56:00.000-07:00

This has been one of my favorite websites over the past couple of weeks because it gives long interesting articles on not only basketball but how to grow and maturate a player which is not usually talked about. Maybe if more kids received advice like this then we will be seeing less and less recruiting problems.

[ http://thecrossovermovement.wordpress.com/ ]

Another Dwight Howard Workout Routine

2009-06-10T21:47:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow the Magic are looking to tie it up 2-2, and for their own sake they will need someone to step up the way how Raefer Alston did in game 2, because he may not be there if the Lakers give Shannon Brown or Jordan Famar added minutes. The could, dump down into Dwight more looking to get foul calls or ask him to use that hook shot that he's been exploring throughout these playoffs. If you haven't seen how Dwight Howard prepares for the season, we have many videos. And today we have one more:

Also: Do you know why Dwight has been doing so well shooting free throws lately? Because he's been practicing taking 300 shots a day.

Basketball Tips from Kobe Bryant

2009-06-06T14:25:00.000-07:00

It's the NBA Finals, and in additionto everything else we got on Kobe including his workout routine, and the things he does after and between games off the court, we also got tips from the man himself (If you like this video, you should really check out the tips we got from Michael Jordan as well):

Game One Lessons: Mid-Range Game & Focus

2009-06-04T21:28:00.001-07:00

I'm not a coach, I'm not a player, but with years of watching basketball has taught me a couple things, such as team defense, what constitutes a foul (however, flagrants you'll have to get back to me), and in general what makes a team or players successful. This is why I love basketball, because its the one sport that you can watch and completely understand what's going on, until you watch "Kobe Doin Work."

That being said, I've read a lot of Couch Potato Point Guard reports, and all though many credit the Lakers defense and Kobe for going bananas as the reason for the Lakers superb game, these guys are missing a couple of things that gave the Lakers the edge.

Starting with, the Magic or how they call them in L.A. the Tricks, inability to make the mid-range jumper. Yes, we all can agree that the Lakers took away Dwight, and the three, because they would constantly stand perfectly inbetween Dwight and the shooter, but there are many ways to skin a cat in basketball. The best being, the mid range jumper, from either the side (like Udonlis Haslem via Karl Malone) and maybe trying a little Pick-and-Roll like Kobe did, to hit the elbow jumper.

The problem is that the Magic have shot so many threes, that they have compelty forgetten the arc, the angle, and the mentality necessary to get those inside shots. Too many times last night I noticed the Lakers denying the 3 and a Magic player dipping right inside the 3 point line only to brick. The inability to hit this shot is due to the Magic three pointer centric offense, that requires players to spot up and hit a long distance dagger. That being said, it only creates a false sense of shooting ability for some, while making others nervous because they simply haven't practiced the shot. Just check out the shot chart of Hedo Turkalou and Rashad Lewis and notice where the misses are represented by 'X's:

The great scorers don't restrict themselves to either the paint or the 3 point line. Scoring is fluid, where you become a perpetual scoring machine as you go to the basic, able to hit a shot from everywhere in between the three point line and painted area as you make your way to the basket. That was Kobe.

For Dwight and the rest of the Magic, they were too star struck by the big stage. In my last post I talked about the difference between Lebron and Kobe, being simply seriousness. Well the same thing can be said about last night. You simply can not win a championship when you are not completly focused in your mission. Check out this video of Dwight and Kobe before the game (only watching the first minute will get my point across:

Kobe really says nothing to Dwight, while the referees try to throw in a random comment/joke just to make sense of it all. Now check out Dwight probably a couple days earlier shooting a Vitamin Water Ad all because he got his feelings hurt by the Kobe vs Lebron fiasco:

And in case you were wondering if Dwight had this same comedic act after the game, just check out his press:

Remind you of anyone:

One of the worst post game blow out speeches I have ever heard. But he learned his lesson, and now he's back in the Finals showing the focus necessary to win a championship (with the everyday working man attire)...(Wait check out how Kobe handled the guy in the big yellow and purple hat talking about helmets around the 4:40 mark):

Kobe the Leader.

2009-05-31T15:35:00.000-07:00

Watch Kobe.
Please do.

There is no better closer, no better player, and we are all witnesses to that in this upcoming Finals. Could he lose? Absolutely. Could he win? Surely. But either way, we must appreciate the player he is, and not constantly break down his game into various understandable parts, because that is not an honest way one can examine a player whether it be Kobe or Michael Jordan. We must accept, Bryant's successes and his failures, the good with the bad, and as we can see from so many NBA superstars, simply duplicating Bryant's good qualities isn't enough.

For the past month and a half, we've heard how much better better Kobe made Lebron during the Olympics, because Bron was able totake notes on Kobe's work ethic and seeing how much Kobe committed himself to the defensive end. The results were clear, the simple tweaks to Lebron took from Bryant made him into an MVP, and as Bill Simmons noted, everyone from that team reached some level of Superstar status. That's great.

Kobe's best competitors were able to pick his brain, and takeout things they liked the most, but leave other parts behind. The simple idea being, individually I'll be more like Kobe, however I hate the teammate that Kobe is, so I'll leave that part out. We apply this principle to most things in life, women, jobs, cars, because upgrading is fun. But in basketball its a big mistake.

This is why Lebron is sitting at home and Kobe is in the NBA Finals. Lebron, upgraded his game, but decided that Kobe's team mindset was too hard on his teammates, and his ability to not trust his teammates, was nothing to replicate. So instead, Lebron made everything fun, and happy for his sidekicks, and in return his teammates liked him.

Lebron literally made friends. However, this is probably the worst perspective you can ever have on a team game. If every teammate you have is your friend, and everyone likes to have fun that is fueled by you're success, that's not a team. That's a Lebrontourage:

I bet that there is rarely any accountability, for anyone in that locker room because Lebron's buddy buddy relationship with everyone, keeps him from telling others when they screwed up. When times are good, everyone is happy, but when Lebron has basically given up all that he has, and its not enough, no one has focused enough on their own game to be able to step up. Simply, everyone is merely standing around watch Lebron vs. Box and 1.

Kobe on the other hand, demands winning from his teammates. Is he their friend, yes, but rarely. Is he their leader who demands perfect exectution? All the time, and this is the way it should be. There should be no goofing around during pre-games (see pregame introductions) and no accompanying you to clubs and basking in your glow (see Damon Jones last year). This causes other players to over value their worth, really why do they deserve to have a make believe camera placed on them during warmups? What did they ever accomplish?

And second, if causes your teammates to rely on you on the court, the same way how they rely on you off the court? Allow them to become their own people and establish their own fan bases who'll love that one cog so much that they'll admire literally a role player. The ancient saying is, "a chain is only as strong as its weakest link." Well what exactly does it say when your weakest link, believes that he's now a star who's mere presence on the court has earned him a reputation.

So what exactly, does Kobe do differently? Bryant does exactly what all the rest of the greats do, yell, scream, and bark, at teammates until they eventually get the point that execution is the only thing that matters. Micheal Jordan was by far one of the worst teammates ever:

But they still won! Fun, can only be had after you get yourself a ring. Kobe knows this. Even fun lovable Shaq went all Ivan Drago on his mates before winning, and guess who received the brunt of it? You guessed it, Kobe:

“What surprised me about Shaquille during our early days in Los Angeles was how frustrated he got,” said former Lakers GM Jerry West. “He was not fun to be around. The shortcomings of our team and his teammates made him angry because he knew he was going to be judged on how much we won.”

How angry?

Just months before Jackson arrived, O’Neal had slapped Bryant during a pickup game at the Laker practice facility.

So now to win on his own, Kobe must inflict the same pressure, and demand for perfection on his own teammates. Its almost a right of passage for winning in this league when you're the top dog who's sniffed the title and the rest of your teammates are just along for the ride.

Next year, after seeing Kobe potentially win another title, Lebron will change. Yes, he'll shake hands after games, but really you'll see a different Lebron. One who is let's his emotions control not only his own play, but also of the entire team. You'll see a Lebron who is a leader.

[Shaq slapped Kobe]

Carmelo Anthony's Workout Routine

2009-05-29T17:18:00.000-07:00

It's a couple minutes until tip-off for game 6 of the Western Conference Finals, and Carmelo Anthony just turned 25, my age in a couple of months. Although I'm pulling for the Lakers, Melo is one of my favorite players partially because he's a Maryland dude like myself, and the other reason besides his ability to get to the paint, draw fouls, shoot threes, and kill you with the mid-range game, is because he's also gritty and is willing to stand up for his teammates, unfortunately he did take this to far and go all Charles Oakley, but this whole entire package, makes for a player that I want on my team.

He may not look it, but Carmelo is a strong dude. His workout is pretty unique and focuses on the use of bands and not machines. Don't try this at home. (Great job by Yahoo, getting this vid. I've been looking for his workouts for a while):