Workout
Scenario 1: I am the bridesmaid in my best friend’s wedding 6 months from now. I would like to tone up my arms, lose some belly fat, and feel great. What can you do for me?
Matt: You should work out at least 2 or 3 times per week with me, and 1 or 2 days on your own. Your body mass index (BMI) is a bit high, so we need to incorporate some aerobics to reduce body fat, giving you the lean look you want for the wedding. In addition to resistance training, I will design cardiovascular workouts devoted to elliptical training and treadmill running.
Scenario 2: I had a great season last year, leading my team in steals and free throw attempts and percentages. However, I felt like I couldn’t finish around the rim, and I didn’t perform well towards the end of the fourth quarter. How can I become a better basketball player for the upcoming season?
Matt: You need a program where muscular strength and endurance are your primary focus. Taking a hard foul is tough, but we need to increase your strength primarily in your upper body, so that when you feel contact, you have a better chance of getting the ball back up to the basket. For the first month, your strength program will be strict. Three days a week will be devoted to upper body strength, emphasizing lots of chest and shoulder work. In the second month, we’ll continue with upper body conditioning, but we will also work on more leaping ability so you can be more explosive on the court. This will allow you to outrun your opponents, making it easier for you to score.
Because you need endurance to be a good basketball player, your cardio warm-ups will be on the cardio row machine, versa climber, or treadmill. These are all activities that will increase your work capacity, allowing you to have more energy to finish the game.