NCAA Blog 1: Steve Alford's All-American Workout

The "Xcellence and O's" blog is back and is here to stay. And it's back with a vengeance. What better time to bring it back than the NCAA Tournament? This is the first post of several over the coming weeks where I will profile some basketball knowledge from coaches and/or other key figures involved in this year's NCAA Tournament. I may also add some notes from the Women's NCAA Tournament and some great things from Ohio High School Basketball. Enjoy!



The first post in this series is notes from the very first instructional basketball tape I ever received. It is "Steve Alford's 50-Minute All-American Workout." Yes, Alford was my childhood idol, but this is a great instructional video that is still very consistent with today's game. Alford still uses variations of this workout for his own players at New Mexico. The great thing about this workout is that you do not need a workout partner, thus maximizing your workout time.

3 Keys to Becoming a Great Basketball Player
1) Dedication
2) Discipline
3) Intensity

Decide - "I want to dedicate ________ minutes per day to doing my workout."
You get out what you want to put in.

Workout Routine

- Stretch

- Jump Shot, without dribble (Rebound and spin ball to yourself) - 20/25 shots in 2 minutes

- Shoot 10 FTs (Chart your FTs)

- Jump Shot, with 1-2 dribbles (Cover 3-4 feet on dribble) - 2 minutes

- Shoot 10 FTs

- Backboard Shooting (Shoot mid-range jumpers using backboard, alternating sides) - 2 minutes

- Shoot 10 FTs

- 2-Ball Dribble

- Dribble the Line - Dribble over all lines of the basketball court, cross over when you switch to a new line (Dribble 2 laps right hand, 2 laps left hand)

- Shoot 10 FTs

- Creative Shooting (Have fun and shoot shots you like to shoot) - 2 minutes

- Shoot 10 FTs

- Movement Shooting (Set up a chair at each elbow. Make various moves off of each chair, alternating. Spin ball to yourself as you cut.) - 2 minutes

- Shoot 10 FTs

- Point Moves (Set up a chair with a broom attached. Attack defender with various moves off chair.) - 2 minutes

- Shoot 10 FTs

- Broom and Chair Drill (Get shots while on the move in front of the broom attached to a chair.) - 2 minutes

- Shoot 10 FTs