Physical Sub-Factors: Speed Endurance Agility Power Higher PE Physical Sub-Factors: Speed Endurance Agility Power

Basketball Basketball is an incredibly physically demanding game, although the game is only 4 x 10 minute quarters, a match usually lasts around 90-100 minutes. During this time players will be expected to repeatedly sprint for distances of up to approximately 90 feet. Changing directions quickly and maintaining balance are also paramount to proper play. Participants have to continually jump higher than their opponents to shoot, rebound and block their opponents throughout the game. For these reasons, agility, speed endurance, and power are necessary for success.

Some highlights to show just how physically demanding the game is.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u4n9Dabw2w

Speed Endurance ”This is the ability to repeat short sharp bursts of speed over a long period of time” This is where you work in short, sharp bursts, e.g. to sprint to get a pass in basketball. You will have experienced a situation where you have been required to perform a few of these movements in quick succession and you found you could not maintain the effort. This is lactic acid building up in your muscles. As you perform these quick movements your muscles cannot take in the required oxygen to maintain effort resulting in oxygen debt.

Examples of Speed Endurance in Basketball. Offence Defence On the ball Off the ball   Prevent opponent from cutting / driving into space Deny space in a zone defence Intercept passes Tight man mark Chase a loose ball Maintain “basketside” position Sprint back and defend Prevent opponent fast break Prevent unopposed fast breaks Defend counter attacks Maintain a range of shooting options Maintain sharp passes Dribble or drive into space Give and go (cut into a space) Sprint up the court to receive a pass. Cut and drive to the basket. Lose opponent & create space Explode into the key to receive a pass

Positional Examples Guard Forward Centre Offence Defence Dribble the ball up the middle of the court (ahead of the defence) Create fast break scoring opportunities Pressurise the opponents guard Force opponent to make errors Deny space at the top of the key Fill the lanes in a fast break Drive to the basket for layups Beat opponent up the court for an easier shot Deny opponent space and time Prevent opponent driving into the key Sprint in for rebounds Get position close to the basket to post up Sprint for rebounds Gain space in the key Deny space in the key Gain position for rebounds (box out)  

Positive Impact of Speed Endurance As a basketball game lasts 40 minutes you will have to use bursts of speed throughout therefore speed endurance is important. Good speed endurance essentially gives you the same benefits as speed with the exception of it is usually well into or towards the end of the game. If you are up against someone of a similar speed you may struggle to get away from them in the early stages of the game, however, if you have superior speed endurance, you will be able to get away from them more easily as the game progresses.. Having a high level of speed endurance would help you to carry out these actions efficiently, particularly towards the end of the game.

Negative Impact of Speed Endurance Example answer: In the first two quarters of the game I was reasonably satisfied with my performance. In the 3rd and 4th quarters, particularly the 4th, my lack of fitness showed in several ways. As a forward, I was unable to sprint up the court to receive a pass for a fast break in offence or support the breaking player by filling the lanes. This meant that the fast break was a man short and often faced a 5v5 set offence situation instead of a 3v2 or 3v1 overload, thus decreasing our scoring rate significantly. As a forward I am responsible for driving towards the basket, rebounding and receiving cuts into the key to create scoring opportunities. However, in the later stages of the game, I had lost my sharpness so was unable to lose my opponent with a change of pace, hindering my ability to cut and drive to the basket when the opportunity arose. In defence I was unable to move quickly back to my own half to defend a fast break or attack giving my opposition numerical superiority. I was gasping for a breath and jogging when a faster pace was essential, limiting my contribution to the game. This recovery time was necessary to provide the working muscles, which had been starved of oxygen with a much needed supply and my decision making and concentration was negatively affected.

”This is the ability to move with speed, Agility ”This is the ability to move with speed, co-ordination and balance, and being able to adjust position or change direction quickly whilst maintaining control”

Agility Agility is a very important aspect of skill related fitness that is needed for successful performance in basketball. Agility combines speed, co-ordination and balance which is essential to turn quickly or adjust position to outmanoeuvre opposition to cut to the basket. Quick changes of direction are often fundamental, to create space or receive a pass. In a 1v1 situation a player will often fake a shot but then drive past the opposition using agility and pace to move in for a high percentage shot. During a game, players frequently need my agility to collect a rebound or chase a loose ball, to then counter attack. Having agility means they can mix set, jump and layup shots in the game to add an element of surprise. Being able to adjust position quickly means it is very difficult for opposition to man mark to restrict my time and space on the ball. On the occasion that opposition intercept and break up the court, players with good agility are able to turn back quickly to pressurise opponent to defend the key.

Why is agility important in basketball?

Positive impact of agility Example Answer: Agility is vital in basketball as it allows a player to stay on their toes and produce sharp, fast movements when driving to the basket or attempting to lose their opponent. Basketball demands the ability to move quickly and efficiently up and down the court. Agility requires both speed and flexibility to enable a player to cover the court efficiently. For example, “if my opponent is closing in on me near the basket, my agility would help me to fake a pass one way and quickly drive past my opponent in the opposite direction. If I anticipate the movements of my opponent wrongly, then this could result in my opponent stealing the ball off me and points being lost.” A player with good agility will be light on their feet and constantly be close to their opponent in defence, putting them under pressure. While attacking they will be zig-zagging past their opponent, looking for passes and creating vital space on the court. They will be tiring their opponents out so they will have more time to make decisions and passes under pressure, if their opponent fails to keep up with the pace. Good agility is essential in basketball as it adds variety and maintains an element of surprise if you can catch your opponent off guard. With effective agile movements a higher standard of performance is sustained far longer.

Negative impact of agility Example answer: A basketball player who has poor agility will struggle in a game. Even with a high level of accuracy in shooting, passing etc they will not be able to use them to an advantage with a lack of agility. Poor agility and the inability to change direction quickly will result in an untidy performance. A player who lacks agility in offence will not be able to move quickly into a space away from their opponent to receive a pass, nor will they be able to change direction quickly after a change of possession. For example, “when my team lost the ball, I was unable to change direction quickly to run back in to defence and support my team, this resulted in the other team having numerical superiority in attack and scoring an easy basket”. Agility is also useful when rebounding in basketball, if a player lacks agility, they will be unable to react to an unpredictable bounce off the backboard or the rim of the basket to collect the rebound, this will result in the other team gaining possession or even having another chance to attack. In defence, agility is vital for any player on the court. Without agility, a player will not be able to stay with their player for any time in the game. Being unable to match a quick fast dodge, would result in the opposing player’s having time and space to create an opportunity for a high percentage shot, close to the basket.

Power “This is strength applied at speed and is sometimes referred to as explosive strength.” Power is vital when rebounding, making jump shots and lay ups to gain height to overcome opposition.

Power

Positive impact of Power Power is required in basketball throughout performance, no matter what position you play. When rebounding, good leg power allows you to jump higher and catch the ball at it’s highest point giving you a better chance of securing the rebound. In a defensive situation this gives you an excellent platform to fast break from and when attacking this gives you another chance to score. Good rebounding = more possession! Good leg power is also vital to contest shots being made, e.g. blocking. If you are able to jump high enough in front of your opponent, you will have the chance to block their shot and prevent it from going towards the basket. Good leg power is also useful when shooting as it can help you to jump higher than a potential blocker, allowing you to get more power into your release. Arm power is also important when shooting or passing in basketball. Good arm power will allow you to shoot from greater distances (e.g. a 3 pointer), whilst allowing you to focus more on your technique. Arm power also helps you to pass over greater distances and also helps to make passes faster and sharper which will prevent them from being intercepted.

Positive impact of Power Example of a writing framework for an evaluation of the positive impact of power in basketball: Knowledge point 1: As a centre in basketball, power is needed in my legs to jump high to catch a rebound. Understanding point 1: In offence, this allows me to jump higher than my opponent and gain possession of the ball. Justify point 1: This gives my team the chance to attack again which could result in winning more points for my team.

Positive impact of Power Knowledge point 2: In basketball, having good arm power allows me to shoot accurately from a greater distance Understanding point 2: This allows me to score more frequently from the 3 point line. Justify point 2: This means that I can mix up my attacking options by being able to shoot from inside and outside the 3 point line, keeping my defender on their toes at all times.