A high school kid came in looking like he was getting stabbed every time he shot the ball. Not exaggerating. Every rep was a full-body emergency. Shoulders up, jaw clenched, eyes wide. The ball would come out and he’d wince before it even hit the rim, like he was bracing for bad news. Which, to […]
You Play Like You’re Trying to Survive Something Read More »
I had a high schooler who was one of the most detail-oriented players I’ve ever worked with. Every rep had to look right. Every footwork pattern had to feel clean before he’d move on. If something broke down mid-rep he’d stop, reset, and start over. He was putting in serious work. In practice he looked
You Can’t Train for Speed by Going Slow Read More »
[photo: player attacking downhill, low and decisive, not slowing down] I had a player who would start her drive and stop after one dribble. Every time. She’d initiate, take one dribble, pick up the ball, then stand there holding it looking stuck. The defense hadn’t done anything. No help cutting her off, no wall of
Stop Waiting to See What Happens (Your First Move Is the Whole Point) Read More »
[photo: someone mid-lift, focused, serious effort] I had a client who trained with me every week. Showed up, worked hard, did sessions on his own in between. Real commitment. The kind of commitment most people say they want but then absolutely do not have. He was also gaining weight. Which sounds insane until you see
You’re Really Good at Half of This (And That Might Be the Problem) Read More »
Had a middle schooler argue with me last week about whether this skill even matters. Full disagreement. Arms crossed. Completely convinced he already had everything he needed. “I can already shoot. Why do I need to learn a new way to get into it?” Valid question. Wrong answer. But valid question. This is a very
Your Shot on the Move Looks Like a Car Crash. Here’s Why. Read More »
I went over to train my dad a few weeks ago. Before we even started he had a question. “What’s the best exercise for triceps? I’ve been doing overhead extensions.” I had him try skull crushers instead. Started him lighter than he thought he needed. He looked at the weight like I’d insulted him. It
Don’t Make It Harder Than It Has To Be Read More »
I had a young girl a few years back. Elementary age. Working on finishing. Started doing underhand layups. Her parents pulled me aside. “Why would you teach her that? She’s never going to do an underhand layup in a game. That’s a waste of time.” She wasn’t strong enough yet to finish overhand consistently. Didn’t
That Weird Drill Might Save Your Season (Even If It Looks Useless Right Now) Read More »
I had a guy a few years ago who worked all the time. Forties. Desk job. In meetings constantly. Sometimes for hours at a time. Commuting an hour each way. Couldn’t lose weight. Dealing with lower back pain that wouldn’t quit. “I don’t understand,” he told me. “I’m doing everything right.” Here’s what his “everything
The System Is Rigged Against You (And How to Fight Back) Read More »
A freshman came in last month who could knock down catch-and-shoot threes all day long. Kid had a smooth stroke. Great release. Pass him the ball with his feet set and he was money. The second he had to shoot off the dribble? Completely different story. He’d pull up and land three feet forward from
Your Body’s Moving Faster Than Your Brain Read More »
Two guys walked into the gym last month with the same problem: right shoulder completely trashed. Couldn’t press overhead without pain. Benching hurt. Both loved lifting. Both had basically quit. First guy is 28, been dealing with shoulder problems since high school. That’s ten years. He tried resting. Tried ignoring it. Did one round of
You Don’t Need to Live With It Read More »