We love playing the game, but we hate the conditioning and training we have to do in order to stay on our A-game (of course I’m speaking for most of us). It’s one of those things our coaches continue to tell us to do every single week. Since athlete conditioning is unavoidable, we thought it’d be helpful to consult with some of our coaches to hear directly from them of some of the top reasons why conditioning is critical for athletes.

BETTER STAMINA

Most team sports are very physically demanding, and with that, it’s important to make sure your stamina as a player is up to par. You may be the best shooter, ball handler, or defence player, however, none of that really matters if your stamina is low and you can’t survive the entire game due to shortness of breath. The more consistent conditioning you do, the better your stamina will be, and therefore will improve your performance during a game.

INJURY PREVENTION

This is usually an afterthought for athletes, but staying on top of your conditioning will prevent future injuries. London Elite Coach Mauro Salvadore Di Nunzio, shares that he typically focuses on ab and hip exercises with his players (i.e. squats and planks), since they connect the upper and lower body. These exercises provide full range of motion for the body, which will translate on the court when players are moving at full speed and levels.

MENTAL FOCUS

Being able to stay on your toes and perform conditioning exercises well will translate on the court when it comes to your mind and decision making. Doing things like interval running and change of speed and direction will align your body and mind and ultimately lead to quick decision making and reaction time during the game. 

IMPROVED PERFORMANCE

The obvious benefit of conditioning is improved performance. The more often, and faster you run, the quicker you’ll make your way across the field to score a goal. The more jump squats you do, your legs will get stronger and you can improve your dunking skills, for instance. NASSA Coach, John Manzon tells his players to stay on top of their conditioning because it’s part of the game to be able to play defence for 25 seconds and then move to offence immediately after. A simple, effective conditioning exercise could be sprints of course, or crab walks. Without even realising it, these simple conditioning exercises improve your full body strength and overall performance.