Train Like The NBA Players Do
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By TeamSnap’s Guest Authors at Driven Apps, a mobile app providing sports training tips and  fitness programs.
Dwyane Wade has been one of the most popular athletes in the NBA since he’s been drafted in early 2000. Driven Apps has teamed up with the 3-Time NBA Champion to put together an app that allows users to train like a pro by offering access to his customized training routines, including on-court drills and fitness programming. D. Wade’s training routines consist of many exercises – with a focus on movement, flexibility and strength, which are the cornerstones of athleticism for athletes in any sport. Today, we are offering two exercises from his routine, the kettlebell dead lift and reactive step-up. Both have completely different purposes; each focus on the same end result which is to keep the athlete’s body strong and flexible for the demands of their sport.
The Kettlebell Dead Lift
The kettlebell dead lift is a multi-part movement that involves all areas of the body. D. Wade loves this exercise because it strengthens the entire lower body while also focusing on the muscles in the back, shoulders, and grip strength. On top of it all, when performed correctly, it can help correct certain imbalances in one’s body. Specifically for basketball, it will increase strength and power for an effective drop step, but the movement goes well beyond that. It also helps establish proper hinging patterns which is incredibly important for injury prevention and focuses on core strength. The reason why this exercise has so much bang for its buck is not only because it accomplishes so much in the body, but because it’s useful for every sport. By integrating this exercise into your workout, you will not only get stronger, but improve the way you move in your particular sport. Driven Apps and Wade recommend this as one of the most important exercises you should learn because it is also valuable in so many aspects of life beyond sport. Don’t forget to do this one!
The Reactive Step-Up
The second exercise that D. Wade routinely performs in the gym is called the reactive step-up. The reactive step-up is what we call a plyometric-based movement. Plyometrics are explosive movements using one’s body weight. This is incredibly important for athletes in general because in just about every sport, you need to move with speed and efficiency. This is another exercise which Wade uses and recommends because it works on balance and stability, as well as improving speed and quickness.  Considering that in basketball, like many sports, you need to train for an immediate change of direction, it is very important to include movements like this. Even if you are a non-athlete, this is a great exercise to begin with because it’s going to get your body flexible and can potentially help injury prevention. Though a much different movement than the kettlebell dead lift, at the end of the day we are trying to achieve the same outcome, which is movement and optimal performance.
Though both of these exercises are used in D. Wade’s Driven App, these are both important movement patterns and beneficial strength exercises to help athletes improve in any sport. Ultimately, the focus of training is to build a better and stronger athlete, regardless of the specific sport you play – so give these exercises a try, and for the full workout routine, check out Dwyane Wade Driven on iTunes: http://bit.ly/17BKzk8.